Canning Recommendation

[Rooster Cogburn]

I've searched the forum and didn't find anything recently listed, so here it goes.

I am preparing to can this summer. I have a plan in kind of what I want to can and what to try later on down the road. Problem is, I don't have a pressure canner. I realize through my research that a pressure canner can be used to water bath can. I'm guessing that a 20+ quart size is the best for both operations?

From your experience and hands on use, what is the best Pressure Canner to purchase that gives you the most bang for your buck without breaking the bank?

Rooster

 

[Sailor]

I have an older mirro I got off ebay cheap. I wanted a weight not a dial. You have to make sure your dial is working correctly annually or take your risks.

I wish mine was tall enough to double stack jars. Once you fire it up you might as well load it up. I keep my gasket clean and lubed and its lasting a long time. I like the presto 23 qt one size wise but wish it had a weight not a dial. Its only $75.00 Just read you can buy the three piece weight to convert it for 12 bucks.

Of course the best is All American, but at over $200 that may blow your budget.

 

[spencer rifle]

Got an All-American from Ebay a few months ago. If you are diligent and keep looking, you can get one for less that $100. It will be used, but parts are readily available. No gasket to replace. And they are built like tanks.

As for dials, the cooperative extension service in your county will usually test your dials for free or a minimal charge.

 

[indytechnerd]

We have an older pressure canner, but bought 2 big water bath canners from Wally World. We're going to try to do some using the gas grill this summer.

Granite Ware 21.5-Quart Canner With Rack - Walmart.com

Since you're talking pressure canners, I can't in good conscience post without dropping this link into the thread.
Canning Supplies, Canning Equipment and Pickling Supplies from Canning Pantry.com
Try not to drool.

 

[kenjb]

I have been told that "Ball's Blue Book of Canning" is a necessity. We don't can, but, just sayin'...

 

[djl02]

I've searched the forum and didn't find anything recently listed, so here it goes.

I am preparing to can this summer. I have a plan in kind of what I want to can and what to try later on down the road. Problem is, I don't have a pressure canner. I realize through my research that a pressure canner can be used to water bath can. I'm guessing that a 20+ quart size is the best for both operations?

From your experience and hands on use, what is the best Pressure Canner to purchase that gives you the most bang for your buck without breaking the bank?

Rooster

Buy an All American pressure canner ,you wont be sorry.

 

[PistolBob]

I bought a 23 qt Presto off eBay about 10 years ago. The handles were busted and the gasket was missing. It has a gauge and a rocker weight. I took it to Ace hardware and they checked the gauge for me for free. Bought new handles and a gasket off some Presto website. Total investment was less than $40. We've used that thing to can hundreds of quarts of salsa, beans, tomatoes, and even tried canning potatoes. It's worth its weight in gold every time I pop open a jar of my homemade salsa and dump it in my chili.

Canning your own food takes some time, not much skill to it, and it's probably not all that much cheaper than buying cans at Kroger...but you know what is in there, where it was grown, and how it was prepared.

I bought a 25 lb bag of Navy peas (tiny white beans) and canned up 20 or 30 quarts of homemade bean soup...we're still eating it after almost two years...and it is delicious.

 

[hountzmj]

Get an All American. Amazon has the best prices.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

There's a 50 dollar one at Wallyworld I bought and haven't even taken out of the box yet. It's going to my sister. Seems ok. I wouldn't know enough about pressure canners to know if it's good enough or not though.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

Thank you everyone for the replies, links and general information. Now the fun begins...research and purchase!!

 

[Donnelly]

Actually Sam's Club has good prices on the All American Pressure canners if you happen to be a member.

