Does/Has anyone used a pressure canner?

[nomad100]

After hot water bath canning for several years, I bought myself a pressure canner so I can can various stocks since I don't have room in the freezer. 

Now that I have it, I have to admit I am a bit scared to use it.

Does anyone have a pressure canner?  How do you get over the niggling fear that you will somehow blow up your kitchen? 

They also suggest bringing the gauge to the local extension office to be tested but mine doesn't do that and is only open during the day when I am working so even if they did testing...I can't take advantage of the service.  Can I use the canner without it being tested?  (or will I blow up the kitchen or give us all botulism?)

I am probably over thinking this but my MIL was over last weekend and when I told her I got a pressure canner she needed to regale my with stories of how various relatives over the years had almost gotten hurt using a pressure canner. 

[tacokick]

I do. The ones they sell now are quite safe. I didn't test it or anything and it was fine,

[tacokick]

Oh, I just can stocks too. It works great, no one has died yet.

[nomad100]

tacokick Good to know on both counts.

I have 3 chicken carcasses, several ham bones and a bunch of beef soup bones that I want to turn into stock.

I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and try it out.

[katb]

I do, but it is an older model. It uses weights on the top. I canned but I wanted to make stock and soups, so a neighbor had an aunt who passed this along.

I was nervous but after the first few times, I was over it. I think if you have a newer one, they are even safer now than 25 years ago.

[tacokick]

Aug 19, 2013 14:11:29 GMT -5 nomad100 said:

tacokick Good to know on both counts.

I have 3 chicken carcasses, several ham bones and a bunch of beef soup bones that I want to turn into stock.

I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and try it out.

The worst thing that can happen is they don't seal.

[candreco]

I have one too, and have only used it a couple of times since I got it due to moving, pregnancy, new baby, etc. It scares the crap out of me too, I hide in the next room while it's boiling away in the kitchen.

[new2this]

I can! I love it. It's not as hard as you might think. I have one with weights too (versus a dial) but that's because I'm cheap. Just don't use it if you have a glass cook top! Apparently canning on a glass cooktop doesn't get the heat right and can break the cooktop. Other than that I've never heard of anything blowing up and as long as you can read a recipe you should be fine in terms of not getting botulism.

[nomad100]

candreco I am glad I am not the only one that is a bit afraid of what might happen.  I have thought about hanging out in the family room (which is next to the kitchen) while the jars are processing.

new2this We have a gas cooktop so no worries on that front. Glad to know that you haven't heard of anyone/anything blowing up.

[ooglie26]

Thanks for the info in this thread. I've wanted to try canning with a pressure cooker, but was scared due to the "horror" stories.

One more question, can you pressure can on an electric stove top? My mom and grandmother used to can with a pressure cooker on a gas stove top, and said the electric burners don't get hot enough?

[who22]

I can on an electric cooktop. You need to use an electric cooktop with coils instead of the glass tops. Its a little tricky to get the pressure to stay where I want it (my canner is old and uses weights). I usually have to play with the temp up and down to keep the pressure at the right spot because electric cooktops send energy in waves while gas has constant heat. Otherwise everything is the same.

[ooglie26]

Aug 20, 2013 9:18:29 GMT -5 who22 said:

I can on an electric cooktop. You need to use an electric cooktop with coils instead of the glass tops. Its a little tricky to get the pressure to stay where I want it (my canner is old and uses weights). I usually have to play with the temp up and down to keep the pressure at the right spot because electric cooktops send energy in waves while gas has constant heat. Otherwise everything is the same.

Thanks!