# Canning question



## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

I'll start by saying I've never canned anything, ever. I've wanted to try water bath canning. I love grapefruit and strawberries. I know I need to keep the bottom of the jars off the bottom of the pot. I have a big lobster pot that would work but cannot find, within 100miles of me, a cake rack type thing that is round (or square) that will fit in the pot.

I read on line that I could put a tea towel in the bottom of the pot and that would work just as well as a rack to keep the jars off the pot bottom. I'm wondering if anyone has ever done this and will it really work. 

Thank you in advance for any thoughts or comments.
Moose


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

The racks can be bought at most online retailers (e.g. Amazon) for $10 or less.

I'd like to propose you run out and get a 21 quart enamel canning pot (or 2 or 3). You can get them at WalMart for around $20
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Granite-Ware-21.5-Quart-Canner-With-Rack/10543332

I like using those large lobster sized pots for making my sauces but they're not very friendly for the water bath process. They're a bit too deep and you find yourself steam-burning your arm trying to get your jars out.

I normally use 3 of the aforementioned enamel pots at a time but I'm canning about 15-20 quarts at a time.
1 for sanitizing jars
1 for the water bathing the first batch of jars
1 for the water bathing the second batch of jars
the first one (for sanitizing jars) picks up the 3rd batch.

A couple things that may help.
Get a canning kit (funnel, jar tongs...)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ball-Canning-Utensil-Kit/16213247

Have a timer for each batch you have in a wet bath. _I have 2-3 batches going at a time. You need a timer for each._

Get the "Ball Blue Book". It's a great book for canning.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

you're water bathing, and not pressure canning, make sure you understand when you can water bath and when you need to pressure can.

Take a bunch of rings and wire tie them together to get your jars off the bottom of the lobster pot when you water bath.


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## siletz (Aug 23, 2011)

First off, be sure to grab a Ball Blue Book. It has all the info you need to start canning. If you're going to do this, be sure to can in a safe way. For water bath recipes, you just need boiling water that will cover your jars by a couple of inches. I don't recommend the towel route. I've done that and I didn't think it worked well. I agree with partdeux. Put some regular mouth rings in the bottom of your pot and set the jars on top of them. A word of warning though: once you start canning, you'll get hooked and you'll find all kinds of things you'd like to try. Have fun! :flower:


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

Thank you all. I'm going with the jar rings. Wish I'd thought of that. I have a couple of large pots, one for lobster and a couple of others not so deep. I want to do pints or half pints only so I'm sure I can find something to use and not hurt myself. I did get the jar lifter, funnel "kit" so I'm good with that. I'm still looking for the most recent Blue Book too. I do know not to do veggies, chicken and so on in a water bath. 

While I've never done this myself I sure watched and helped enough. My MIL pressure canned hundreds of jars every year. 

Thanks again for all the good advice, I'll be careful,
Moose


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

As for the question of a dish towel on the bottom of the pot, yes it will work, in the past when I was just making do with what I had on hand, I used dish towels, and even cardboard on the bottom of the pan. Not the ideal way to do it but it did work for me.


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

Hi Davarm, I've searched high and low for something to fit the bottom of my pot. Its good to know that a tea towel or two would work if it comes to that. Thank you for sharing your experience, I do appreicate it.
Moose


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I've used the towel and didn't like it but it works, I've done the extra rings on the bottom of the pot, it works but I didn't like it either.. I have also used my silver "steamer" it is an old one that folds up on itself and sits at the bottom of the pot and it worked much better but still not my favorite thing to use. It is so worth getting the jar rack for about $6. I have gone thru a couple of them cuz if you don't clean them off well they do tend to rust for me and I don't like or trust the silicon ones.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Cut a piece of hardware cloth (1/4 inch mesh screen) to fit the bottom of the pot, and wire some 1/4 to 1/2 inch sticks to it in parallel lines maybe an inch apart(any size will do as long as they hold the hardware cloth up evenly). That way you get water circulation all around the jars, and the jars are not so 'tippy'...That way you can can in any vessel that is deep enough to hold yur jars plus 2 inches of water to cover. 
And you can do vegetables, by the way, IF you pickle them. The vinegar adds enough acid that water baths will work. Before pressure canners, LOTS more things were pickled - plus pickles can provide some vitamin C.


