Buying my Pressure canner, any advice

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
I just know how to can using boiling waterbath methods

 

[WriterofWords]

I use both methods, for smaller amounts the water bath is ok, but when I'm doing serious canning or meats I use nothing but my pressure canner. My Aunt on the other hand does everything by water bath.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

My mother canned all sorts of meats by waterbath method as have I..chicken, meat rabbits, beef and venison....

 

[Daycare Mom]

Lucky me, my Mom has an extra pressure canner that she said I can have! Woo Hoo! Looks like I just saved some cash, more chicks maybe?

 

[averytds]

I have an All-American. I call it Frankenstein. It was DH's grandma's and then my MILs. It only has a dial gauge so I have to keep it tested (replaced twice) and babysit while processing. I would love to upgrade, but will wait a long long time if I have to for another All-American.

Honestly, I use the pressure canner more than the water bath. Less water. I can do anything in it, even tomatoes and pickles, so no need to switch back and forth between batches. Plus I'm usually already using my water bath canner as a stock pot for reducing some massive batch of tomato sauce or something.

I saw the one at Wal-mart that said it would regulate itself and could be used as both a pressure and water bath. Haven't looked at AIs recently, but those sound like great features to me.

If I remember correctly there are all sorts of possible probs with buying used and it's not recommended. I had to contact AI about mine and I swear I remember them telling me you could ship to them and they would test older canners for safety. They were like "You have what model?"

 

[MissPrissy]

AA will test old canners.

Years ago the local extention office would test canners too. I would check there first - your tax dollars at work.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Last month my wife took Miss Prissy's advice. She bought a 30-quart (cans 14 quarts) All American canner/cooker. She saved $200 by buying it from Amazon ($429 marked down to $229 with FREE SHIPPING).
BTW, if you have a glass-top stove, plan on using something else. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=70740

 

[MissPrissy]

Oh, good advice, Joe. I always forget to tell people that.

With glass and ceramic stove tops you will need to buy a stand alone electric eye that you can sit on a protected counter top surface. The weight of the canner and the intense heat will cause major damage to your stove top. Some have even been known to shatter and crack.

 

[painter chick]

Miss Prissy thank you so much for the canning website It's now at the top of my book marks!

I think I'll save up for the AA this is only my second try with canning and I'm setting up a kitchen in the garage for the purpose of canning and boiling down sap in the spring. I am so afraid of not doing it right and possibly making someone sick and it just seemed to me that the pressure canner is safer in all cases.

Plus there is no way 17 chickens will fit in our freezer.

 

[MissPrissy]

You may want to save a little more money and head over to Lowe's. They carry a small chest freezer for under $200 that will hold MANY frozen chickens. I am thinking about buying one to put in my cellar just to store chicken in.