Canning on a hot plate

We have a new glass-top range, and we don’t want to risk cracking it with canning. Also, it gets very hot here in the summer, and it would be nice to be able to can summer veggies outside on a hot plate. Have you ever pressure canned or hot water bathed on a portable hot plate? Is 110 enough or is a 220 required? Do you have any brand recommendations?

Dallen Timothy
Gilbert, Arizona

I have personally never canned on a portable hot plate. I’ve used portable propane countertop stove units, as offered in Northern Tool and Harbor Freight catalogs. They are inexpensive, quite heavy duty and do a good job. Do keep in mind when canning outdoors that breezes can make canners fluctuate in temperature and also crack jars when they are taken out of the canner. So do your outdoor canning out of the wind, in the shelter of a building, or even build a temporary windbreak out of plywood to protect your canning area. You might want to consider building a permanent summer kitchen for canning and other food preparation. With screened windows and a roof you can process food in comfort out of your house. (They also make a great place for a picnic or for grilling!) — Jackie

How to tell which hens are laying

We just got three hens and get one or two eggs a day. How can you tell which hens are laying the eggs? We always get one larger brown egg, one smaller brown on occasion, and one time we got a white egg. I don’t know what type of chickens they are, but one is red, one black, and one white. I’ve read your book and online info, but can’t find this info. Thanks for the help. We are sure enjoying the girl’s crazy personalities and delicious eggs.

Donna Clements
Hoquiam, Washington

The only sure way to find out which chickens are laying which eggs is to “catch” them in the nest box. To generally determine if a chicken is laying, check the vent area. If it is pale and dry the hen is not laying. If it is moist and pink, she probably is. If the width between her pelvic bones is at least two fingers wide, she probably is laying, if not, she probably is not. If her comb and wattles are red and shiny, she probably is laying; if dry and pale, she probably is not. BUT if you just got the chickens, they are under some stress from moving and that can throw them off stride in their egg laying cycle. Have patience and they should soon be up to speed. — Jackie

2 COMMENTS

  1. I am giving up my glass top range also. It’s ok and have used it to can on for 2 canning seasons in my All American canner but I don’t want to continue to do this as its so expensive to replace the top if it cracks. You can replace the stove for the cost of a new top. I have a gas stove ordered that was on sale at Best Buy. Can’t wait to get it and start using it.

  2. I have pressure canned on a hot plate. It takes almost twice as long to get the pressure up, so maybe if you are canning veggies they could be a little over cooked. I was doing ground beef, so I wasn’t too concerned. After one summer of doing that is the basement, I talked my husband into getting a new gas stove. We had one in the house before this one and that is what I did my canning on. When we moved to this house it had one of those glass top burner stoves. Hate them, love my gas, am so much happier now.

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