Pressure cooker rec?

[Mass-diver]

My father is getting into canning. I picked him the Ball book for his birthday and I'm planning on getting him a pressure cooker. I've read some good old threads on here - but I'm wondering if someone could recommended a decent pressure cooker for small scale canning? Are the crate and barrel ones any good or are they way too small? I'm looking to spend around $150-200

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen-and-food/specialty-cookware/fagor-duo-pressure-cooker/s520155

 

[Coyote Gray]

My father is getting into canning. I picked him the Ball book for his birthday and I'm planning on getting him a pressure cooker. I've read some good old threads on here - but I'm wondering if someone could recommended a decent pressure cooker for small scale canning? Are the crate and barrel ones any good or are they way too small? I'm looking to spend around $150-200

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen-and-food/specialty-cookware/fagor-duo-pressure-cooker/s520155

Thats a relatively pricey option for a pressure cooker with out a guage and thats only 6quarts. $150 to $200 will buy you a REAL nice pressure cooker that is much larger. Personally, Crate & Barrel is a pricey option for ANYTHING you want to buy. Shop Amazon and read the reviews. That same pressure cooker is almost half the price there.

 

[Mass-diver]

Thanks, what's a good size?

 

[Mass-diver]

I think I'm going to get this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-23-Qua...YCFU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1332949801&sr=8-4

 

[Hiltonizer]

Spend the money on an All-American canner. You'll only have to do it once. You can get a 21qt for under a deuce at Amazon but that might be overkill... I have a 15qt and its plenty of canner for us.

The presto is the walmart special you'll wish you didn't buy down the road.

 

[Mass-diver]

Those all american ones look awesome

 

[richc]

I bought this one:

http://www.amazon.com/All-American-...S88Z/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1332951934&sr=8-5

It is overkill for most of my needs but is built like a tank. My wife was concerned about blowing up the kitchen until she saw this one. She had a relative who had an older one explode in the basement like a grenade at one time. Had to convince her that the state of the art has changed in manufacturing and materials science since that happened. And when she saw this she felt very comfortable with the multiple safeties involved.

 

[MisterHappy]

I'm not MisterCanner, but I do do some.

What's the point of a pressure cooker, as opposed to using a big ol'pot of water for processing? If the goal is to sterilize the product, what's the advantage?

 

[JCat]

I'm not MisterCanner, but I do do some.

What's the point of a pressure cooker, as opposed to using a big ol'pot of water for processing? If the goal is to sterilize the product, what's the advantage?

A pressure cooker can create pressures the same way a proper canner is able to. However, it lacks some key features like a pressure gauge. My understanding is one can be used in a pinch, but that a true canner is ideal.

 

[Hiltonizer]

I'm not MisterCanner, but I do do some.

What's the point of a pressure cooker, as opposed to using a big ol'pot of water for processing? If the goal is to sterilize the product, what's the advantage?

Water evaporates at 212 degrees, which is not hot enough to kill some certian bacteria completely. Water under pressure has a higher boiling point which allows allows it to achieve the temperatures necessary to kill the bacteria in the food. This is necessary with items that have too low of an acidity level to kill that particular bacteria alone (Botulinum)

A pressure cooker can create pressures the same way a proper canner is able to. However, it lacks some key features like a pressure gauge. My understanding is one can be used in a pinch, but that a true canner is ideal.

A pressure canner is a pressure cooker, a pressure cooker is not necessarily a pressure canner. Pressures and stability of those pressures need to meet a certian standard, plus the safety factor. Never use a pressure cooker as a canner.

 

[Gath3r]

I wouldn't count out the Presto 16Q or 23Q form Walmart so quickly.
Do some research. Save yourself some money NOT getting one of the pricey ones.

16Qt = $63.00

For what its worth, I don't typically go for the lower priced item. But I would in this case.

 

[MisterHappy]

Water evaporates at 212 degrees, which is not hot enough to kill some certian bacteria completely. Water under pressure has a higher boiling point which allows allows it to achieve the temperatures necessary to kill the bacteria in the food. This is necessary with items that have too low of an acidity level to kill that particular bacteria alone (Botulinum)



.

