If you’ve been curious about using the Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner, you’re in for a treat. In today’s video—Part 3 of my Pressure Canning 101 Series—I walk you through the process step‑by‑step as we pressure can five quarts of sliced carrots using the cold pack method. This canner simplifies every step, from pre‑warming the jars to pressurizing the canner and then cooling it down, all guided by its digital display and sensors.

Watch the How to Use the Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner video

🎥 If you haven’t watched Part 1 and Part 2 of my Pressure Canning 101 Series yet, be sure to catch them here: Choosing the Right Pressure Canner – What Every Home Cook Should Know and Pressure Canning Essentials: Tools and Supplies Every Home Cook Needs. These are the perfect videos to begin your pressure canning journey!

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Table of Contents

A Quick Glance: How to Use the Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner

  • We’ll pressure can 5 quarts of sliced carrots using the cold pack method in the Presto Precise.
  • You fill the canner with water to the fill line.
  • The canner automatically warms the jars, then prompts you to remove one at a time.
  • Fill the jar with the sliced carrots, leaving a 1-inch headspace
  • Add canning salt to the jar, if desired.
  • Add boiling water to the jar, once again leaving a 1-inch headspace.
  • Clean the rim of the jar.
  • Place the lid and the band on the jar and return the filled jar to the canner.
  • Repeat this process until all the jars are filled and returned to the canner.
  • Lock the canner into place and let the screen on the digital canner guide you through the rest of the cycle.

Link to product recommendations.

📖 And don’t forget—my new cookbook, The Modern Pioneer Pantry, includes QR codes throughout the book to blog posts and videos, including ones on pressure canning!

Pressure Canning 101 Series

I created my Pressure Canning 101 Series to help home cooks begin their journey pressure canning or to help experienced cooks get a refresher on the best products, equipment, and processes to use.

Here are the previous videos and blog posts I’ve published in my Pressure Canning 101 Series:

👉 After you watch Parts 1 and 2, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on the pressure canner and equipment you’d like to use. And now in Part 3 of this series, I’ll show you step-by-step how to pressure can a low-acid food.

Getting ready to pressure can might seem like a lot at first, but once you’ve set up your supplies, it all becomes second nature. I hope this post and video encourage you to take the next step with confidence!

Step‑by‑Step: Pressure Canning Carrots in the Presto Precise

The Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner is designed for safe, easy pressure canning of low-acid foods with a pH of over 4.6, like vegetables (including carrots), meats, and poultry. What makes it special is its ability to automatically control the heat and pressure, while guiding you through each step on the exterior digital display.

How to Use the Canner For the Cold Pack Method

  1. Gather Ingredients & Equipment
  • 5 quarts of raw carrots, washed, peeled, rewashed, and sliced into 1/4 or 1/2-inch width pieces
  • Canning salt (1 tsp per quart, optional)
  • Boiling water
  • 5 clean quart jars with new lids and bands (bands can be reused)
  • Jar lifter, funnel, bubble remover, and thick terry towel or cushioned drying mat
  • Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner
  1. Set Up the Canner
  • Review the manual that comes with the canner.
  • Place the removable pot and canning rack in the canner. Fill with 3 quarts of hot tap water, only up to the fill line.
  1. Start the Canner
  • Plug in the canner.
  • Select Pressure Canning mode, and press the center knob on the front of the canner once.
  • Set the correct processing time for quarts of carrots (30 minutes as stated in the manual) and press the center knob on the front of the canner once.
  • Fill 5 quart-sized canning jars half full with warm tap water and lower jars into the canner.
  • Remove the pressure regulator from the lid and place the lid on the canner.
  • Lock the lid in place.
  • Press the advancing arrow.
  1. Jar Warming
  • Once the advancing arrow is pressed, the digital display will show WARM—the canner automatically heats the jars for about 20 minutes.
  1. Prepare the Carrots
  • While the jars are warming, wash, peel, rewash, and slice the carrots evenly so they process uniformly. Generally, 1/4 or 1/2-inch width per slice works well.
  1. Fill the Jars
  • When FILL JARS appears on the digital display, lift one jar at a time out of the canner using a jar lifter.
  • Discard the water inside the jar, pack the raw carrots into the jar, and add boiling water, leaving 1 inch headspace.
  • Remove air bubbles.
  • Wipe the jar rim, and secure the lid and band in place.
  • Using the jar lifter, return the filled jar to the canner.
  • Repeat the process until all the jars are filled and back in the canner.
  1. Resume Canning
  • Lock the lid, and let the canner vent steam.
  • Replace the pressure regulator on the lid when instructed by the digital display.
  • The canner will build pressure, process the jars of carrots, and cool automatically.
  • During this process, you will periodically press the advancing arrow as instructed in the How to Use the Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner video.
  1. Cool & Seal
  • When the cycle finishes and the display shows it’s safe, open the canner and use a jar lifter to remove the jars.
  • Place the jars on a towel, and let them cool for 12–24 hours.
  • Once cool, check seals, remove the bands, label, and store.