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

Emerald, thank you, I'll keep searching for a cake rack. It a 40+ mile round trip to my nearest town of any size. I don't get off my island real often but I'll keep hunting. I've looked on line too but so far haven't come up with one that will fit in my pot. So far though, everything seems to be a half inch to big or way to small. 

kappydell, thanks for the suggestion! I've got some mesh screen in the garage. Used it to cover a couple of drain pipe ends to keep critters out of the basement. I'm sure I can do something with that. I do appreicate the suggestion.

Take care,
Moose


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## kathyprepper (Oct 6, 2011)

Just a word about canning strawberries. In jam they're terrific but they are awful just canned. They lose color, flavor and texture. Strawberries are better frozen or dried or made into fruit leather. You can make a heavily sugared preserve but it calls for so much sugar that the taste is cloying.


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

My 2 cents is to save up a bit of cash, buy a high quality stainless steel pressure canner. You won't regret it.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

I have a toaster oven and it has two racks..one has 4 legs and it fits perfectly in my turkey broaster.
Maybe you have a cake cooler that will work if no toaster oven that has one.

Some of us have smooth tops and can't use pressure cookers---we're told we're pressing our luck with hot water bath canning...so far, I've been okay, but the manufacturer says be sure the rim is half inch bigger than the heating element it is setting on..


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

JayJay: I believe UncleJoe and/or Jason have the smooth top stoves and pressure can on it with no problems.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

mdprepper said:


> JayJay: I believe UncleJoe and/or Jason have the smooth top stoves and pressure can on it with no problems.


As do I.

I'd heard on this site that you can't can on a smooth top, so I went and double checked my owner's manuals (both the cooktop and the canner), and didn't find anything that said I couldn't.... so I still do.

I've never used a water bath canner, and that's actually the kind I'm more concerned about since it's heavier (you use a lot less water to pressure can). :dunno:


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

goshengirl said:


> As do I.
> 
> I'd heard on this site that you can't can on a smooth top, so I went and double checked my owner's manuals (both the cooktop and the canner), and didn't find anything that said I couldn't.... so I still do.
> 
> I've never used a water bath canner, and that's actually the kind I'm more concerned about since it's heavier (you use a lot less water to pressure can). :dunno:


Thanks; I feel more secure hot water bath canning now.
My church friend dropped a kitchen item on hers(I was never told what it was) and made a hole in the top.


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

If you want to run absolutely NO RISK of cracking your smooth top then pick yourself up a gas powered cook stand and put it out on your patio. The added benefits are 1.) instant heat control with gas and 2.) during canning season all the heat associated with canning is outside the house rather than inside.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

mdprepper said:


> JayJay: I believe UncleJoe and/or Jason have the smooth top stoves and pressure can on it with no problems.


That was quite some time ago that this came up. How do you remember this stuff?   :congrat:

But you are correct. I've even had 2 pressure canners going a once on the glass top stove.

*kathyprepper*, I just love dried strawberries. It took me a couple batches to get the thickness right but now.........MMMMMMM. :2thumb:


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## mdprepper (Jan 22, 2010)

UncleJoe said:


> That was quite some time ago that this came up. How do you remember this stuff?   :congrat:


I am a fount of useless information!

And I was the one that questioned it. I have the same stove. I have done waterbath canning on mine but not the pressure canning yet (I apparently have a brown thumb and can never get enough to grow to be able to pressure can). I also use cast iron on mine even though the manufacturer said not to. :2thumb:


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

mdprepper said:


> I was the one that questioned it. I have the same stove.


OK. That makes a difference. I'm always going back looking for tid-bits like that. They never seem to stay inside my head.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Yes, by looking at a picture that I posted, UncleJoe determined that he and I have the same model of smooth top stove. DW cans like crazy, both pressure and water bath, and we've never had a problem.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

What brand do you have. If the top hasn't cracked, you got a good one! I had a GE, and I cracked the top twice never using a canner nor cast iron. Place thought I was crazy getting a coil top stove and top of the line microwave covenction oven


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Whirlpool.

http://www.appliancesconnection.com/images.php?pid=93615


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

Bobbb said:


> If you want to run absolutely NO RISK of cracking your smooth top then pick yourself up a gas powered cook stand and put it out on your patio. The added benefits are 1.) instant heat control with gas and 2.) during canning season all the heat associated with canning is outside the house rather than inside.


