Probably the dumbest canning question EVER!

[DuckLady]

It is recommended not to use the heavy canners on the ceramic cooktops. The weight of the canner (some are 10# plus) the weight of the food 7 quarts at 2 pounds each plus the weight of the jars, the weight of the water in the canner (not much but it all adds up), can cause stress on the cooktop. Added to that the tremendous heat that is directly on the cooktop instead of raised like gas or conventional electric coils.

I paid a pretty penny for ours and I dont want to risk an expensive repair or replacement.

Now, my neighbor uses hers to can on, but she said she is well aware of the risks and decided to take the risk. She must have more money than I do.

 

[Wildsky]

I never thought I'd be happy to have an OLD stove with those nasty HORRIBLE to clean coils...

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Huh? Wait! Stop... go back!
I just bought Anne a 30 quart All American. We have a ceramic cooktop ...
I have to have Anne read this! Hang on; don't go away.

 

[joebryant]

Hi, this is Anne. Is this a recommendation from the cooktop companies, the canner company, or someone else? Scary!

 

[smith2]

The manufacturers don't recommend using large canners on ceramic tops because of the weight. I have a smaller canner that I use on my ceramic top all the time. Just don't get a canner that is too big or use another stove. The cast iron camp stoves are really good for canning if you want to use a big canner. My canner holds 4 quart jars or 8 pint jars. That is also about all the weight I can manage very heavy. I love to can. It is very calming to me, just gets hot at times.

 

[joebryant]

Found this about cooking on glass/ceramic stoves:
http://www.pickyourown.org/cannings4glasstop.htm

Looking for a canner that can be used on your glass or ceramic stovetop or cooker? Read below to find out why you can't find one, and what the alternatives are! Scroll down this page for more information, and with NO obligation to buy, just click on the links in the Amazon boxes on the left!

Canners for Glass and Ceramic Stoves

If you have a glass or ceramic stovetop, you may have heard that you should use a flat-bottomed canner, but you have been unable to find one!

Here is the answer: One of my suppliers asked a stove manufacturer as to why they were unable to find one. The stove manufacturer told they that on a glass/ceramic stove there is a sensor so that the heat can not go above a certain point thus breaking the top.

This sensor does not allow the burner to maintain an even temperature high enough for a canner to work safely. By fluctuating the temperature the bacteria is not eliminated in the canning process. Unfortunately this is not something the salesmen will tell the customer when they are buying the stove and probably many of them are unaware of this.

A flat-bottomed canner alone would not solve this problem. The heat will still fluctuate and it won't get hot enough to get the big canner full of water to a full boil.

So, what can you do? Here is a simple solution: buy a simple and inexpensive single electric burner (shown below) and you can use ANY canner with it. Plus, it may come in handy when you have a lot of cooking to do and need and extra burner!
How to choose electric burners

I look for a robust design and the highest wattage I can find. a single 1000 watt burner doesn't do it. A canner holds around 16 quarts of water, so it takes a lot of heat to get that boiling. I've found that one 1300 watt burner will get the average canner boiling, but it takes a while. So... to speed it up, I got a second burner, put it on the counter, right next to the first and put the canner on top, straddling both burns - and THAT worked like a charm! But if you are starting with no burners, here's a summary of what definitely works, in my order of preference:

1. The Coleman camping stove (Coleman 2 Burner Propane Grill /Stove) is perfect! It can heat a canner in no time, and folds up neatly for storage. The canner fits easily on the grill portion. This is, in my opinion, the BEST solution.
2. The outdoor gas cooker - great in nice weather, or in open, but roofed area, like screen porch, open garage, etc.!
3. One 1300 watt burner - if you want to stay indoors - this one has the oomph!
4. A gas camping burner with a low, stable profile can be a great spare high-power burner. But if you do a lot of canning, the outdoor cooker would be cheaper to operate.
5. One double burner unit. Lots of power, but it can be tricky to get some canners (the tall narrow ones) to balance and be stable on them)
6. Two 1000 watt or greater burners, side by side - since you can move them around it is both a plus and a negative - you can position them to be stable, but perhaps not a close together as the double unit.

