Pressure Canner or Water Bath?

[AARTY]

Hello, I am new to canning, used to watch mom can but that was ages ago, I did can some Pepper jam last fall and attempted to do salsa but found out the hard way that salsa should have been pressure canned. Anyway, my question is can I just get a pressure canner and use it for both pressure and water bath or do I need both? We travel from assignment to assignment across the U.S. and space is at a premium even though we just bought a 14' trailer.

Thanks, Corey

[creekside-angie]

Corey,
I sometimes use my pressure canner as a boil bath. As long as you can cover the jars with at least an inch of water over the lids and leave the pressure weight OFF (so steam can escape) .You would not want it to build up pressure at all.I usually leave my lid loose as well.I would recommend that you have a rack inside instead of one of those bottom plates w/the holes in it,I think the boil goes a little better around the jars that way.
:)Angie

[Pigzzilla]

I used my 22 qt pressure canner as a water bath canner for years. Living in a small space, getting something that can serve many purposes really helps. Have you thought about using the canner as a big stew pot, bean pot, general pressure cooker use for big batch cooking? There are many options.

[AARTY]

Thanks for the replies, I think I have decided to get a pressure canner, I talked to my mom and she said to get one. Do you have any ideas on which one to get? I haven't even started looking yet. Another reason I am looking at getting a pressure canner is that is definitely one way to make large batches of soups and stews! That way I wouldn't have to get a huge stock pot, also, chili,stew or sauces are almost always better tasting after they have set for a day or two.

[docjered]

If you can find one you can afford, All American (try the 941) is the only way to fly!. Well built, lifetime unit... all the parts are also replaceable and easy to find!!

[creekside-angie]

I like the Presto canners,Mostly because their easy to find @ yard sales in my area.I have four of them.My first one traveled outside in the winter,via teen-age son(to lazy to get all the way to barn), and ended up warped by time I found it, now a water bath canner!The other three I picked up for 2.00$ to 20.00$The 2.00 one needs a new seal.The other two work great.Plus I have my grandmoms presto canner that she bought used forever agoe and has only needed to replace the seal once.Watch the yard and estate sales, expecially out in the country.Alot of the younger generation,sadly, have no use for grandmoms stuff.I can still get seals and such from my local True Value Hardware.Also if you do get a used one make sure the pressure gage reads correctly by having it tested.

[creekside-angie]

Deberosa,
When I find one the first thing I look for is to make sure the bottom is not had some liquid freeze in it,making it warped and not sit level on the stove.Then I check out the seal, if its gummy or badly cracked it will need to be replaced.If its just dried out you can some times save them by a good soaking in hot water, my grandmom will rub cooking oil on hers to keep it pliable.If its the type w/a dial gauge and a weight you will want to make sure they are both w/the cooker.Also make sure the lid fits!I have 2 yellow ones that are similar but not inter-changeable.They should also have a rubber safety plug on the lid.It should be loose but not fall out.It will pop up when you build pressure,if you go beyond a safe pressure,it will pop out.The gauges, seal,weight and plug can all be replaced if its a presto.I have never used an American, or the type w/a weighted gauge so I don't know a whole lot about those. Usually the seals are the thing that needs replacing and they run between 9.and 15.00.I have seen them @ the wal-mart, but I know you can get them @ hardware stores and thru the presto company.The one I like the most is my tall yellow one,kinda '70s looking but works great.The first one I bought at a sale was almost brand new.The lady said she only canned one batch of beans in it.She had gotten it brand new.It is thinner than the older ones and I don't like it as well.
I would go back to where the sale was and see if she still has them,chances are pretty good she may and maybe give you a good deal just to get rid of them! Or maybe you could trade a rooster!! ;D

[docjered]

PLEASE, PLEASE, please, please, please, please, PLEASE.....

If you want to dabble with canning, at all, buy the Ball Blue Book! It is $6.95 at most large grocery stores, and it should be your first purchase, even before buying a canning jar!!!!!!!

I have canned since before it experienced the renaissance and became popular again, and even though I have canned something or the other maybe a hundred times, I never can without the book open to the right page... I wouldnt risk it, and memory is a funny thing!

Jered

[davefa]

my parents who have been canning since I was way little back in the 60 or longer then that and always used a good ol pressure cooker and had one explode on them which they especially the older ones were prone to do. Well they are hooked on qvc now and they got a new none explodable pressure canner. at the end all you do is let the stem out and lift the lid you here a pop but nothing else. they say it has the same pressure has a bottle of pop but it cans really good last year they decide to go back into canning when they got this one . last I heard they were caning home made apple cider. They have another pressure canner that you couldn't use for canning because the capacity is to small but for food it is great it is electronic where you plug it into the wall then it has a small computer to monitor it and they say there is no way the thing can explode and say they will pay for any damage if it does but they have cooked numerous things in it. I think me and my wife my have dad and mom teach us on canning we just moved out of an apartment and into a trailer we bought we are thinking of asking the owner of the lot if we can put in a small garden

[MadTripper]

Don't forget you can use them for making beer too!!!

[Penny_Plinker]

I do lots of things in pressure canner even though it calls for a water bath simply because it is easier than filling the water bath canne. With some fruit or pickled products, or high acid i just bring it up to 10 lbs then turn it off.

Penny

[bookwormom]

what is qvc? thanks angie, good point to check out the yard sales. Will do that, maybe my ship comes in. my made in China Presto is a piece of junk. I wondered what that round piece of glass was on the floor. then I saw it was missing from the pressure gauge.

[davefa]

qvc it is a TV you can get on direct TV usually cable and other places it is one of the only home shopping channels we will watch because they do have good quality stuff for sale.. For our wedding present my mom who is a total qvc fan bought us top quality pans they are so top quality they have the testing label on the bottom that restrontes are supposed to have to use the cool thing is they are none stick that you can use metal utensils in. you can clean the with nothing more then a damp dish towel soory for typos i have a brain injury from geting hurt at work