That's my preference as well.

I use a 3-burner Camp Chef and have another 2-burner should I need more. (BTW, the griddle pictured in the 3-burner pic lifts off to expose the left 2 burners.


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## Blondie (Feb 28, 2012)

On the pressure cooker..... I have read that you need one that has the temp gauge on it. Is this true? I have my mothers old HEAVY one but does not have a gauge. I don't really know how to cook in one...but would love to start canning this way instead of the water bath. 

Any suggestions on how I can still use it but figure out pressure? time? etc..... 

Thanks!


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

If there is no gauge it will have a small outlet on top upon which sits a weight. There should be a couple different ones. One will regulate the pressure at 10# another at 15#. Personally, I've never used the 15#weight.

Bring the canner to a boil without any weight on the outlet. Allow it to vent steam for about 10 minutes. Carefully, to avoid burning yourself, put the weight on. In about 10 minutes, give or take, the weight will begin to "rock". When you get a slow, gentle rocking motion you have arrived at the desired pressure. Adjust the dial on your stove to maintain that "gentle" rocking motion. At that point set your timer. For meat and low acid veggies, I go 75 minutes for pints or 90 minutes for quarts. When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down naturally. *Never try to hurry the process by removing the weight of taking off the lid.* You will run the risk of the jars inside boiling over or even bursting. Don't ask how I know that. 

This might all sound a little complicated, but like a water bath, once you've done it a few times, it's pretty simple. If I could learn it, anyone can.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

UncleJoe said:


> Personally, I've never used the 15#weight.


15# wt is for higher elevations to achieve the correct temperature.


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## boar2u2 (Jan 3, 2012)

can you speed up the cooling down by putting the canner in a sink off cold water?


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

boar2u2 said:


> can you speed up the cooling down by putting the canner in a sink off cold water?


NOOOOOOOO Never, do not move a full hot canner. You must let it cool down naturally.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

cybergranny said:


> NOOOOOOOO Never, do not move a full hot canner. You must let it cool down naturally.


What she said!!!

Now being on a flat top stove, I have carefully slid the canner off the hot spot to a cooler section if I have room. But I don't pick it up and move it. And I believe dipping the hot pan in cold water would be disastrous.


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## Blondie (Feb 28, 2012)

UncleJoe said:


> If there is no gauge it will have a small outlet on top upon which sits a weight. There should be a couple different ones. One will regulate the pressure at 10# another at 15#. Personally, I've never used the 15#weight.
> 
> Bring the canner to a boil without any weight on the outlet. Allow it to vent steam for about 10 minutes. Carefully, to avoid burning yourself, put the weight on. In about 10 minutes, give or take, the weight will begin to "rock". When you get a slow, gentle rocking motion you have arrived at the desired pressure. Adjust the dial on your stove to maintain that "gentle" rocking motion. At that point set your timer. For meat and low acid veggies, I go 75 minutes for pints or 90 minutes for quarts. When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down naturally. *Never try to hurry the process by removing the weight of taking off the lid.* You will run the risk of the jars inside boiling over or even bursting. Don't ask how I know that.
> 
> This might all sound a little complicated, but like a water bath, once you've done it a few times, it's pretty simple. If I could learn it, anyone can.


Thanks Joe! It's 4am and I pulled it out to see what weight came with it. There is nothing to go by. I pulled up 1946 Presto Meat Master 6qt but still I can't find the weight.

Guess once I have day light I'll do what you said. 

Thanks again!!!


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## kathyprepper (Oct 6, 2011)

Get yourself a Ball Blue Book or So Easy To Preserve from UGeorgia. It's money well spent. The UGeorgia book comes with a dandy CD that demonstrates all the preseving methods. I also suggest that you look around for a mentor. It's a lot easier to have some help the first time you try canning.


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

As others have already noted, NEVER SPEED UP THE COOLING PROCESS. The recipes are all calibrated to allow for gradual cooling and this is why the pressure canner is still under pressure after you stop the cooking. You have to wait for the pressure to equalize with the atmosphere. This is what is sealing the lids onto the cans inside the pressure canner. If you intervene in the cooling process, the process that the food scientists calculated for each recipe is altered.


