1. Add a few inches of water to your pressure canner and place it on a stovetop over low heat.
2. Sterilize the canning jars by washing them in boiling water and dish soap or using the sterilize cycle of your dishwater. Wash the canning lids and bands with warm soapy water.
3. Place the jars in the canner to warm them up.
4. Put the onion, garlic, leeks, celery, and red bell pepper into a stockpot and fry them in olive oil for 8 minutes or until translucent.
5. Add the water, potatoes, bone broth, chives, and spices to the pot.
6. Bring the soup to a boil and leave for 15 minutes until the potatoes break down. The starch in the potatoes acts as a thickening agent and thickens the soup naturally.
7. Carefully remove the hot jars from the pressure canner. Fill each jar with hot soup, using a canning funnel while leaving 1-inch headspace.
8.  Use a wooden spoon to remove any air bubbles that may have gathered inside each jar.
9. Remove any residue from the rims of the jars by wiping them with a damp kitchen towel or paper towel. Top the jars of soup with new canning lids and bands, twisting them until they are fingertip tight.
10. Put the jars back into the canner using canning tongs, put the lid on the canner, and turn up the heat. Open the valve and let the canner vent steam for 10 minutes.
11. After venting the canner, close the vent and allow the pressure to build to the correct PSI per altitude and process pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes.

Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner

• 0 – 2,000ft: 11 lbs
• 2,001 – 4,000ft: 12 lbs
• 4,001 – 6,000ft: 13 lbs
• 6,001ft and up: 14 lbs

Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner

• 0 – 1,000ft: 10 lbs
• 1,001ft and up: 15 lbs

Post Processing 

1. When the processing time has elapsed, turn off the heat on the stove and allow the pressure to release naturally.
2. Once the dial gauge reads zero, remove the pressure regulator and release the remaining pressure.
3. Open the lid and use tongs or a jar lifter to transfer the jars carefully to a clean towel-covered countertop or work surface. Leave the jars undisturbed to cool at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
4. Test the seals on the jars by using your thumbs to press on the center of the lids. If they flex, they have not sealed properly and must be reprocessed immediately with new canning lids or moved to the refrigerator and used within 3-5 days.
5. All properly sealed jars of potato soup should be cleaned, labeled, and stored in a cool, dry, dark place.