Pressure Canner'????

[Cassandra]

My pressure cooker/canner uses the guage on top that tells you the pressure.

It also says it is perfect to use on ceramic cooktops.

I think we've figured out the problem with canning on ceramic cooktops is that the bottom diameter of the pan you are using can not be more than two inches larger in diamter than the "eye" on the stove. Since most canners are 12 inches or more in diamber on the bottom and most eyes on the stove are 6 or 9 inches, this made the canner too big to use.

However, my canner is specially made. It has a deeper part in the center of the bottom. The part that comes in contact with the stove is only 8 inches in diameter, while the actual diameter of the canner is 12 inches. Or something like that.

Cassandra

 

[dacjohns]

Mine is aluminum and you can use it on the coil electric or gas cooktops. Using them on a flat surface cooktop would depend on the cooktop. Some say not to use aluminum cookware.

 

[Dace]

Hi G
I was under them impression that you used plastic to reduce the chance of chipping the rim of your jars.
Of course I could be COMPLETELY wrong!! Another reason is that if you use a reactive metal it could discolor your food product slightly.

How are you? Did you enjoy this recent cold snap? I drove my DD to work yesterday morning and there was frost all over a local park. .....I love it!

 

[TanksHill]

I am great loving the cold weather. We had a ton of frost last week as well. I think it will be great for my apple trees next year. They need a good cold snap. I did close up my coop, extra window and all. The girls aren't used to this chill.

I agree with the metal thing. I think it has some type of reaction. who knows.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

The pressure canner I have is an older Presto w/ the seal and I love it. I got it from a yard sale for, get this, $3 Best buy I believe I have ever made.

 

[mrs.puff]

We have a cookstove, and it just doesn't get hot enough to regulate the heat very well to operate a canner properly. So we only can on a propane burner.

You are supposed to use metal so that you don't chip the glass or scratch the inside of the jar. You won't get a metal reaction to the food unless it's really sitting in the food for a little while. Plastic is mainly for safety. Wood is okay too.

 

[TanksHill]

Thanks Mrs Puff...

How is the solar research going? Find anything new about that panel?

 

[freemotion]

Hey, Tankshill, I just found this thread. I got my Presto 23 quart pressure canner this past fall for our anniversary....I asked for it.....and I love it! Today I put up 36 pints of catfood and 4 of beef cubes to fill the second canner load....I hate empty space in the canner!

Some things I learned rather quickly that you might find useful and that non-newbies might not think of:

I was very intimidated by it, so black beans, plain, were my first attempt. I figured I would only lose a couple of bucks if it turned out to be a total disaster! It worked out great. I couldn't bring myself to spend all that time canning water, even to test drive it.

You can get the most food in the canner by using pint size regular mouth jars. Wish I'd bought more of this size.

A wooden/bamboo chopstick works great for air bubbles.

Cold pack method is a great thing to learn!

Plan to spend a long time near your stove. Plan lots of little projects that keep you near the kitchen, not leaving for more than a few short minutes at a time. Stay away from this forum! I get a lot of cleaning and laundry done while canning.

Many veggies turn to mush in the canner. In spite of what you might read on people's blogs. Red peppers look lovely in the jar but...blah! P'touie! Soups with veggies that withstand long cooking times come out pretty ok. Carrots, turnip, collards....

Find lots of things to can long before your garden comes in. It took me a few canner loads before I was completely comfortable and fairly quick at all the tasks involved. No more am I up until midnight because I misjudged my timing. Now I'm only up until midnight because I can't stay away from the computer! I am practicing with meats because I have a goal of buying quarters or sides this fall and not all will go into the freezer, beef and pork, and we'll make our first attempt at raising our own turkeys, too.

There is nothing like looking at those rows and rows of filled jars! The ultimate fast-food!

 

[Beekissed]

My mom has a metal to metal canner and says she will never go back to the rubber sealed kind.

I have a Presto, that someone gave me, but I choose to can without the pressure canner. And here's an update on the deer meat that I canned without the pressure canner: its delicious and tastes fresher than what we used to have with pressure canning.

Mrs. Puff, are you canning on a traditional wood cookstove or just a wood heating stove? The reason I ask is, my mother canned on a wood cookstove for 15 years successfully and found it easier to regulate heat with her old wood stove than she can now, with gas!

 

[TanksHill]

Bee, without the pressure canner? DId you use a water bath for the deer meet and if so how long did you boil it for?