1. Why do I need to cook chicken or meat before I can it - it seems that 75 minutes in the canner causes the liquid to boil; even after I remove it from the canner its still boiling. Surely its cooked by that time?

My Presto booklet talks about raw packing pork and adding no liquid - why can't I do that with other meats or poultry? Or can I?

2. Following along the same line - when I presoaked dried beans (using the quick method) it seemed as if already the beans were too soft for bean salad (for which I am putting up cans of mixed beans). Is there any safety reason I should cook them for 30 minutes (as my books says) or just let them cook in the jars? I imagine I should put less beans in the jars - saying leavig 3 inches of head room to allow for any expansion in the beans when they cook (although I think they are already fully plumped by the soaking, no?)

Any light anyone can share on these questions would be very much appreciated.

2. The best online source for current safe canning information is the NCHFP (National Center for Home Food preservation.) Mark it as a favorite and consider it your "Bible" for preserving.

3. Read the NCHFP instructions for operating a pressure canner. You will probably find that your Presto manual does not even mention the 10 minute wait time at the end.

4. You can raw-pack chicken and process. See the times and methods at the link.

5. There are numerous valuable tips for processing dried beans provided in previous threads on this forum. A search should bring them up. If not, just ask.

Carol