Old & New Pressure Canners.

[Shermie]

How many of you have a pressure canner?

I had the old-style one made by Presto about 35 years ago, but I gave it away, and have been regretting it ever since then.

Note the one in the 3rd pic. It is not a canner, but it is somewhat reminniscent of the old-style ones in the pics above it with the handles for the pot and lid both paired together on both sides of the cooker.

I want a new one, or an old-style one! Here are some of them below;

 

[QSis]

I've never had a pressure canner, and would like one, if I had the room to store something that I might use once every year or two.

I am afraid to use my old water bath canner to put up anything that is not pickle relish or that doesn't contain a lot of vinegar/acid.

Lee

 

[loboloco]

I and my mother actually share one that is about 30 years old. I use it for caning and some meat prep, then carry it to her and she might use it once before I get it back. Saved me from buying one though.

 

[Shermie]

I own 2 regular pressure cookers.

But reading a thread started by a member about pressure canners in another cooking forum has renewed my interest in getting a pressure canner though.

 

[Shermie]

I'm leaning more toward THIS one - the shorter 16-qt Presto Pressure Canner shown in the bottom left photo above (Larger pic below).

I don't think that I need the larger unit, which is taller. The slightly smaller one will do perfectly.

Only shortcoming is, that it's an aluminum unit. Would have prefered a stainless steel unit, but it is what it is.

To see the full specs on it, I've posted a PDF link below;

http://www.gopresto.com/downloads/dealer/ss/SS_01755.pdf

 

[QSis]

What are you interested in canning, Sherm?

Lee

 

[Shermie]

Veggies and baked beans. Maybe some fruits as well.

But fruits, jellies, pickles and salsa have to be canned using the cooker as a non-pressurized boiling-water canner.

The cooker can also be used as a regular large capacity pressure cooker for larger quantities of foods or for larger pot roasts and other larger cuts of meat that are too large to do in your normal size pressure cooker.

 

[QSis]

Canning baked beans?

That's brilliant!

Man, I would love to be able to do that and give jars of my Boston Baked Beans as gifts!

Lee

 

[Shermie]

Thank you!

I did it years ago when I moved into my very first apartment in the spring of '73! I was just learning how to can foods (Boston Baked Beans) back then.

I've been bitten by the love bug for this, and now I want to get back into canning again! Only thing is, I need and want to get a USDA-certified pressure canner to do it with.

The one above that I want meets and exceeds all USDA requirements needed for home pressure canning. I'll also have to get some Mason jars.

 

[Guts]

Sherman you got me thinking. If I had a pressure cooker the only one I have is a presto chicknfryer here's a picture of the instruction booklet and a page that was stuck inside the pressure cooker from where I know not... it might have come with the pressure cooker. I guess you can do other things with this cooker than chicken. But I think it was originally purchase by my mother to make fried chicken. I had a friend that worked at KFC when they opened in the 60s. I was in the back of the restaurant when he was working, watching them. Pressure cook their chicken, that's how it was done when they opened the restaurants here in San Diego. They now have new modern ways I know they don't use pressure cookers anymore. As I recall this pressure cooker made great chicken. The seal appears to be in good shape and I may have to try this out sometime if I can find the original KFC recipe. I think there's a new book out copycat recipes I saw on the news yesterday where they made KFC chicken and the taste test couldn't tell the difference between the real stuff and the copycat.

 

[Shermie]

Interesting observation. Guts! Look carefully at the very bottom of the front cover, and you'll see that the year printed on it is 1978.

I remember that type of pressure cooker. I believe Presto introduced it in the mid to late '70s. I wanted one, but never bought it. But one of my units that I have now (Fagor) can also pressure fry chicken.

Yes, when Colonal Sanders started out, he DID actually pressure fry his chicken. Dave Thomas, who founded Wendy's, had worked with him also.

But you're right, they don't do it that way any more. And the original recipe is supposed to be very hard to obtain. KFC says that it is locked in a vault, supposedly.

However, I must consider myself lucky, because in the next city over from me, there IS a restaurant there that pressure fries its chicken, and it tasts oh so good!! I try not to eat it too often, but at least once a month, I go there for some of it.

But I also have a large deep fryer that fries the chicken just as good, but not under pressure.

 

[Shermie]

Here are my other two pressure cookers. They're not canners though.

 

[ChowderMan]

Thank you!
Only thing is, I need and want to get a USDA-certified pressure canner to do it with.

good luck with that - USDA does not "certify" that sort of thing. the USDA sets standards, approved methods, time/temperature, etc. they are not in the same camp as Underwriters Laboratories.

the old bayonet-lock style pressure cookers have gone out of favor because,,, ah nuts - they age/fatigue/blow up.

using any old "pressure cooker" for "pressure frying" is exceedingly highly dis-recommended for safety reasons. pressure frying cookers are available - tad pricey, but cheaper than burning the house down and all the subsequent skin grafts.

yeah, The Colonel got away with it; you might not.

