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Post by daylilydude on Mar 11, 2014 9:04:04 GMT -5
What's the difference between the 2? I'm hoping this will help members in there decision on pressure canning the garden bounty. Can a pressure cooker be used to can vegetables and meats, and if not can you tell us why?
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Post by w8in4dave on Mar 11, 2014 9:34:57 GMT -5
A pressure cooker and a pressure canner is the same yet a lil different. I have both. I don't use my pressure cooker to often but I use my Pressure canner alot. The difference is usually A pressure cooker is smaller you can pressure cook, beans and meats and meals in a smaller amount of time. A pressure canner is usually bigger comes with racks for jars to pressure can food that is low acid. Altho you can use it for cooking meals but is usually exclusively for canning purposes. The question "can a pressure cooker be used to can vegetables and meats?" I say no I wouldn't do it. A canner can be used as a cooker. But not the other way around. Unless it states Canner/Cooker .. It's the size that matters According to USDA, a canner must be able to hold at least 4 quart jars, and have a gauge or weight to allow you to measure 5, 10, and 15 lbs. pressure. The size is important because a bigger canner takes longer to come to pressure and cool down again, and that time is factored into the processing time they give you. Complete USDA canning times and recipes are available at the National Center for Home Food Preservation, at www.uga.edu/nchfp. However, I believe that any pressure CANNER can also be used as a pressure COOKER, it is just a matter of whether or not you want to use such a huge pot to pressure cook something. Some Presto Pressure Canners says right on the box “Pressure Cooker / Canner”.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Mar 11, 2014 13:58:49 GMT -5
Thanks! I had always wondered about what the difference is.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 11, 2014 20:43:14 GMT -5
You can't get a better explanation!
You can get a basic presto pressure canner at Walmart for about $70 to about $300 for a n All American canner that is top of the line. Make sure you can use a pressure canner on your stove. A regular stove, gas or electric, can handle a canner. A glass top, smooth top, usually had a weight limit or a temperature limit and tend to crack under the weight of a full pressure canner which can weigh 50+ pounds. My pressure canner can not be used outside on a gass burner over so many BTUs. Will buy a presto for outside use.
You also need to make sure you have enough room. Between the stove top and the exhaust fan for the canner to fit. The canner I wanted was taller than my stove allows. Had to settle for a smaller canner. Think about the amount of canning you are planning to do before choosing and investing in one.
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Post by spacecase0 on Mar 11, 2014 21:02:20 GMT -5
I have one of each, and the big thing I see is that the pressure caner guarantees a specific pressure, so you can guarantee the bacteria is killed,
the pressure cooker gets approximately a pressure, some designs of pressure cookers do guarantee pressure and the instructions will say if it is ok to do,
by the way, I was watching a cooking show, and they pressure steamed rice, now I have to try it, but not to sure how to set it up so the rice does not touch the liquid water.
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Post by w8in4dave on Mar 12, 2014 12:25:37 GMT -5
I have one of each, and the big thing I see is that the pressure caner guarantees a specific pressure, so you can guarantee the bacteria is killed, the pressure cooker gets approximately a pressure, some designs of pressure cookers do guarantee pressure and the instructions will say if it is ok to do, by the way, I was watching a cooking show, and they pressure steamed rice, now I have to try it, but not to sure how to set it up so the rice does not touch the liquid water. Pressure steamed rice huh? Thats interesting! Let us know how it goes if you try it. I use a lil rice cooker! Best kitchen gadget I have except my lil hot spot. (Not to be confused with internet hot spot) ... Also another fav gadget!
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Post by spacecase0 on Mar 13, 2014 21:15:26 GMT -5
pressure cooked rice was a bit dry for me, I cooked it for 27 min. maybe it needs more cook time, not sure, but I don't really like the way the texture is going
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Post by w8in4dave on Mar 14, 2014 9:17:55 GMT -5
pressure cooked rice was a bit dry for me, I cooked it for 27 min. maybe it needs more cook time, not sure, but I don't really like the way the texture is going That is amazing to me! Steamed cooked rice. Hmmm I'm a big rice cooker I have a lil rice cooker I use! I love it! I don't know if I have ever had pressure cooked rice. I know what ya mean tho. Sometimes cooking can be a science! But i'd sure like to try it! My kids pressure cook beans and stuff, they are going to be in town tonight, I'm going to ask them if they have ever pressure cooked rice. They are vegetarians they pressure cook alot. Not that , that has anything to do with vegetarianism lol, I am a good ol american meat eater and I rarely use my pressure cooker. Might dig it out and cook something just for the cause
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Post by spacecase0 on Mar 14, 2014 19:41:56 GMT -5
I would love to know the results of your kids tests if they do it, I am sure if I play with it enough I can get it to work out, but not sure I have enough rice to figure it out (3 pounds left to test with), and it is likely to change with the rice type you are using, maybe I should test with the rice I grow this summer
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Post by w8in4dave on Mar 14, 2014 20:39:43 GMT -5
Thanks Yea I thought they were coming in tonight. Nag dab! tomorrow! Well i guess they can do what they want! They have a 1 yo lol so you know who rules that roost! That lil baby! So hopefully by monday I will have an answer .. Yea I have no idea. It is just so interesting to find out. All I can say at this point is it will be Organic Rice ..If they do it... Now I think about it , I bet they don't, She was trying to teach me to cook rice on the stove last year. I don't do that well. LOL But we will see.