Digital Pressure Canning Tips & Troubleshooting

Here are some helpful tips to ensure success when using your Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner:

  • Water only up to the fill line—No more. This ensures proper steaming without submerging jars.
  • Jar warming is built-in—The canner handles it during the WARM phase; don’t preheat jars outside of that.
  • Correct headspace is critical—Leave 1 inch for vegetables like carrots to ensure safe sealing.
  • Capacity tip—You can process up to 5 quart jars in one batch.

Using The Modern Pioneer Pantry Recipes in the Presto Precise Digital Canner

All of the pressure canning recipes in The Modern Pioneer Pantry are suitable for use in the Presto Precise Digital Canner, in addition to traditional dial gauge and weighted gauge pressure canners featured in the cookbook.

The only difference when using the Presto Precise is that you do not need to manually adjust for altitude—the canner automatically senses and makes all the necessary adjustments for you! This takes away one more piece of guesswork and makes the process even easier, while still producing safe, reliable results every time.

Final Thoughts on a Digital Pressure Canner

The Presto Precise Digital Pressure Canner is an excellent tool for both new and seasoned canners. By automating the warming of jars, venting of air, reaching and maintaining correct pressure, and sufficient cool-down, it makes pressure canning more approachable than ever—without sacrificing safety.

The jars of pressure-canned carrots we made today are shelf-stable and will be ready for soups, stews, casseroles, or just a quick side dish whenever you need them. They’re an outstanding addition to your Four Corners Pantry!

Water Bath Canning Recipes

With Pressure Canning, you can preserve low-acid foods. If you’re interested in home canning high-acid foods, I’ll show you how to easily and safely water bath can pickles, jams, and more. You’ll have a well-stocked pantry in no time!

See all →

A Quick Word About My New Cookbook!

If you’ve picked up The Modern Pioneer Pantry, you know I packed it full of helpful info to make traditional foods doable and delightful! Each chapter includes a special QR code linking to blog posts with videos—so when you get to the pressure canning section, you’ll find even more help from me waiting for you online.

Order YOUR COPY Now!

The Modern Pioneer Pantry

Simple ingredients, timeless techniques, and a well-stocked pantry. Discover over 100 nourishing recipes to preserve food and turn pantry staples into homemade meals. Build a wholesome, traditional pantry—just like a modern pioneer!

Order Now!

Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List

For an extensive list of the traditional foods you can make and purchase to stock your pantry, be sure to download my free 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is full of links to recipe videos, helpful articles, and more!

More Books from Mary!

And if you missed my first cookbook, be sure to add this bestseller to your kitchen bookshelf! You’ll learn how to create your own traditional foods kitchen, one step at a time, with homemade bone broth, cultured dairy, ferments, sourdough, and more!

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The Modern Pioneer Cookbook

Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.

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  4. Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook - Get a hardcover book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
  5. Order The Modern Pioneer Pantry - Get Mary's latest hardcover cookbook about preserving food and making delicious meals from your Four Corners Pantry. Mary's second cookbook is also published by Penguin Random House.

I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!

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