Fresh Preserving Discussion Boards

I have just begun to can. With a friend I did tomatoes andapple sacue in a hot water canner method. We are thinking of branching out and wondered if anyone can recomend a pressure canner?

If you just want to be a casual canner, Presto has a fairly inexpensive (under $70) Pressure Canner using a rocker weight, which is often found in local stores such as Wal-Mart.

For the more serious canner there is the All-American brand of canners using dial gauges. These canners are work horses and passed on to generations.

For starting out I do not recommend a "dial gauge" canner since you must have the gauge tested before you use it for the first time and every year before you start a canning season. One should instead get a "rocker weight" instead of the dial which is much easier to use.

Do not confuse a Pressure "Cooker" with a "Canner". They are not the same though some manufacturer's try to make you think otherwise. An immediate difference is that a cooker generally has a long handle, like a pan, whereas canners do not.

You also must take in to consideration the type of stove you have and the available height. Canners generally do not work (well) on flat/glass top stoves and canners are big and tall so you need clearance.

I'm very happy to read your post. I am a casual canner and didn't want to invest in the model with a gauge. I have a rocker model. My question is how do I set the pressure or does it really matter? I'd love to be able to can soups and stews and send to my kids in college.

Thank you sharing your canning knowledge!

Marybeth

If you do not have a multi-weight rocker weight you may have a pressure "cooker", not a "canner". They are not the same. The settings on a Pressure Canner weight is 5#, 10# and 15#. The 10# weight is used for canning unless one lives at a higher altitude (above 2,000 ft) then the 15# weight is used.


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Hope this is helpful.

Hi Everyone -

I want to mention JUST how IMPORTANT the selection of the boiling water bath canner and the pressure canner are before you purchase. I have two of each, since I learned the hard way!

I want to mention something that I found out too late, and after months of investigation, but is very important for owners of electric smoothtop ranges, which is the cooking method of choice for those of us not able to get the gas piped to the house. I have a new smoothtop stove - which I love - but the manufacturer is specific that all cookware, including canners, must be FLAT on the bottom, and I mean completely flat. No ridges, or indentations of any kind. Further, BEFORE YOU BUY, be sure to match any canning pot's bottom diameter with the correct diameter of your stove top burners. Too big, too small - not good. Clearance is another item to consider. I purchased the new boiling water canner from this website and it is superb, but that was AFTER I had purchased a kit with a ridged-bottom canner at my local hardware store. Likewise, I purchased a magnificent pressure canner on amazon.com, only to realize AFTER I used it once that it was not flat-bottomed and therefore was cause for breakage concern with my smoothtop. And not returnable! Yikes. So I bought a smaller one that still does a fabulous job (and still holds 7 quarts), from WalMart - 16-qt pressure canner by Presto. It has the rocker weight system which I prefer. I am fairly new to canning but really really got into this past summer with salsas, chutneys, jellies, jams, marmalades, conserves, sauces, butters, apple pie filling (finally found the ClearJel!).

So now I have four canners, and will be all set if I ever get to cook with gas!

Thanks! You are correct. I have a pressure cooker not a pressure canner.

Marybeth