pressure canner vs. pressure cooker

jenn3514 · 02-27-2011, 09:46 AM

Can you use a pressure cooker to safely can things? Or does it have to be a canner- or are they basically the same thing? TIA!

RiverRock · 02-27-2011, 10:03 AM

A pressure cooker is most often about the size of a small stock pot, a pressure canner is made to fit jars inside and the most common sizes fit either one layer of quarts, or two layers of pints. I think they are the same except for size so you can use a pressure canner to pressure cook larger volumes of food. I've only used my pressure canner to can, but I think I read in the booklet that it can also be used to cook.

I think you could use a cooker to can if you have the proper weights (different foods can at different weights of pressure), there is a metal disc on the bottom of the pot to help diffuse the heat, and the jars fit snug enough that they don't rock around and break while in the canning process.

ThreeKids · 02-27-2011, 10:37 AM

If you know the pressure is high enough, I don't see why not. But knowing for sure is a matter of precision and I'm not sure the valve on a cooker is cut out for that job.

It's common to take your pressure canner to the county extention office to make sure it will get the pressure you need. I don't know if they would do the test for a cooker.

Also, it wouldn't be a very efficient process if the pressure cooker leaves a lot of free space.

Having said all that, when I buy a pressure cooker, one of my requirements will be space for at least one canning jar.

Forsynthianicki · 02-28-2011, 10:59 AM

There can be a difference. Some models are sold as canner/cookers and some are sold as cookers only. To safely can, the canner must consistently maintain fifteen lbs of pressure. Some pressure cookers only go as high as thirteen. Pressure canners vs cookers, also have a rack on the bottom to keep canning jars off of the bottom of the canner. My small pressure cooker was also sold as a canner, it holds three pint jars at a time and has a variable guage that adjusts between 5 and 15 lbs. My larger cooker was not designed for canning and doesn't get up to 15 lbs or pressure. I think on low it is 7 lbs and on high 11 or 13 lbs.

jenn3514 · 03-01-2011, 06:56 AM

Thanks for your replies! I was talking to someone who has been canning for awhile (50+ years). She said that the correct answer is that if you are using it to can low-acid food, you should have a gauge on top. Her answer is that people have been doing this for years without gauges or all of the regulations we have now and survived

ETA_ we share our food, so for safety we will just go with the canner.

02-27-2011, 09:46 AM	#1
jenn3514 Rose Garden Be assured, God is in the details. Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 4,847	pressure canner vs. pressure cooker Can you use a pressure cooker to safely can things? Or does it have to be a canner- or are they basically the same thing? TIA! __________________ married to my best friend; Lovin' my kiddos 18yo dd; , 9yodd; , 7yo ds; ,; 4yo dd; and three angel babies

02-27-2011, 10:03 AM	#2
RiverRock Moderator Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms. Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: In green pastures Posts: 9,776	Re: pressure canner vs. pressure cooker A pressure cooker is most often about the size of a small stock pot, a pressure canner is made to fit jars inside and the most common sizes fit either one layer of quarts, or two layers of pints. I think they are the same except for size so you can use a pressure canner to pressure cook larger volumes of food. I've only used my pressure canner to can, but I think I read in the booklet that it can also be used to cook. I think you could use a cooker to can if you have the proper weights (different foods can at different weights of pressure), there is a metal disc on the bottom of the pot to help diffuse the heat, and the jars fit snug enough that they don't rock around and break while in the canning process. __________________ RiverRock, mom to a 24 year old diamond, 22 year old granite, 19 year old pearl, and 16 year old tiger eye. Married for 25 years to a rugged boulder and resting together on the one true Rock. Last edited by RiverRock; 02-27-2011 at 10:10 AM.

02-27-2011, 10:37 AM	#3
ThreeKids Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: .. Posts: 10,737	Re: pressure canner vs. pressure cooker If you know the pressure is high enough, I don't see why not. But knowing for sure is a matter of precision and I'm not sure the valve on a cooker is cut out for that job. It's common to take your pressure canner to the county extention office to make sure it will get the pressure you need. I don't know if they would do the test for a cooker. Also, it wouldn't be a very efficient process if the pressure cooker leaves a lot of free space. Having said all that, when I buy a pressure cooker, one of my requirements will be space for at least one canning jar. __________________ DS (12), DD (10), DD2 (7) And my kids were going to behave perfectly all the time and if they didn't, they'd be Dobsoned, but I was going to Dobson so perfectly that they'd know not to slip up but once or twice because I was going to be sooooooo consistent and awesome and wise.