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## cybergranny (Mar 11, 2011)

Blondie said:


> On the pressure cooker..... I have read that you need one that has the temp gauge on it. Is this true? I have my mothers old HEAVY one but does not have a gauge. I don't really know how to cook in one...but would love to start canning this way instead of the water bath.
> 
> Any suggestions on how I can still use it but figure out pressure? time? etc.....
> 
> Thanks!


You mention a "pressure cooker". You can't use a pressure cooker for canning. It must be a pressure canner.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

cybergranny said:


> You mention a "pressure cooker". You can't use a pressure cooker for canning. It must be a pressure canner.


you're going to have to school me on why


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

partdeux said:


> you're going to have to school me on why


For precisely the reasons I laid out in answering the question on accelerated cooling. Here is a website which addresses the question of cooker vs. canner.

In a word - NO. Pressure cookers have less metal, are smaller in diameter, and use less water than pressure canners. *The result is that the heat-up and cool-down times will be less than for the standard pressure canner. These heating and cooling times are part of the total processing time that was determinedin lab testing to establish a reasonable margin of safety for low-acid foods.*​
Botulism is VERY serious business. It's not just a stomach ache type of affliction. The way pressure canners work is they use higher pressures to generate higher temperatures inside the canner. Those temperatures exceed the boiling point of water, something that you can't do with a water bath canner. The low acid foods that are processed within a canner are ones which provide very good environments for the botulism toxin to grow. The botulism toxin is not killed in boiling water - hence the need to exceed the temperature of boiling water and hence the need to keep that temperature constant for a fixed period of time and hence the need for a controlled temperature rise and controlled cool down. There are REASONS for these things. Pressure cookers deviate too far from the norms to be used safely.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

cybergranny said:


> NOOOOOOOO Never, do not move a full hot canner. You must let it cool down naturally.





UncleJoe said:


> What she said!!!
> 
> Now being on a flat top stove, I have carefully slid the canner off the hot spot to a cooler section if I have room. But I don't pick it up and move it. And I believe dipping the hot pan in cold water would be disastrous.


What happens when you put the canner under water or even put a fan on it to speed the cooling is to reduce the temp in the canner faster than the contents of the jars. This increases the pressure in the jars and if the difference becomes to great one of 2 things happen. 1. The jars "boil off", that is that the pressure in the jar will become so great that the contents will be spewed out of the lid in the same way that excess air did during cooking. Debris can lodge between the lid and jar rim and cause a failure to seal. 2. The jars will "crack and/or explode", I have heard this happen on occasion and it makes a very distinctive sound that you cant miss.

If you pick up the canner up and move it around, the jars can bump together and with the already existing pressure in them, they can "crack or explode". Also, If you "slosh the contents of the jars, the pressure can spew out some of the contents and possibly lodge debris between the lid and jar rim again, causing the seal to fail.

These guys gave you good advice "Dont Do It", that is unless you are like me and have to learn everything the hard way.

Their are probably more consequences to to moving the canner and rapid cooling it, these are the ones I have experienced.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Davarm said:


> The jars will "crack and/or explode", I have heard this happen on occasion and *it makes a very distinctive sound that you cant miss.*


I know that sound all too well. The first time I used my pressure canner, I wanted to see the results right NOW so I put a glove on and removed the weight. BIG MISTAKE!! Before it was finished venting I heard a rumbling inside the canner. About 30 seconds later I heard that distinctive pop of jars exploding; 2 of them. The other 5 had boiled off all the liquid.
What a mess!!


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

UncleJoe said:


> I wanted to see the results right NOW so I put a glove on and removed the weight. BIG MISTAKE!!


My experience wasn't nearly as messy... but still a learning experience.

Even if I pull the lid off after the pressure naturally drops to ambient, I try to not move the jars for another 10-15 minutes. They seem to be happier if they get to sit and cool a bit more


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Bobbb said:


> In a word - NO. Pressure cookers have less metal, are smaller in diameter, and use less water than pressure canners. *The result is that the heat-up and cool-down times will be less than for the standard pressure canner. These heating and cooling times are part of the total processing time that was determinedin lab testing to establish a reasonable margin of safety for low-acid foods.*​


hmmm, my pressure cooker also refers to being a pressure canner.


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

partdeux said:


> hmmm, my pressure cooker also refers to being a pressure canner.


Some do and usually "truth in marketing" will work to your benefit. The larger pressure canners, like the one I own, allow you to use them to make big batches of food as you would with a pressure cooker. The important thing though is that they are designed first as a pressure canner and have the option of being used as a pressure cooker.

If you search for the brand name that'll tell you whether your unit is a real pressure canner or just boastful, and misleading, advertising from a pressure cooker manufacturer. One sure sign is size - pressure cookers are almost always smaller than pressure canners and they're built less robustly.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

partdeux, the main difference between a regular pressure cooker and a pressure canner is that the cookers are usually smaller and dont have weights that have identified, graduated values. Just a single weight with a set and unidentified pressure value. I have checked the weight of my cooker and it has about a 15 psi value. I did this by putting it on my canner(same brand name and same type of weight) that has a gauge and it started dancing at 15 psi, I dont can anything at that high a temp but it does make short work of cooking a pot of beans.

I have canned half pint jars in the pressure cooker but the high temp tends to boil off the liquid in the jars and I usually have at least one jar break per canning cycle, not much worth it if you loose a jar each round.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

UncleJoe said:


> Before it was finished venting I heard a rumbling inside the canner.


Yea, that rumbling sound followed with the "Crack" is something that kinda makes your heart skip a beat. The lessons learned the hard way tend to stay with you the longest and make a bigger impression in my book.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

We have two, both mirror. One is OLD and built like a tank, with a round wt that you rotate to the correct pressure. The other one is much lighter, but has three separate wts. Haven't had problems with either one since we learned to stop moving the damn thing and let it cool


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

goshengirl said:


> As do I.
> 
> I'd heard on this site that you can't can on a smooth top, so I went and double checked my owner's manuals (both the cooktop and the canner), and didn't find anything that said I couldn't.... so I still do.
> 
> I've never used a water bath canner, and that's actually the kind I'm more concerned about since it's heavier (you use a lot less water to pressure can). :dunno:


What canner do you use on your glass top? I have an old National #7, and I've been afraid to try it. I just bought a manual for it, and we were going to try it on our green Coleman stove out on the back deck. I would rather be indoors during the winter months if I can..


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

ksmama10 said:


> What canner do you use on your glass top? I have an old National #7, and I've been afraid to try it. I just bought a manual for it, and we were going to try it on our green Coleman stove out on the back deck. I would rather be indoors during the winter months if I can..


I have a Presto 01745, which is similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Presto-1755-16-Quart-Aluminum-Pressure/dp/B000QJJ9NY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354467811&sr=8-1&keywords=presto+canner+1745, except that mine is a weighted gauge instead of a dial gauge. I'll be using it a fair bit today.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

ksmama10 said:


> What canner do you use on your glass top? I have an old National #7, and I've been afraid to try it. I just bought a manual for it, and we were going to try it on our green Coleman stove out on the back deck. I would rather be indoors during the winter months if I can..


I have done both pressure canning (lots) and water bath canning (1 batch so far) on my glass surfaced stove. I think they say not to do it because they worry about all that weight on the surface, and I also wonder how much of that is because people still have working ovens in their kitchens from 30+ years ago.

My oven is about 8 or 9 years old and so far everything has been just fine! (knock on wood!)

I have the All American 921 pressure canner, which is a 21 qt cannery, and a 21 qt water bath canner, which in comparison is very light weight, but you have to use considerably more water, so that probably makes it just as heavy if not heavier when it's cooking. I havent tried to weigh them.

AA 921
http://www.amazon.com/All-American-921-2-Quart-Pressure/dp/B00004S88Z/ref=sr_1_2?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1354469407&sr=1-2&keywords=AA+921

waterbath canner
http://www.amazon.com/Granite-0707-1-2-Quart-Porcelain-Water-Bath/dp/B0001UZL8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354469235&sr=8-1&keywords=water+bath+canner


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

Dakine said:


> I have done both pressure canning (lots) and water bath canning (1 batch so far) on my glass surfaced stove. I think they say not to do it because they worry about all that weight on the surface, and I also wonder how much of that is because people still have working ovens in their kitchens from 30+ years ago.
> 
> My oven is about 8 or 9 years old and so far everything has been just fine! (knock on wood!)
> 
> ...


