Pressure canning trial run

[NRA4LIFE]

No problem.  That same thing has happened to me 3 or 4 times.  Shut it down,  got it to where I could adjust the lid and fired it back up.  How old is the gasket on your cooker?

[Angry Perch]

About a week! it was just the little pressure lock that pops up and locks the lid. Must have had a piece of something in it.

By the way, We just had a grouse breast with leeks and mushroom while the pressure canner does it's thing. Damn that was good!

[j_h_nimrod]

Whenever a jar gets heated it creates pressure with the heat and when it cools will create a seal.  Time and temp assure safety of the sealed foods though.

[Angry Perch]

Last rookie question (ya right!)
The first time I had a boil over due to overfilling, and packing the meat. This time I left 1"+ head space, and everything sealed properly, but there was still a light skim of fat/ juice on the water in the cannner, and the house smelled like delicious meat. I assume this is normal, as the pressure releasing from the jars will let out a little moisture and aroma?

[quadrafire]

Last rookie question (ya right!)
The first time I had a boil over due to overfilling, and packing the meat. This time I left 1"+ head space, and everything sealed properly, but there was still a light skim of fat/ juice on the water in the cannner, and the house smelled like delicious meat. I assume this is normal, as the pressure releasing from the jars will let out a little moisture and aroma?

It happens to me as well. I assume it is normal.
If you ever do Tuna. Do it on an outside burner as the aroma in the house is not that delicious 

[Angry Perch]

My wife: "It smells like meat in here. I'm going to light some candles."
Me; "It smells like meat in here. Yum!"

Thanks guys for all of your advice.

[fowl smacker]

I also preheat my clean jars, I use the dishwasher on sterilize  mode with no detergent.  Make sure you preheat lids in hot (doesn't need to be boiling, but very hot) water.  Leave an inch of headspace with meats, packing the meat in tight won't adversely affect your finished product. 
The best canning accessory I've ever purchased is the Presto pressure regulator, it's part #50332.  Pretty much makes canning at 10lbs 1,000 times easier.

[lokidog]

My wife: "It smells like meat in here. I'm going to light some candles."
Me; "It smells like meat in here. Yum!"

Thanks guys for all of your advice.

My wife likes the smell since her favorite way to eat venison is canned.  The scum on the water is normal as others have said. Air and, of course, some liquid will escape during the cooking.  That's why you don't want to crank your lids down as tightly as possible, that expanding air needs to go somewhere.

[Southpole]

Two things that come to mind that cause juice loss in a jar. One, when the pressure canner gets up to temp, the weight is rattling like crazy (if you don't have a gauge), you should creep the heat down gradually. If you go from high to low too fast you will loose juice. The other way to loose juice is when your time is up, a person gets impatient and takes off the weight to relieve pressure so you can empty the canner quicker or running cold water over the top of the canner to get it cooled off quick to relive pressure. That's a sure way to loose lots of juice out of your jars.

[j_h_nimrod]

Two things that come to mind that cause juice loss in a jar. One, when the pressure canner gets up to temp, the weight is rattling like crazy (if you don't have a gauge), you should creep the heat down gradually. If you go from high to low too fast you will loose juice. The other way to loose juice is when your time is up, a person gets impatient and takes off the weight to relieve pressure so you can empty the canner quicker or running cold water over the top of the canner to get it cooled off quick to relive pressure. That's a sure way to loose lots of juice out of your jars.

 

Think of it like opening a soda bottle fast vs. slow n controlled. If you cool (drop pressure) rapidly it will boil over much more then if you cool more slowly.

[FCCank]

Two things that come to mind that cause juice loss in a jar. One, when the pressure canner gets up to temp, the weight is rattling like crazy (if you don't have a gauge), you should creep the heat down gradually. If you go from high to low too fast you will loose juice. The other way to loose juice is when your time is up, a person gets impatient and takes off the weight to relieve pressure so you can empty the canner quicker or running cold water over the top of the canner to get it cooled off quick to relive pressure. That's a sure way to loose lots of juice out of your jars.

 

Think of it like opening a soda bottle fast vs. slow n controlled. If you cool (drop pressure) rapidly it will boil over much more then if you cool more slowly.

X2 what Southpole and Nimrod said: Remember that the food and liquid in the jars is somewhere around 240-250 degrees depending upon the pressure in the cooking chamber. If this pressure is released too quickly without allowing the temperature of the food to decrease in a "controlled" manner gradually, then uncontrolled boiling and mess will ensue, just have to be patient and let it sit to cool down on it's own keeping an eye on the pressure guage down to zero before opening.
I've fell in love with canned Rainbow trout, better than the finest tuna in my opinion, anyway, FWIW

[Angry Perch]

Pressure gauge to zero, pressure lock opened on it's own, and I still waited another 20 minutes or so. It wasn't much at all, just a very light skim of scum/ fat.

[quadrafire]

Pressure gauge to zero, pressure lock opened on it's own, and I still waited another 20 minutes or so. It wasn't much at all, just a very light skim of scum/ fat.

Normal!
No worries

[quadrafire]

Pressure gauge to zero, pressure lock opened on it's own, and I still waited another 20 minutes or so. It wasn't much at all, just a very light skim of scum/ fat.

Normal!
No worries

Just remember what I said about the Tuna!!!!! That skim of scum will reek your house!!!!!! Outside only

[Southpole]

Pressure gauge to zero, pressure lock opened on it's own, and I still waited another 20 minutes or so. It wasn't much at all, just a very light skim of scum/ fat.

Normal!
No worries