Looking for a canner that can be used on your glass or ceramic
stovetop or cooker? Read below to find out why you can't find one, and
what the alternatives are! Scroll down this page for more information,
and with NO obligation to buy, just click on
the links in the Amazon boxes on the left!
Canners for Glass and Ceramic Stoves
If you have a glass or ceramic stovetop, you may have heard that you
should use a flat-bottomed canner, but you have been unable to find one!
Here is the answer: One of my suppliers asked a stove manufacturer as to why
they were unable to find one. The stove manufacturer told they that on a
glass/ceramic stove there is a sensor so that the heat can not go above a
certain point thus breaking the top.
This sensor does not allow the burner to maintain an even temperature
high enough for a canner to work safely. By fluctuating the temperature the
bacteria is not eliminated in the canning process. Unfortunately this is not
something the salesmen will tell the customer when they are buying the stove
and probably many of them are unaware of this.
A flat-bottomed canner
alone would not solve this problem. The heat will still fluctuate and it
won't get hot enough to get the big canner full of water to a full boil.
So, what can you do? Here
is a simple solution: buy a simple and inexpensive single electric burner
(shown below) and you can use ANY canner with it. Plus, it may come in
handy when you have a lot of cooking to do and need and extra burner!
How to choose electric burners
I look for a robust design and the highest wattage I can find. a
single 1000 watt burner doesn't do it. A canner holds around 16 quarts of
water, so it takes a lot of heat to get that boiling. I've found that
one 1300 watt burner will get the average canner boiling, but it takes a
while. So... to speed it up, I got a second burner, put it on the
counter, right next to the first and put the canner on top, straddling
both burns - and THAT worked like a charm! But if you are starting
with no burners, here's a summary of what
definitely works, in my order of preference:
The Coleman camping stove (Coleman 2 Burner Propane Grill /Stove)
is perfect! It can heat a canner in no time, and folds up neatly for
storage. The canner fits easily on the grill portion. This is, in my
opinion, the BEST solution.
The outdoor gas cooker - great in nice weather, or in open, but
roofed area, like screen porch, open garage, etc.!
One 1300 watt burner - if you want to stay indoors - this one has
the oomph!
A gas camping burner with a low, stable profile can be a great spare
high-power burner. But if you do a lot of canning, the outdoor cooker
would be cheaper to operate.
One double burner unit. Lots of power, but it can be tricky to get
some canners (the tall narrow ones) to balance and be stable on them)
Two 1000 watt or greater burners, side by side - since you can move
them around it is both a plus and a negative - you can position them to
be stable, but perhaps not a close together as the double unit.
To find out more about a stove (with no obligation to buy), just click on
any of the links in the Amazon picture boxes below:
Coleman 2 Burner Propane Grill Stove
Product Description
Fully adjustable cooking power up to 10,000 BTUs per burner. Large control
knobs positioned in front for easy access. PerfectFlow(TM) ensures
consistent fuel output, regardless of weather, altitude or fuel level.
Durable enamel-painted steel case and aluminized cooking surface for easy
cleaning. Heavy-duty removable chrome cooking grate and non-stick
cast-aluminum grill grate. Folding WindBlock(TM) system doubles as
convenient side shelves. Burn time: 4.5 hours on one 16.4-ounce propane
cylinders (sold separately) - (Note: these are the green 10 inch tall
cylinders so commonly sold, shown attached in the photo of the blue unit). Coleman lifetime limited warranty.
Blake: I have an earlier version of this, and as you can see from the
two photos at left. It easily accommodates a large water bath canner
OR a pressure canner.
I use it for canning, camping, and when the power goes out!
Bayou Classic Single Gas Burner
13 in. Tall Heavy Duty Steel Frame
Large 16 in. x 16 in. Cooking Surface
Accommodates any size Stockpot
UL Listed 29 in. Hose, Regulator, Valve Assembly
10 PSI Regulator
For outdoor use!