I'm tempted to try my canner on the glass top then. I don't think it's bigger than your All American, and it has a flat bottom. I'll bring it upstairs and see how much it hangs over the burner..


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## MetalPrepper (Nov 25, 2012)

Hey y'all.....The last couple of times I have canned th pressure canner runs out of water before the time is up.....I have the kind that has a "weight" that shakes (not a gage).....and it shakes, pause, shakes, pause.....I run the flame between low & mid....what do ya'll think I am doing wrong?


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## memrymaker (Dec 12, 2012)

ksmama10 said:


> I'm tempted to try my canner on the glass top then. I don't think it's bigger than your All American, and it has a flat bottom. I'll bring it upstairs and see how much it hangs over the burner..


I also use a glass top stove. What I do is make sure that I DO NOT move the pressure canner after it is done. Leave it in the same spot until both (the burner and the canner) are *fully *cooled down (usually overnight).

I would think that displacing the canner's immense heat and weight from a hot burner to a cool part of the stove might cause a problem like cracking.


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## farmers (Jul 28, 2012)

MetalPrepper, Are you putting water up to the neck of the jars? The next thing to check is your gasket going around the lid.
I have 2 weighted pressure cookers. After using my cookers, wash and dry them. I then put vaseline on the gasket. This keeps them from drying out and cracking. If it is hard or has cracks in it. Time for a new one. There should be a number or model number,on the bottom and maker.
This spring I ordered extra gaskets, pressure gages, handles, for my cookers. Good luck


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## farmers (Jul 28, 2012)

Ksmama10, I to have a glass top stove, and pressure can on it all the time. The only difference I have, notice is the stove tends to be hotter. So you need to keep a watchful eye on yours, you learn your stove. Of course the glass top will have to be clean.


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## MetalPrepper (Nov 25, 2012)

I put the water level just to the top of the first level separater thing....something like 2 quarts i think.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

MetalPrepper said:


> Hey y'all.....The last couple of times I have canned th pressure canner runs out of water before the time is up.....I have the kind that has a "weight" that shakes (not a gage).....and it shakes, pause, shakes, pause.....I run the flame between low & mid....what do ya'll think I am doing wrong?


shake no more than 4 times per minute... you either have too little water, or you're losing too much to a bad seal.


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

MetalPrepper said:


> Hey y'all.....The last couple of times I have canned th pressure canner runs out of water before the time is up.....I have the kind that has a "weight" that shakes (not a gage).....and it shakes, pause, shakes, pause.....I run the flame between low & mid....what do ya'll think I am doing wrong?


I'll get to your problem but first let's understand what happens with a pressure gauge canner.

You put in a few inches of water and then seal it. You crank up the heat and the water turns to steam. You let the steam purge for 10 minutes and then you close the valve and the pressure begins to build. When the pressure hits 10 lbs then you turn down the heat. There is no steam purging going on. As the pressure builds higher than 10 lbs you have to crank the heat down. When it approaches 10 lbs you have to turn the heat up. You do this dance to try to keep the temperature/pressure stable.

Now with a weight you don't have to be as finicky with the temperature gauge on your stove because when the pressure goes above your target of 10 lbs the pressure is high enough to lift the weight and allow pressure to escape until the pressure drops down to 10 lbs.

So, if you're boiling away all of your water and your seals are not leaking, then my guess is that you're running too hot, meaning that the weight is releasing steam way too often in order to bring the temp/pressure within the canner down to 10 lbs.

Keep in mind that you need to get the water up to boiling and this takes a lot of energy but once that energy has transferred from the stove into the water then the energy required to maintain that temperature is a lot less, so if you have your stove temp at medium and then occasionally dropping to low then you're probably pumping way too much heat into the water in the canner.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

ooops, in response to the question about a canning rack, forgot to mention another fix for that....
find a cake pan that fits the bottom of the canner (or even a pizza pan if it is deep dish style).
Drill holes in it to allow for water flow - all over it - and you just made yourself a replacement rack!


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