 

[Shermie]

good luck with that - USDA does not "certify" that sort of thing. the USDA sets standards, approved methods, time/temperature, etc. they are not in the same camp as Underwriters Laboratories.

The old bayonet-lock style pressure cookers have gone out of favor because,,, ah nuts - they age/fatigue/blow up.

using any old "pressure cooker" for "pressure frying" is exceedingly highly dis-recommended for safety reasons. pressure frying cookers are available - tad pricey, but cheaper than burning the house down and all the subsequent skin grafts.

yeah, The Colonel got away with it; you might not.

Sorry.

Meant to say that pressure canning is the only canning method that is recommended AND deemed safe by the USDA for canning veggies, meats, poulrty and seafood.

Trust me, my Fagor unit IS qualified and certified to pressure fry chicken. That feature was successfully demonstrated with it at the New England Home Show in Boston, where I bought it. Fourteen years ago, I might add. It was one of the main features that helped influenced me to buy it. Not only that. It can also pressure-dry-roast a whole chicken and small roasts

I've also done it with it several times. The manul has recipes for pressure fried chicken. Also, French fries & seafood can be pressure fried in it.

As for the "old" bayonet lock-style units, Fagor STILL makes them, and mine has never blown up at all, nor has it even come close. They are still a hit, according to Fagor. I've since replaced the gasket, large screw knob and handles on mine. It STILL works as though it were brand new, strong as ever. Fagor's website, Pro-selections.com, still sells the units, as well as replacement parts & accessories for them.

Both my Fagor and Kuhn Rikon units are UL-certified. Thay HAVE to be, in order to help ensure that they are safe to use and meet or exceed the expectations of the US Gov't for consumer use. Or otherwise they would not be deemed safe to use.

Aslo, a pressure cooker is as safe as the person using one. It has to be treated with respect and care. Anyone who abuses it will most certainly face dangerous conditions and will truly risk being injured.

I've been using a pressure cooker ever since my mom had hers, a 6-qt Presto unit that she got in '65, and that was long before any of us left the nest - the late '60s. Never once have I ever had an accident with one, nor have I even come close. I've had my own, off and on, since the early '70s to present. Not once has one ever malfunctioned on me at all.

 

[Shermie]

Here's the display booth that they use at home shows;

 

[Shermie]

While visiting the website; http://www.pro-selections.com , I found out that my Fagor CAN be used for canning, but it can only accommodate 6 pint-size jars at a time.

But I want a pressure canner that can also accommodate the larger quart-size jars as well. That is where the Presto unit would become very handy, in addition to it being the cheapest one avalible.

 

[Shermie]

Fagor America 918010006 Duo 9 Piece Pressure Canning Set


$76 online
2 reviews



#4 in Pressure Cookers
Fagor - 10 quart - Stovetop.

This all-in-one kit includes all the tools, instructions and recipes necessary in order to begin pressure cooking and canning at home. Pressure canning is the safe method of canning low-acid foods like meats, seafood and green vegetables.

The 10-quart, 18/10 stainless steel pressure cooker/canner lets you cook and store preservative-free recipes such as soups, vegetables, baby food and more.

The cooker can be used independently to prepare ready to serve meals. Set includes 10-quart cooker/canner, home canning cookbook, stainless steel funnel, stainless steel ladle, jar lifter, jar wrench, bubble freer, magnetic lid lifter, and an instructional DVD.

Dishwasher safe. « less… more »

 

[Shermie]

A pair of vintage Presto units;

Note the giant wing nuts on the one in the 1st pic.

 

[Shermie]

I'll be getting a pressure canner in about 3 weeks. Checked out some stores online, but I might be able to buy one in person.

 

[Shermie]

Went out to the nearest Walmart store a while ago. Not one Presto pressure canner did they have there!!

 

[Shermie]

During my research, I found out that the pressure canners made by American, they don't use a gasket at all.

Instead, the lids on those units are bolted down tightly on the cookers. But the company's manual recomends that you apply a thin coating of Vaseline around the inside of the rim. This is supposed to help make the lid easier to put on and remove from the cooker.

 

[Rob Babcock]

I love to have one of those All American steel cookers, or better yet a Sterilizer. Aside from canning I'd love to use it to make stocks rapidly.

 

[Shermie]

I trust Presto, though I have not had one for a great number of years.

My 2nd and 3rd ones were Presto units.

 

[Shermie]

I got one!

Here it is, a few pics of my new Presto 16-quart Pressure Canner.

Got it today from Bed Bath & Beyond. Now I just need to get the canning kit and 1-quart Mason jars.