Another Pressure Canner Thread...

[Cybercat]

Hi- I have never used a pressure canner...been terrified of them for most of my life (due to a teacher who had one blow up on her, causing severe burns...)

However, I am now ready to give them a try.

I'd like to know what size is the most useful to most of you? I imagine that I'll can more pints than quarts, except for tomato products..

I found an older thread comparing the different brands of canners- All American vs Presto vs. Mirro...and it was informative as well.

Here's to self sufficiency!

Leanne

 

[farmerlor]

My advice is to get the biggest one you can afford that will fit under your microwave. In my next life when I'm really rich and can design my own kitchen I'll have a six burner stove so I can can using two canners at once since I have the biggest canner they make now and still can't do it all in one batch.

 

[SKR8PN]

We have TWO Presto canners, and we have the extra shelf for both of them. That way we can process 7 qts or 14 pints in either canner.
We have two so that we can have one cooking while the other is cooling down. Saves a LOT of time that way if your doing a lot of stuff. We will be canning 1/2 a beef (most of it anyway) in the next week or so. Those canners WILL be getting a workout!

 

[Beekissed]

I saw the biggest "canner" I've ever seen the other day......one of my patients is a Mennonite lady and I noticed a very large, sturdy iron apparatus by her garden. Sort of one of those large spits that you can roast a half beef on? It had a very huge iron pot under it, so I had to ask! She said they used to do their laundry there every Mon. in years gone by, but they also use it to can food each year. Says it will hold 14 qts. at one time!

Now THAT's homesteading! Canning over an open fire in a big, black witch's cauldron!

 

[freemotion]

Well, I just used my second canner for the first time! 14 quarts of peanuts at once, yee-haw! And made my first batch of goat's milk soap while it was cooling down. Got everything measured and mixed the lye when the canner was almost done, then melted the fat as soon as the canners were off to cool. Wow, I feel productive for the first time in a while. Gotta get going on the squirrel challenge, we are all trying to catch up to SKR8PN!!!!

Watch out, cybercat, it is quite addictive, as you can see by reading here on ss..... You probably already know, but I have two Presto 23 quart pressure canners, which hold 7 quarts each or 20 pints (regular mouth) because the pints can be stacked two high.

You are limited if you have a smooth-top electric stove. How I want a major sturdy gas stove!

Bee, my grandma had one of those. She made her soap in the caldron in the fall with all the fat from butchering, so says my dad. Likely did lots of other stuff in it, too.