outdoor setup for canning?

[patandchickens]

I have tried my small canner (fits 4 pints or 7 half-pints) on an electric hot plate on the back deck but it is not terribly stable and it is extremely difficult for the poor lil' hotplate to heat that much water that hot. Using the propane BBQ does not sound safe to me, stability-wise (?). I used to think about putting an old stove in the kennel bldg as a canning kitchen, but now the kennel is all full o' chickens so I Don't Think So

Does anyone have, or know of, a good safe effective setup for canning outdoors? As in, *not* on a stovetop. I know Lehman's sells a wood-fired canner, but I mean, besides that.

I'm not going to build anything this year but wondering about the topic for the future...


Pat

 

[miss_thenorth]

My gf got rid of her stove b/c the oven didn't work well. I took it and put it in my dh's shop, planning on using it for canning.

I didn't use it this year, as it wasn't too terribly hot, and did my canning indoors, (but usually it is hot). I still have it, and if canning season next year is hot, I will use it then.

That's the only thing I can think of--I know--not exactly what you were looking for, but it was free, plus the added advantage of doing it outside saves on house cooling.

 

[chiknmama]

My hubby and I are planning to make an outdoor kitchen for canning (mostly) and other stuff.

We've gone over a few different options - 1)woodburning cookstove (expensive, even used), 2)firepit - not enough control over the fire/wind/venting, etc... 3) building our own woodburning cookstove - not pretty, but workable. 4)old woodburning heat stove, which has some burners on it - maybe.

We still haven't decided, but then, with the options we have, we're just keeping our eyes open at flea markets and auctions, to see if we can find something that will work for this. It is a "next summer" project, so we're not in a mad rush.

Something with at least two burners would be great, and I would prefer wood fuel if possible. Also, something that is not so big that it takes a LOT of fuel to get it hot.

I saw Lehman's wood fired canner - nice - but the price !! I don't think I'd be buying that... but maybe I can steal the idea and engineer my own <g>.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[punkin]

We can outside every year at my dad's on his large covered patio. We bought him 2 cast iron propane burners. He mounted them on a heat resistant surface and built a cabinet underneath them for storing the two propane tanks. They work like a charm. He put casters on the cabinet so he can move it as he needs to. We can dozens and dozens of jars on it each year. When it's not in use, he covers it and pushes it out of the way. The cabinet is also great for storing canners and cookers.

I believe we got the burners at www.northerntool.com.

 

[chiknmama]

We can outside every year at my dad's on his large covered patio. We bought him 2 cast iron propane burners. He mounted them on a heat resistant surface and built a cabinet underneath them for storing the two propane tanks. They work like a charm. He put casters on the cabinet so he can move it as he needs to. We can dozens and dozens of jars on it each year. When it's not in use, he covers it and pushes it out of the way. The cabinet is also great for storing canners and cookers.

I believe we got the burners at www.northerntool.com.

VERY cool !!! I went and looked at this and it might be do-able, both cash-wise and engineering-wise.

I saved it to show hubby when he drags his butt out of bed - he was up late last night...

It would certainly be more adjustable than wood-fired heat, and I always have propane tanks around. It would also be better than a propane bbq - better configuring on the burners.

Thanks for the link <g>.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[patandchickens]

We can outside every year at my dad's on his large covered patio. We bought him 2 cast iron propane burners. He mounted them on a heat resistant surface and built a cabinet underneath them for storing the two propane tanks. They work like a charm. He put casters on the cabinet so he can move it as he needs to. We can dozens and dozens of jars on it each year. When it's not in use, he covers it and pushes it out of the way. The cabinet is also great for storing canners and cookers.

I believe we got the burners at www.northerntool.com.

Oh! That's a great idea!! Wow! There ya go, that is pretty much what I need to do!! And not really that expensive.

THanks SO much!!


Pat, knowing what DH can buy her for her birthday next year (i.e. the propane burners, so I can build the rest of the assembly in time for canning season)

 

[unclejoe]

This was my first year canning and I did all of it on the grill.
I've put up about 65 qts of this & that and used 2 of the standard grill propane tanks. I used the "grill" section to cook down whatever needed cooked and the open burner on the side to boil the jars and lids. When the goodies are ready for the jars, I took a 2 cup measuring cup & transferred it from the kettle to the jars. One thing I learned rather quickly. You need some type of glove to put the lids on . OUCH !! Other than that it worked great and I'll always do it this way. It also frees up a lot of counter space for all of the fruit I dried. Peach leather is the best!!

 

[patandchickens]

This was my first year canning and I did all of it on the grill.

So how did that work for you in terms of stability? I've been afraid to try it because of having laaaarge kettles o' boiling water up on a grill that wasn't really made for the weight and isn't necessarily as steady as a rangetop. But if it was sturdy and solid for you, maybe I should at least try it on my bbq and see what happens (like, put kettles full of cold water up there and see what it is like)...

Interested in hearing more,

Pat

 

[heatherv]

I did mine on the grill burner this year. I cooked whatever needed to be cooked inside on the stove in the kitchen, then took the filled jars out to the porch and put into the canning pot on the grill. It was a pain going back and forth b/c there was always a dog or a kid in the middle of my walking path (in front of the sliding door or wherever). But my kitchen is in the middle of remodeling (well on an unfinished break from remodeling) so there's not enough room in the kitchen to do it all. I have a large BBQ grill though, very sturdy, and a weighted pot makes no difference in it's stability. If I had a smaller unstable one (that wobbles or whatever) then I wouldn't do it. Also, in the middle of a canning day it started getting very windy and the wind blew the flame out a couple times. I had to take the lid off of the turtle shaped sandbox and use it as a shield behind the burner. This made me start thinking about building/creating an outdoor kitchen of some sort to make the whole process go a bit easier. Maybe build a brick enclosure to block the wind, and have counter space as well.

Good topic, I hope we get more ideas!

 

[patandchickens]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, heather, it is very helpful for me thinking about this subject! I just had to laugh though (in a good way) when you said

I had to take the lid off of the turtle shaped sandbox and use it as a shield behind the burner.

...now THERE's a thread we could have. "101 uses for turtle sandbox lids". Mine is a prized possession. Those of you without a turtle-shaped sandbox, you do not know what you are missing

OK, so, back to outdoor canning

Pat