And you can find a wide variety of water bath canners and other canning supplies on this page

To find out more about a stove (with no obligation to buy), just click on any of the links in the Amazon picture boxes below:



Coleman 2 Burner Propane Grill Stove

Product Description
Fully adjustable cooking power up to 10,000 BTUs per burner. Large control knobs positioned in front for easy access. PerfectFlow(TM) ensures consistent fuel output, regardless of weather, altitude or fuel level. Durable enamel-painted steel case and aluminized cooking surface for easy cleaning. Heavy-duty removable chrome cooking grate and non-stick cast-aluminum grill grate. Folding WindBlock(TM) system doubles as convenient side shelves. Burn time: 4.5 hours on one 16.4-ounce propane cylinders (sold separately) - (Note: these are the green 10 inch tall cylinders so commonly sold, shown attached in the photo of the blue unit). Coleman lifetime limited warranty.

Blake: I have an earlier version of this, and as you can see from the two photos at left. It easily accommodates a large water bath canner OR a pressure canner. I use it for canning, camping, and when the power goes out!

Bayou Classic Single Gas Burner

* 13 in. Tall Heavy Duty Steel Frame
* Large 16 in. x 16 in. Cooking Surface
* Accommodates any size Stockpot
* UL Listed 29 in. Hose, Regulator, Valve Assembly
* 10 PSI Regulator
* For outdoor use!
* This one has an additional use: I put a standard Weber charcoal smoker on top of it (omitting the smoker's base) and use it as a gas-fired smoker - makes smoking and BBQ EASY! ANd of course, you can put a large pot on it and use it as a canner, turkey fryer, outdoor stew pot, crawfish boil, etc.
* Hooks up to any standard propane tank.



Waring Pro Burner

Features:

* 1300-watt portable single burner provides extra heating options (part of their ad says "900 watts", but that is an error - it's 1300!)
* Durable cast-iron plate heats up quickly and ensures stable heat retention
* Adjustable thermostat; "on" and "ready" indicator lights
* Brushed stainless-steel housing; non-slip rubber feet; low-silhouette design
* Measures 10-3/4 by 11-1/2 by 4 inches; 1-year limited warranty
* Everyone knows Waring's quality



Portable Butane Gas Range Stove

Features:

Includes Carrying Case. Gas Lock Safety Features. Portable Stove Great For the Outdoors. Dimension Size: 13-1/2" x 11" x 3-1/2". Uses Butane Gas Canister Found Readily In Your Local Sporting Good Store.



Waring Pro Double Burner

I haven't tried this one, but it looks like the single unit above, plus a smaller 500 watt burner close by it. They look closer together than the Rival double unit below.

Features:

* 1800-watt portable double burner with large and small heating plates
* Durable cast-iron plates heat up quickly and ensure stable heat retention
* Individual adjustable thermostats; separate "on" and "ready" indicator lights
* Brushed stainless-steel housing; non-slip rubber feet; low-silhouette design
* Measures 19-1/2 by 11-1/2 by 4 inches; 1-year limited warranty


Rival BD222 Double Burner Hot Plate

Features:

* Independent controls for each burner
* Heat resistant handles
* Heating elements tilt for easy cleaning
* Skid resistant feet

The units have a bit of space between them, so your canner will probably be halfway on each - which will still get plenty of heat, but you might need to brace it with another pot, brick, etc.