 

[Expat]

I am likely in the minority but I would point out that our forebears got along fine with smaller canners than what you are talking about. Quite often you are going to be faced with canning 4 or 5 quarts of something. I know we are a bigger is better society, but it ain't always so.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I bought a 23 qt Presto off eBay about 10 years ago. The handles were busted and the gasket was missing. It has a gauge and a rocker weight. I took it to Ace hardware and they checked the gauge for me for free. Bought new handles and a gasket off some Presto website. Total investment was less than $40. We've used that thing to can hundreds of quarts of salsa, beans, tomatoes, and even tried canning potatoes. It's worth its weight in gold every time I pop open a jar of my homemade salsa and dump it in my chili.

Canning your own food takes some time, not much skill to it, and it's probably not all that much cheaper than buying cans at Kroger...but you know what is in there, where it was grown, and how it was prepared.

I bought a 25 lb bag of Navy peas (tiny white beans) and canned up 20 or 30 quarts of homemade bean soup...we're still eating it after almost two years...and it is delicious.

The initial setup can be a couple years to recoup, but long term it IS cheaper and when the cans aren't avail. at kroger it may be the only way to preserve stuff and keep supply levels up.

 

[briand212]

My reply .. yeah I know it is long winded

I grew up in a family that canned and my wife and I still do.. here is my two cents

for supplies such as jars and even a pressure cooker, auctions I have picked up jars for pennies a piece. but stay away from the old ones that have the glass lid with a rubber seal.

As for the pressure cooker get what you can afford but it doesn’t have to be a fancy one. personally I prefer the ones with a weight but that is my choice.

STAY AWAY from the really really old pressure cookers that have a gauge and a flip valve the you manually have to open.. Grandma had one something went wrong with the gauge, needless to say part of the top launched thru the ceiling..
one must wonder if the jars being blown apart earlier that day was a hint

please note I am talking about the really old ones here.. most of the newer ones have a plug in them that will pop if you over pressure it

Buy lids and supplies off season you can get them on clearance

The ball canning book is a bible

http://www.freshpreserving.com/home.aspx

personally I like to can outside and use my turkey fryer stand ..keeps the heat out of the house

for hot water baths I use my turkey fryer but you can do it in anything that will allow the water to cover the top of the jars

if you live on the west side.. coopers hardware out in Stilesville has a lot of canning and manual food processing supplies. I don’t really know how competitive the prices are.. they are local and I like the old guy that runs it so I always buy a few things there.

have any questions feel free to shoot me a message I have tons of recipe’s.. too many to post on here

 

[J man]

We use a hand me down hot water bath setup as well as the majority of our jars. They are from my wife's parents and grandparents.

We bought an All American and a outdoor stove from Bass Pro but have not used it yet.

If you have one of the ceramic top stoves it is recommended you do not use a pressure canner on it but I know of someone who has.

The Mrs Wages mixes are pretty good if you can find them. We did not buy enough or early enough last year. Other than that we just play around with recipes and see what we like.

 

[Expat]

For canning ideas, Backwood Home Companion has a column in it with lots of great info.

 

[Electronrider]

It takes a lot less energy to heat up the thin walled hot water bath canners than it does to heat the heavy duty pressure canners. Buy one of each. The hot water bath canners are cheap.

My wife and I went with an All American a few years ago. This pressure canner will outlast several generations of family. Buy once cry once.

 

[88GT]

It takes a lot less energy to heat up the thin walled hot water bath canners than it does to heat the heavy duty pressure canners. Buy one of each. The hot water bath canners are cheap.

My wife and I went with an All American a few years ago. This pressure canner will outlast several generations of family. Buy once cry once.

Absolutely. Particularly if most of your canning products are acidic (fruits, tomatoes, etc).

Another vote for All American here. Expat is right in that we can get by with the smaller capacity, but if you're planning on canning for "put back" or SHTF prep and not just a means of preserving the garden goods for winter consumption, you'll want to be able to process as many jars at a time as possible.

One other note: I've heard the same warning about the smooth cooktop surface canning no-no. So far mine's done just fine. I think there's greater risk in people dropping the canners or lids on the surface than the actual thermodynamics of the process destroying it.