This one has an additional use: I put a standard Weber charcoal
smoker on top of it (omitting the smoker's base) and use it as a
gas-fired smoker - makes smoking and BBQ EASY! ANd of course, you
can put a large pot on it and use it as a canner, turkey fryer,
outdoor stew pot, crawfish boil, etc.
Hooks up to any standard propane tank.
Waring Pro Burner
Features:
1300-watt portable single burner provides extra heating options
(part of their ad says "900 watts", but that is an error - it's
1300!)
Durable cast-iron plate heats up quickly and ensures stable heat
retention
Adjustable thermostat; "on" and "ready" indicator lights
Measures 10-3/4 by 11-1/2 by 4 inches; 1-year limited warranty
Everyone knows Waring's quality
Portable Butane Gas Range Stove
Features:
Includes Carrying Case. Gas Lock Safety Features. Portable Stove Great
For the Outdoors. Dimension Size: 13-1/2" x 11" x 3-1/2". Uses Butane Gas
Canister Found Readily In Your Local Sporting Good Store.
Waring Pro Double Burner
I haven't tried this one, but it looks like the single unit above,
plus a smaller 500 watt burner close by it. They look closer together
than the Rival double unit below.
Features:
1800-watt portable double burner with large and small heating
plates
Durable cast-iron plates heat up quickly and ensure stable heat
retention
Individual adjustable thermostats; separate "on" and "ready"
indicator lights
Measures 19-1/2 by 11-1/2 by 4 inches; 1-year limited warranty
Rival BD222 Double Burner Hot Plate
Features:
Independent controls for each burner
Heat resistant handles
Heating elements tilt for easy cleaning
Skid resistant feet
The units have a bit of space between them, so your canner will
probably be halfway on each - which will still get plenty of heat, but
you might need to brace it with another pot, brick, etc.
Toastmaster 6431 Eclipse Single Burner
Features:
Measures 10-1/2 inches wide and 10 inches deep
Compact design perfect for buffet, dining table,
office, workshop
Easy-cleaning sealed, solid heating disk 7-1/2 inches
in diameter
1000 watts, 6-setting thermostat
Durable metal housing
Proctor-Silex Fifth Burner
Features:
Limited one-year warranty
9-inch-diameter hot plate fits in small kitchen spaces
Spiral heating element; chrome ring and drip pan
Adjustable temperature control with three settings
Heating element tilts for easy cleaning
BroilKing PR-S1 Professional Single Burner Range
Features:
11-1/2 by 3-1/2 by 11-1/2 inches
1100-watt single burner range
Infinite heat adjustment with dial control
High-speed tubular element with a 5-1/2-inch diameter
UL-listed with a two-year warranty
Books
Canning books
Canning & Preserving for Dummies
by Karen Ward
Average Customer Review:
Usually ships in 24 hours
Price:
$11.89
You Save:
$5.10(30%)
The Ball Blue Book of Preserving
This is THE book on canning! My grandmother used this book when I
was a child. It tells you in simple instructions how to can almost
anything; complete with recipes for jam, jellies, pickles, sauces, canning
vegetables, meats, etc. If it can be canned, this book likely tells
you how! Click on the link below for more information and / or to buy (no
obligation to buy)
Price $8.95
Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving
by United States Dept. of Agriculture
Practical, easy-to-follow guide contains
virtually everything consumers need to know about home canning:
how to select, prepare, and can fruits, vegetables, poultry, red
meats and seafoods; how to preserve fruit spreads, fermented
foods and pickled vegetables; how to prepare foods for special
diets, and much more. Also includes scores of simply written
recipes that even beginners can handle (smoked fish,
turkey-tamale pie, chicken croquettes, more. It's the second
book to get, after the Ball Guide.
Click on the link below for more information and / or to
buy (no obligation to buy)
Remember to ALWAYS call the farm or orchard BEFORE you go -
weather, heavy picking and business conditions can always affect their hours and
crops!