Toastmaster 6431 Eclipse Single Burner

Features:
Durable metal housing
bullet Measures 10-1/2 inches wide and 10 inches deep
bullet Compact design perfect for buffet, dining table, office, workshop
bullet Easy-cleaning sealed, solid heating disk 7-1/2 inches in diameter
bullet 1000 watts, 6-setting thermostat



Proctor-Silex Fifth Burner

Features:
9-inch-diameter hot plate fits in small kitchen spaces
bullet Limited one-year warranty
bullet Spiral heating element; chrome ring and drip pan
bullet Adjustable temperature control with three settings
bullet Heating element tilts for easy cleaning



BroilKing PR-S1 Professional Single Burner Range

Features:
1100-watt single burner rangeInfinite heat adjustment with dial control UL-listed with a two-year warranty
bullet 11-1/2 by 3-1/2 by 11-1/2 inches
bullet
bullet
bullet High-speed tubular element with a 5-1/2-inch diameter
bullet


Books


Canning books

Canning & Preserving for Dummies
by Karen Ward
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Usually ships in 24 hours
Price: $11.89
You Save: $5.10 (30%)


Click here for a larger photo, more information, pricing, ordering, etc.


The Ball Blue Book of Preserving

This is THE book on canning! My grandmother used this book when I was a child. It tells you in simple instructions how to can almost anything; complete with recipes for jam, jellies, pickles, sauces, canning vegetables, meats, etc. If it can be canned, this book likely tells you how! Click on the link below for more information and / or to buy (no obligation to buy)

Price $8.95

Click here for a larger photo, more information, pricing, ordering, etc.


Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving

by United States Dept. of Agriculture
Practical, easy-to-follow guide contains virtually everything consumers need to know about home canning: how to select, prepare, and can fruits, vegetables, poultry, red meats and seafoods; how to preserve fruit spreads, fermented foods and pickled vegetables; how to prepare foods for special diets, and much more. Also includes scores of simply written recipes that even beginners can handle (smoked fish, turkey-tamale pie, chicken croquettes, more. It's the second book to get, after the Ball Guide. Click on the link below for more information and / or to buy (no obligation to buy)
List Price: $8.95
Price: $8.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.
Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours

Buy from Amazon.com


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[joebryant]

The following information is copied from The All-American Pressure Cooker/Canner Instructions and Recipes book that came with our pressure canner.
(#18 on the inside front cover)
"ALL-AMERICAN Pressure Cooker/Canners are NOT recommended for use on glass top/flat ranges because its weight may cause the glass/ceramic to break. The diameter of the canner is also larger than most burners, (sic) and may cause heat to transfer outward and damage the surrounding surface."

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Terrie, thanks a million
for the heads up. If I hadn't read that, we'd've ruined our counter-top ceramic cooktop for sure.

EDIT: BTW, you should read this to your neighbor:
"If you have a glass or ceramic stovetop, you may have heard that you should use a flat-bottomed canner, but you have been unable to find one!

Here is the answer: One of my suppliers asked a stove manufacturer as to why they were unable to find one. The stove manufacturer told they that on a glass/ceramic stove there is a sensor so that the heat can not go above a certain point thus breaking the top.

This sensor does not allow the burner to maintain an even temperature high enough for a canner to work safely. By fluctuating the temperature the bacteria is not eliminated in the canning process. Unfortunately this is not something the salesmen will tell the customer when they are buying the stove and probably many of them are unaware of this.

A flat-bottomed canner alone would not solve this problem. The heat will still fluctuate and it won't get hot enough to get the big canner full of water to a full boil."

 

[JennsPeeps]

I canned a few things last summer & was thrilled with the results.

This summer I bought a pressure canner & am trying to figure the darn thing out. It's an "automatic p[ressure canner" that goes 5, 10, & 15 but how, I don't know yet. There's no dial.

My summer goal is to can one thing a week. In the past 2 weeks, I've gone a little past my "quota":
strawberry-rhubarb jam
strawberry-rhubarb cobbler filling
cherry-almond jam
asparagus
brandied cherries

And there are cherries sitting in my kitchen, waiting to be pitted. Guess this is a sign I should stop procrastinating!

 

[joebryant]

Usin the information/recommendations in the posts above, Anne and I decided to buy the following:

Shipping estimate for these items: August 13, 2008
1 "Waring Pro SB30 1300-Watt Portable Single Burner"
Kitchen; $49.95

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