Gotcha.

Wikipedia says that commercial foods get 250 F for 3 min. as a "botulism cook"

Looks like to get there you need about 14 PSI (1 atmosphere) inside the boiling kettle.

'preciate the info

 

[coastie]

I have several and they are all different. Dont count out the Prestos or Mirros. Everyone loves the AA and I have one but I also have a couple of Mirros and a Presto. I am still using the original gasket in all 3 and these gaskets are from the 70s. I would start with the less expensive one and then if he really gets into canning you can upgrade and use the cheaper one as a spare. Spend the extra money on jars and lids.

I got all of mine used so you might want to hunt around to save even more money. Ask at work, friends, relatives, neighbors etc. I was given an old Presto canner that I saw on a friends mothers shelf in the basement. I put a sign up at work and just got 6 dozen jars and a bunch of rings and lids for $25.

 

[FrugalFannie]

http://www.allamericancanner.com/allamericanpressurecanner.htm

I recently bought an All American 23 Qt. I just started canning and every jar has sealed! I have hot packed and raw packed chicken. Raw pack is definitely better. I will be doing chii next! Yum!

 

[dcmdon]

One other thought about pressure cookers. You will use much less fuel in a SHTF situation cooking in a pressure cooker than you will in a regular open air pot.

I've got just a $40 presto for making soup and I love it.

 

[NHAtHeart]

I think I'm going to get this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-23-Qua...YCFU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1332949801&sr=8-4

I've heard the gauge ones aren't that great, we have a 23(?) qt Mirro with 5/10/15 lb weights that works awesome, been using it for canning for 3 years and it's as good as when we bought it.

 

[green_metalflake]

What's the point of a pressure cooker, as opposed to using a big ol'pot of water for processing? If the goal is to sterilize the product, what's the advantage?

This is how I understand it as it has been explained to me. If any of this is wrong I will appreciate being set straight on the facts. Hot water immersion canning is only suitable for jams, jellies, most fruits, and some vegetables. You cannot do meat, stews, and some fruits & vegetables. My mother hot water canned and it seemed easy. We had fresh jam all the time growing up. She did it more as recreation than anything else. Further, the high sugar or acid content of most fruit is a natural antibacterial. It is tough to fail at making jams & jellies in other words. OTOH, if you look back at old canning pictures taken on farms and rural areas you will likely see a pressure-canner in the background. When basic sustenance foods were put away for the long uncertain winter, they were pressure-canned.

Mirro & Presto weighted pressure-cookers are fine to use. The older ones are more heavy-duty than the newer ones and new seals are available from many of the canning supply houses for yard sale finds. One downside on pressure-cookers vs. pressure-canners is their physical size, 5-6 quart jars are about all you can fit. For small batches great but if you have a large patch it would be a real pain. As far as not having a gauge, the Mirro pressure weights are marked for their rating, 5, 10, & 15 pounds. For sea-level use the weight is fine. It's in high-altitude where it becomes a PIA and the adjustable nature of the gauged pressure-canners is more useful. The thing that bothers me the most about the gauges is that it is recommended that you have them checked every year for accuracy as high or low readings throw all the chemistry of pressure canning off.

http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/edComm/pdf/PNW/PNW0421.pdf

 

[glockasp]

I wouldn't count out the Presto 16Q or 23Q form Walmart so quickly.
Do some research. Save yourself some money NOT getting one of the pricey ones.

16Qt = $63.00

For what its worth, I don't typically go for the lower priced item. But I would in this case.

I have to agree, if your just starting the one from wally world is just fine, and as you get more in to it you can spend the big bucks on the bigger AA ones.

I have older Presto and Murro ones and they are awesome. The AA ones are built like tanks and heavy as hell.

 

[coastie]

I've heard the gauge ones aren't that great, we have a 23(?) qt Mirro with 5/10/15 lb weights that works awesome, been using it for canning for 3 years and it's as good as when we bought it.