02-28-2011, 10:59 AM	#4
Forsynthianicki Climbing Rose Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,252	Re: pressure canner vs. pressure cooker There can be a difference. Some models are sold as canner/cookers and some are sold as cookers only. To safely can, the canner must consistently maintain fifteen lbs of pressure. Some pressure cookers only go as high as thirteen. Pressure canners vs cookers, also have a rack on the bottom to keep canning jars off of the bottom of the canner. My small pressure cooker was also sold as a canner, it holds three pint jars at a time and has a variable guage that adjusts between 5 and 15 lbs. My larger cooker was not designed for canning and doesn't get up to 15 lbs or pressure. I think on low it is 7 lbs and on high 11 or 13 lbs. __________________ ____________ Forsynthianicki Married to my "hunk o' burnin love" for 13+ years Mom to: J Bug dd, born at 21 weeks (2003) from our arms to God's J Bean ds, "boundless energy" (2006)

03-01-2011, 06:56 AM	#5
jenn3514 Rose Garden Be assured, God is in the details. Join Date: May 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 4,847	Re: pressure canner vs. pressure cooker Thanks for your replies! I was talking to someone who has been canning for awhile (50+ years). She said that the correct answer is that if you are using it to can low-acid food, you should have a gauge on top. Her answer is that people have been doing this for years without gauges or all of the regulations we have now and survived ETA_ we share our food, so for safety we will just go with the canner. __________________ married to my best friend; Lovin' my kiddos 18yo dd; , 9yodd; , 7yo ds; ,; 4yo dd; and three angel babies

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

X vBulletin 3.8.3 Debug Information
Page Generation 0.06098 seconds Memory Usage 7,672KB Queries Executed 14 (?)
More Information
Template Usage: (1)SHOWTHREAD (1)ad_footer_end (1)ad_footer_start (1)ad_header_end (1)ad_header_logo (1)ad_navbar_below (1)ad_showthread_beforeqr (1)ad_showthread_firstpost (1)ad_showthread_firstpost_sig (1)ad_showthread_firstpost_start (1)cyb_flashimagebanners (1)footer (1)forumjump (1)forumrules (1)gobutton (1)header (1)headinclude (1)navbar (4)navbar_link (60)option (5)post_groan_box (1)post_groan_javascript (1)post_groan_navbar_search (5)post_thanks_box (3)post_thanks_box_bit (1)post_thanks_javascript (1)post_thanks_navbar_search (3)post_thanks_postbit_legacy (5)postbit_legacy (5)postbit_onlinestatus (30)postbit_reputation (5)postbit_wrapper (4)showthread_bookmarksite (1)smqre_editor_button (1)spacer_close (1)spacer_open (1)tagbit_wrapper Phrase Groups Available: global inlinemod postbit posting reputationlevel showthread	Included Files: ./showthread.php ./global.php ./includes/init.php ./includes/class_core.php ./includes/config.php ./includes/functions.php ./includes/class_hook.php ./includes/functions_notice.php ./mobiquo/smartbanner.php ./mobiquo/include/classTTConnection.php ./mobiquo/smartbanner/head.inc.php ./includes/functions_bigthree.php ./includes/class_postbit.php ./includes/class_bbcode.php ./includes/functions_reputation.php ./includes/adminfunctions_template.php ./includes/functions_misc.php ./includes/functions_post_thanks.php ./includes/functions_post_groan.php Hooks Called: init_startup cache_permissions fetch_threadinfo_query fetch_threadinfo fetch_foruminfo style_fetch cache_templates global_start parse_templates fetch_musername notices_check_start global_setup_complete showthread_start template_groups template_safe_functions template_compile showthread_getinfo forumjump showthread_post_start showthread_query_postids showthread_query bbcode_fetch_tags bbcode_create showthread_postbit_create postbit_factory postbit_display_start post_thanks_function_post_thanks_off_start post_thanks_function_post_thanks_off_end post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_start post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_end post_thanks_function_thanked_already_start post_thanks_function_thanked_already_end post_groan_function_post_groan_off_start post_groan_function_post_groan_off_end post_groan_function_fetch_groans_start post_groan_function_fetch_groans_end post_groan_function_groaned_already_start post_groan_function_groaned_already_end reputation_image bbcode_parse_start postbit_imicons bbcode_parse_complete_precache bbcode_parse_complete postbit_display_complete error_fetch post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_bit_start post_thanks_function_show_thanks_date_start post_thanks_function_fetch_thanks_bit_end post_thanks_function_fetch_post_thanks_template_start post_thanks_function_fetch_post_thanks_template_end tag_fetchbit_complete forumrules showthread_bookmarkbit navbits navbits_complete showthread_complete
Messages: