Stainless Pressure Cooker/Canner Recommendations

[smhg]

After seeing the post about moose meat in wine sauce, I am ready to get started on some canning!

I am looking to buy a stainless pressure and have a friend from the States bring it with them when they move back here. Right now I am using an old 7 litre one that my MIL let me borrow for the time being.

I searched the forum and saw the All American, which I have had LOTS of people recommend to me. But I really want a stainless one. I'll probably get a 10-15 Litre.

Suggestions?
Thanks!

[crashdive123]

After seeing the post about moose meat in wine sauce, I am ready to get started on some canning!

I am looking to buy a stainless pressure and have a friend from the States bring it with them when they move back here. Right now I am using an old 7 litre one that my MIL let me borrow for the time being.

I searched the forum and saw the All American, which I have had LOTS of people recommend to me. But I really want a stainless one. I'll probably get a 10-15 Litre.

Suggestions?
Thanks!

Pict had said that a lot (most?) folks in his area of Brazil use one. Maybe he can give you a local source?

[Winnie]

I think we're getting into the pressure cooker/ canner confusion again Crash. From what I remember Pict talked about a pressure cooker.

I've done some research into pressure canners and from what I've gleaned, stainless steel pressure cookers are not suitable for canning as the gauge of the metal is too thin, same with domestic pressure cookers as part of the processing is in the cooling down time. I could be wrong though, but I wouldn't want to risk it.

[crashdive123]

You are probably right. http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/consu...randcooker.pdf

[canid]

presto 18qt.

it's as big as you'll probably ever need, and can be had for around or under USD $100

All American makes some great PCs, and they are worth their price, but they are expensive.

[canid]

I think we're getting into the pressure cooker/ canner confusion again Crash. From what I remember Pict talked about a pressure cooker.

I've done some research into pressure canners and from what I've gleaned, stainless steel pressure cookers are not suitable for canning as the gauge of the metal is too thin, same with domestic pressure cookers as part of the processing is in the cooling down time. I could be wrong though, but I wouldn't want to risk it.

it's just not true.

i've processed thousands of jars with aluminum and stainless cookers. i don't know where you guys are getting this stuff.

a design spec of 10psi is 10 psi, and 15psi is 15psi, regardless of what material the device is made of, and whether food or jars are placed inside.

[smhg]

Pict had said that a lot (most?) folks in his area of Brazil use one. Maybe he can give you a local source?

Thanks Crash! Yes, everyone here uses one, but they are wayyyy more expensive here for a good one. For some that I have looked at I can get the same one in the States for half the price (after conversion) and my friends will bring it with them in ther container, so shipping is free.

[smhg]

presto 18qt.

it's as big as you'll probably ever need, and can be had for around or under USD $100

All American makes some great PCs, and they are worth their price, but they are expensive.

Canid, thanks! Do you use the Presto? Is it reliable and durable? I have looked at Presto and Fagor so far.

[crashdive123]

Canid - not having done any pressure canning - what about the info in the link I posted in post #4?

[rwc1969]

I wouldn't get one if it wasn't rated for ast least 15 psi. I thought they all were regardless of whether they were cookers or canners. I thought the only difference was the type of racks thay came with. i.e. racks for canning vs. racks, etc. for cooking.

I use mine for mushroom cultivation, but know plenty who use the all american and presto with excellent results. the real difference is that most all but the all american use a rubber type gasket for sealing which will wear out and need replacing after repeated use. The all american uses no gasket and has a mchined aluminum seal. It will last forever!

I have a vintage 1940's Old #7 pressure canner which eventually became the Presto later on. It has the rubber gasket and still works great after 60+ years. the rubber gasket has been replaced though.

[smhg]

I wouldn't get one if it wasn't rated for ast least 15 psi. I thought they all were regardless of whether they were cookers or canners. I thought the only difference was the type of racks thay came with. i.e. racks for canning vs. racks, etc. for cooking.

I use mine for mushroom cultivation, but know plenty who use the all american and presto with excellent results. the real difference is that most all but the all american use a rubber type gasket for sealing which will wear out and need replacing after repeated use. The all american uses no gasket and has a mchined aluminum seal. It will last forever!

I have a vintage 1940's Old #7 pressure canner which eventually became the Presto later on. It has the rubber gasket and still works great after 60+ years. the rubber gasket has been replaced though.

RWC, thanks! If I get one with a rubber seal I'll be sure to order a few replacements so I don't have to worry about that over time.

I was looking online and saw that some say pressure cooker/canner and are advertised as both in one (though they came with racks for canning on this set.) But, based on the link that was posted I'll do some more research.

Thanks!

[Rick]

I have the All American 21 quart and couldn't be happier with it. Their service is excellent, too. I've talked to their technicians twice and they were just great to work with. Having been around these canners for years they know some nifty little tidbits they pass along when you talk to them.

I would think a stainless steel canner the same size as a my All American would weigh about 900 pounds (give or take several hundred pounds). Why are you dead set on stainless? Is it just the price issue?

[smhg]

I have the All American 21 quart and couldn't be happier with it. Their service is excellent, too. I've talked to their technicians twice and they were just great to work with. Having been around these canners for years they know some nifty little tidbits they pass along when you talk to them.

I would think a stainless steel canner the same size as a my All American would weigh about 900 pounds (give or take several hundred pounds). Why are you dead set on stainless? Is it just the price issue?

Rick, if I were just buying a canner, I'd buy aluminum in a heartbeat (my uncle does a lot of hunting and canning and loves his All American, too.) However, I also cook in it a lot (we cook a lot of beans here!) And I will likely cook other foods as well. I have read that aluminum leaches a fair amount into foods, and some have even gone as far to say that it is related to Alzheimers (though I have not read enough on that to know one way or another.) So to be safe I prefer stainless for cooking.

I'd love to have a cast-iron one, but don't think they make them!

[Rick]

Well, okay. Aluminum cookware has been around for a long time but, by all means, do what you are comfortable with. If I didn't trust aluminum I wouldn't buy it either.

I've never seen a cast iron one either and given the pressure they are under I don't think cast iron would hold up.

[rwc1969]

I won't drink from aluminum cans so I guess that makes sense. ??

You might want to get an extra "safety" blow out plug or two if it has one. I think all modern ones do and they can also fail. i'm not 100% sure on this though.

[Winnie]

You are probably right. http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/consu...randcooker.pdf

Thanks Crash, I seem to recell it was the USDA site I saw something about the difference between the two. From what I recall pressure cookers are too unreliable to safely kill the bacteria in low acid foods and botulism is a friend I'd rather not make.

[smhg]

I won't drink from aluminum cans so I guess that makes sense. ??

You might want to get an extra "safety" blow out plug or two if it has one. I think all modern ones do and they can also fail. i'm not 100% sure on this though.

Good idea..thanks!

[Rick]

The All American I have has a rubber blow out plug.

[canid]

every PC i've owned has a blow out valve [assuming i hadn't lost it yet].

winnie: i think you're thinking of hot water bath canners [or any non-pressureized canning method]. all pressure cookers are designed to opperate at a particular pressure range, and anything from 10 to 15 [the only pressures i see in any modern pressure cooker that isn't adjustible], is suitable for canning anything.

low acid foods can not be safely canned [without extremely long processing times] without steam pressure. i can't say this enough: if it's a pressure cooker, it's designed to cook material at above boiling temperature, at above ambient pressure using thermal expansion of water vapor to raise the vapor pressure, and thereby, raise the boiling point of water. it's how pressure cooking works, and it's why it is used for canning.

it's the simple act of fully sterilizing food, rather than simply cooking it. it only happens that it is also useful for cooking food more completely, and more quickly. e.g. you can cook a roast by processing it more quickly than you would if you wanted to sterilize it.

e.g. with a 10psi cooker, the prossessing should be roughly 1.5x as long as recommended for a 15psi cooker, but both are sold as 'pressure cookers' and 'pressure canners'. they are functionally identical.

if it's good enough to sterilize laboratory equiptment, culture media, medical implements, etc, it's good enough to sterilize food.

incodentally, i use mine even when making preserves, though they don't require it for safety, as it better [more quickly] destroys enzymes which will prevent the preserves from keeping color, texture, etc as long.

smhg: i've owned several prestos. i currently own two. i'd buy an all american if i could afford one, but prestos are still wonderfull.

this is probably the last time i'm going to chime in in this thread.

[Rick]

Canid, I see you on an episode of CSI.

David Hodges peering into autoclave through window. "What the heck is in the autoclave?"

Canid: "Jam".