The issue with the gauges is that they need to be recalibrated annually. University extensions used to do it but now fewer are and they have to be sent off. I have converted an old Presto and an old AA to weighted gauge.

 

[kman]

Water evaporates at 212 degrees, which is not hot enough to kill some certian bacteria completely. Water under pressure has a higher boiling point which allows allows it to achieve the temperatures necessary to kill the bacteria in the food. This is necessary with items that have too low of an acidity level to kill that particular bacteria alone (Botulinum)



A pressure canner is a pressure cooker, a pressure cooker is not necessarily a pressure canner. Pressures and stability of those pressures need to meet a certian standard, plus the safety factor. Never use a pressure cooker as a canner.

I've read that if you use the big pop of water, you should use the can within a year. Does the pressure cooker make it so you go for longer periods of time? If so, how long? Thanks!

 

[inerlogic]

I started out with a big pot of boiling water.... Moved on to a Presto pressure canner, Prestos have rubber seals that'll need replacing.... It's a great starter canner....

I replaced the seal and pressure plug and passed it along to a friend and i bought an All American.... The thing is built like a tank.... No seal to wear out or fail....

Spendy but worth the $$, it's an investment.....

Sent from a tiny touch screen keyboard...

 

[Hiltonizer]

I've read that if you use the big pop of water, you should use the can within a year. Does the pressure cooker make it so you go for longer periods of time? If so, how long? Thanks!

In theory, if items are properly stored, they should be safe perpetually. Fats will obviously get rancid over time, but if approved recipes are used items should still be safe. The purpose of canning is to hold over what you produce from one season to the next or through a lean year. It's how you get through the non-harvest times classically. I personally would make a point to rotate things out in 2 years.

Exceptions though, things like jams which are only done in water bath are also 50% sugar, I wouldn't think twice about having one 3, 4 or 5 years old. My wifes cranberry sauce is actually better with a little age.
Pressure canned items containing meat will have the fat go rancid, I'd keep those to less than 18 months just from a taste standpoint if feasible.

 

[inerlogic]

I've read that if you use the big pop of water, you should use the can within a year. Does the pressure cooker make it so you go for longer periods of time? If so, how long? Thanks!

The one year limit is more for the "quality" of the packed food, flavor, vitamins.... Stuff like that tends to go down hill after a year....

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[coastie]

I've read that if you use the big pop of water, you should use the can within a year. Does the pressure cooker make it so you go for longer periods of time? If so, how long? Thanks!

We routinely eat jams and pickles that were waterbathed 2 yrs ago. Had a bumper crop and canned a lot. Regardless of the length of time you want to store it, the food must initially be canned properly. If it is a low acid food like meat, soup, most veggies etc it must be canned in a pressure cooker. You have to get the temps high enough to kill all the baddies. It doesnt matter if you want to store it for a month or ten years.

 

[inerlogic]

You have to get the temps high enough to kill all the baddies. It doesnt matter if you want to store it for a month or ten years.

Sterile is sterile if you kill stuff and the jars seal properly so nothing can get in..... Then nothing can get in!


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[coastie]

Sterile is sterile if you kill stuff and the jars seal properly so nothing can get in..... Then nothing can get in!


Sent from a tiny touch screen keyboard...

Not everything dies at 212 in a waterbath. You need to use the pressure canner to get the temps up over 240 to kill everything in low acid food.

If people are just getting into canning please go spend the 6 bucks and pick up a Ball Blue book of canning at Walmart. Canning is very easy but it has to be done properly to be safe. Dont use a recipe from the net or can the way Grandma did it because it isnt necessarily safe.

 

[inerlogic]

Right.... 212 doesn't sterilize.... I was agreeing
With your pressure canner post.....


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[Prepper]

I currently have a 6 quart Presto which works decently enough, although a big mess happens if I fill the water anywhere near the top. If I bought one of these giant All-American canners, would they still be suitable for pressure cooker use? I hope to try canning someday, but how are these things if you just want to pressure cook for now? I could use a bigger one as I like to cook more stew in advance than I'm currently able to with a 6 quart.