A lot of the younger women in my life want to pressure can, but they are getting so many "horror stories" from the older generation, they are afraid to try. I ask them to think it through.
Like giving birth, some people like to tell the worst stories they have ever heard over and over. This does not encourage, it discourages!
Like bad news, horror stories get all of the attention, but you don't hear the stories of the multitudes of people who have been using them for decades with no incidents. Those stories are ignored! Horror stories are also often exaggerated and leave out critical details like someone carelessly ignoring directions. Many times, the person telling the horror stories has no or little experience canning and is just repeating stories they have heard. Then there are the people like a friend of mine who tried pressure canning one time, didn't follow the directions (she admitted this), had an issue, and gave up for life. That's a user error. User error is easy to correct by reading the owner's manual and following directions.
I have been canning since around 1995. I bought my 23 quart Presto pressure canner then. I am still using it today. I change the seal and safety release plug as needed. I follow the instructions that came with the canner. I have not had a single incident in 26 years. There are a multitude of canners with similar stories, but those stories are never shared.
It's very easy to pressure can safely. My children knew how by the time they are 10 years old because they work beside me in the kitchen from when they were 7-8 years old. There are many, many people who have never had any problems with the operation of their pressure canner.
Dear Reader, Fear (anxiety) can serve a good purpose, but it can also be like a tight leash that hinders us in life. When we acknowledge our fears but continue forward to step outside of our comfort zone, we grow. Learning a new skill is very worthwhile.
