Flat bottomed canner

[DawnT]

Having a new ceramic topped range, I now find I need a flat bottomed canner. I tried using my old Ball canner, only to have 1-3 jars not seal. I have looked on line, but have only seen " steam" canners with the flat bottoms. Has anyone else used them? I am used to the hot water bath type of canning, have never tried the pressure cooker/canners. HELP!!!

[B'sgirl]

I think you can use most pressure canners to can using hot water bath style as well. Mine does anyway. I have a Presto 23 qt. canner. It was more expensive on Amazon, $108, I think. But it has a flat bottom, I used it on my flat top stove both this year and last and it has worked very well. I had two jars of tomatoes not seal, but it was because I let the pressure drop too much when I was using the pressure option. I canned 30 pints of salsa using the hot water bath method and all 30 of them sealed.

[DawnT]

Thanks B'sgirl, I'll check that out. I have a lot of tomatoes that I would like to put up as DH can't eat them right now but who knows how soon he'll get his kidney!?! Dawn :>)

[Michael in FtW]

If, after loading your jars into your canner and bringing it up to a boil, it maintained a boil for the entire required processing time - the canner is not the reason your jars did not seal.

Boiling water canners do not have a flat bottom for a couple of reasons - the bends in the bottom add strength without having to use a thicker metal (which would make the pot heavier and more expensive), and it prevents the bottom from warping.

There are two reasons for not using a boiling-water canner on a flat-top glass/ceramic cooktop. One is how heat is transferred from the heating element to the pot. Without a flat bottom in contact with the surface of the cooktop there can be problems with the heating element ... uneven heating which can lead to heating element failure or developing hot-spots.

The other reason (which in some cases is the main reason) is weight - a 21-qt boiling-water canner weighs about 7-lbs empty, water weighs 8-lbs per gallon, then you add the weight of the canning jars, the food in the jars ... a fully loaded water canner can easily weigh 45-lbs. An empty pressure canner weighs about twice as much as an empty water canner.

Yes, you can use a pressure canner for boiling-water canning - you just leave the lid off.

IMHO: I would start by reading the information that came with your stovetop and see if it mentions anything about canning, or call the customer service line for the manufacturer of your stovetop and see what they have to say. They are constantly being improved - the old ones all said not to try canning on them ... the new ones might be different.

[DawnT]

The info that came with the range did say to use a flat bottomed canner. I am having a very difficult time finding one!! My DH bought me an alum. 30 qt. stockpot w/lid that the rack from my old ball canner fits into nicely, though. :>) The only problem with this is it takes forever to come to a boil!!!

[B'sgirl]

Oh yes, mine does take a long time to boil as well. But on my cheap flat top (came with the house, can't afford a new one) a small can of water also takes forever to boil.

[Michael in FtW]

It takes a long time on gas or electric, too!

[DawnT]

Guess I'll just start the pot 3 hours before anything else, LOL!!!