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Post by daylilydude on Mar 15, 2014 9:29:34 GMT -5
You can't get a better explanation! You can get a basic presto pressure canner at Walmart for about $70 to about $300 for a n All American canner that is top of the line. Make sure you can use a pressure canner on your stove. A regular stove, gas or electric, can handle a canner. A glass top, smooth top, usually had a weight limit or a temperature limit and tend to crack under the weight of a full pressure canner which can weigh 50+ pounds. My pressure canner can not be used outside on a gass burner over so many BTUs. Will buy a presto for outside use. You also need to make sure you have enough room. Between the stove top and the exhaust fan for the canner to fit. The canner I wanted was taller than my stove allows. Had to settle for a smaller canner. Think about the amount of canning you are planning to do before choosing and investing in one. Oooo... I'm glad I ask cause the wifey would kill me as we bought a new glass top stove when we moved in here.
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Post by izitmidnight on Mar 15, 2014 9:59:08 GMT -5
Richard, buy you a singer or double burner hot plate to use for the canner! There are some good ones out there.
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desertrat
Pro Member
Posts: 143
Joined: October 2011
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Post by desertrat on Mar 16, 2014 8:59:41 GMT -5
I had read warnings regarding pressure canning on flat top stoves as some have heat cycles which will not hold pressure constant. I found this: nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/smoothtops.html . Many of these cooktops have automatic cut-offs on their burners when heat gets excessive. If that option is built in, and the burner under a canner shuts off during the process time, then the product will be underprocessed and cannot be salvaged as a canned food. The process time must be continuous at the intended temperature, or microorganisms may survive. Also, if the pressure drops quickly, most likely liquid and maybe even food will be lost from the jar (it will spill over from the area of higher pressure inside the jar to the lower pressure now in the canner around the jar).
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Post by w8in4dave on Mar 16, 2014 21:34:36 GMT -5
Yea they can only get so hot, so the glass doesn't break,
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Post by timothyt on Mar 17, 2014 7:25:48 GMT -5
I tend to use my outdoor gas burner ring for my hot water bath canner and my Presto pressure canner. Usually when we are canning it is the warm part of the year so it's nice to have the extra heat it produces outside instead of heating up the house. Also keeps most of the mess outside! But my gas burner is very adjustable with a ball valve on the hose to adjust temps between the pressure regulator and the ring. Can go low enough to just simmer water in a medium pot or use with my camping coffee percolator or up to 50,000btu's to keep a 60 quart kettle boiling or fry turkey, fish, large batches of Low Country Seafood boil, steam a peck of oysters, whatever. But highly recommend the in-line valve as adjusting by the valve on the propane tank is iffy to maintain correct temperatures. Also having a ring burner unit with a skirt or flame shield sure helps when it is windy and in keeping flames adjusted.
Just my 2 1/2 cents!
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Post by w8in4dave on Mar 17, 2014 9:06:23 GMT -5
I actually think she could do some water bath canning on her glass top as long as it isn't the double canner. It just has to boil not get up to a certain pressure.
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Post by daylilydude on Oct 4, 2014 15:08:27 GMT -5
Well I think I got a deal, but y'all need to let me know... I got this double pressure canner for 15 bucks... was it a good deal or what?? The seal is brand new and he even gave me an extra one to go with it... The brand is Burpee (not the seed co.) Aristocrat Canner/cooker. now we are gonna invest in a hot plate to use with it as we have a glass top stove.
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Post by coppice on Oct 4, 2014 16:51:24 GMT -5
Well I think I got a deal, but y'all need to let me know. If you can low acid food, I think you'll get value out of it.
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Post by meandtk on Oct 4, 2014 18:28:19 GMT -5
Yes, I think you got a great deal!
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