What are you canning now?

[ole-crone]

Pressure Cooker Canner vs Pressure Cooker they are not the same thing. I can cook in my Pressure cooker canner but I can't can in a pressure cooker.

The type of canner is personal preference. One thing to consider is which has replacement parts available locally. Give your local extension office a call and ask if they have any hints about what they prefer. If your local office doesn't have an agent that knows about it, ask for one that does.

Have fun! My mother bought me mine about 30 years ago. I rarely used it until one day I came home and found a house guest cooking dinner in it - some old chicken for us all (10 kids, 4 adults). I was shocked at how fast it cooked and how tender it was. For years afterwards I used it to both can and cook. I finally broke down a couple of years ago to have it tested and it passed with flying colors.

Don't forget that the processing times change with your altitude.

 

[roosmom]

Both the pressure cooker and canner have a lid that locks on by twisting. Both have a self sealing vent hole.
The PRESSURE COOKER's self sealing vent is down at first, but when steam builds it pops up into its shut position. It also has the weight that goes over the 2nd vent hole in the lid, that rocks back and forth vigorously (scary) until you adjust the heat down so that it just rocks steadily. That is when you set the time for the food that you are cooking. I do roasts (med size) for around 40mins. You shut the heat off and wait until the self sealing vent goes down before you remove the weight and unlock the lid.
The PRESSURE CANNER's self sealing vent works the same as above. The canner has a gauge for PPSI. You adjust your heat and the pet cock to keep a steady pressure on the Gauge. The weight for the canner is called a pet cock. Again you wait until the self sealing vent goes all the way down And the PRESSURE GAUGE READS ZERO before taking off the per cock or opening the lid. I would suggest a little light reading before you attempt to user a pressure canner or pressure cooker. Websites to start would be International Pressure Canner, Mirro Pressure Canners. These may be of more assistance for you.
Now to put a little fear of god into you......DO NOT TRY TO TAKE THE WEIGHT OR PETCOCK OFF, (or open the lid) BEFORE THE COOKER HAS COOLED DOWN OR IT WILL ERUPT HOT BOILING LIQUIDS INTO YOUR VICINITY. Please read all you can before attempting. Please

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

Not all pressure canners have gauges. Neither of my Mirro canners do. On the newer All Americans (AA's), the gauge is used as a guide only. The pressure is regulated entirely by the weight (Commonly referred to as "Jiggler") on both the newer AA's and all Mirros I'm aware of. None of my canners rely on the gauge reading as they're all regulated entirely by weighted pressure regulators. Even Preso has now gone to a 3 piece weight regulator as an option. This makes use VERY MUCH easier and eliminates annual testing required of gauges to can safely. I use 5 pressure canners regularly: Presto, Mirro and All American. The All Americans are by far the nicest of the three, but they're pricey. My close second favorites are Mirro, they're simple & very easy to use. My least favorite i my old Presto. IIRC, for recipes to be considered safe, they're designed for pressure canners holding at least 4 qt jars. That leaves out most if not all pressure cookers.

 

[Msbear]

We're just past high time here in the eastern panhandle of WV. This is my first year canning and I LUV IT!!! My stupid stove is one of those ceramic tops so I'm only doing hot water bath but still is a lot of fun.

My father and a good friend grew heirloom tomatoes out the ying yang and had plenty (about 50 or so lbs.) of tomatoes to give me for my first try. I made tomato sauce and canned whole tomatoes (they are gorgeous -green, yellow, orange, and red) The first couple I did (shown below) had lots of juice fall to the bottom so I made sure I packed them tighter and I got rid of that problem.

I also did local peaches with honey and green beans. I know, I know!! you are all going to yell at me about the beans not being pressurized. I cooked them in ham broth then hot water bath for 45 min. My grammy's been doin these for years and no botulism yet If it explodes when I open, we'll ditch it! -AND iM GETTING A NORMAL STOVE!!!

 

[Ether]

The biggest differance between pressure CANNERS and pressure COOKERS is the size.

In order to be called a canner and safe for canning use, it must be able to hold at least 4 quart jars inside. If it only holds pint jars, it is too small to be used for safe canning.
Otherwise, the size will be too small and it will heat up and cool down too fast, making the foods underprocessed. That time it takes to heat up and cool down is also factored into safe processing times.

 

[Sandrachx]

Quote:
i also have a ceramic top stove and it is a bugger. BUT i found a pot burner at Lowes in the BBQ section that is a burner only with a propane tank that is closeted under the unit. it holds those big black canning pots as well as my deep lobster-type pots. it's perfect!!! i use it on the deck, i used it in the garage this weekend during the remnants of Ike that came through michigan (garage doors were open). it keeps the heat and moisture out of my kitchen and I love it!! you might want to consider that instead of ditching your stove - it's significantly cheaper ($150 or less) than getting a new stove.

 

[ozark hen]

I have a ceramic top stove also and I hate it!! My dh won't have a gas stove and that is what I want!

I love cooking on gas but have had an electric now for twenty years........all because he doesn't want propane.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

One thing I am going to do that may seem a bit odd is beans. I mean dry beans. I did some kidney beans a week or so ago (my FAVORITE) and I am going to do pintos either tonight or tomorrow. That way, when I am ready for them they are ready for me.

And, I don't have to cook a big huge pot when we aren't going to eat that many.

 

[hcammack]

I wanted to can more tomatoes and salsa but I did not have time with school and all and the tomatoes rotted or became chicken feed. I will think of something else to can. What else would be good? I don't have enough rasberries to make it work my while to make jam I don't think is a pound enough I would have to pick our little patch pretty hard though. I have summer squash but I am storing it in the shed for winter chicken feed and also squash dishes. I will have allot of baby lemon cucumbers can I make pickles? I need a pickling recipe. The summer garden is ending I am saving nastursium seeds and planted; chard, lettuce, and mesclun and next week I will do another round of lettuce and mesclun so we have enough.

Henry

 

[Carolyn]

I bought my ceramic top stove second hand (I love it) so I didn't get an instruction book.....soooo.....I didn't know I wasn't supposed to use a pressure canner on it. I've done it all summer.
My canner is fairly light weight aluminum by Mirror. It holds 7 qts. I haven't had any problems. I really think my boiling water bath is just as heavy when full because the water is much deeper.
I've still got a few more things to can....hope I haven't jinxed myself.