I need canning help. Please.

[thumper]

I'm finally in a position where my garden is doing well enough that I can actually put some of the produce away for future use. Now I need to do some canning. Last week we made about 8 qts of pickles the hot water method just for testing purposes. Now I need to purchase a pressure canner to make full use of the veggies and fruits. I am considering the All American 10.5 Qt but I'm also thinking the 15.5 Qt would be a better choice. My main concern is the pot would be too big for my stove which is a glass top and the largest burner is approx. 10" diam. Is there a problem with using a canner that is slightly larger than the burner? Any other tips or items of interest for a first time canner?

Thanks
Patti

[Pat]

Is "GLASS TOP" a generalization or is it really glass? The smooth tops I have seen are some kind of mineral glass or such and didn't have a problem with large pots on small burners. Didn't have a problem as far as stove damage was concerned but there is some heat loss into the unheated area. Since you are not trying to fry a large steak evenly and are just boiling water, even heating should not be a problem as the boiling water will distribute the heat evenly in the pot.

Most stove makers have toll free help lines. To be on the safe side, I'd call and ask.

Pat

[Bird]

I can't remember where I saw it but somewhere I read that if you put a pot or skillet on a burner that's bigger in diameter than the pot or skillet, you're wasting heat. In other words, it's better to have a pan bigger than the burner than vice versa. Our current KitchenAid electric range is our first smooth top range, and we sure do like it so far.

[Pat]

A good friend of mine (WW II vet in Pocasset, OK) "welded" a pot to his new smooth top range. He was so disgusted he replaced the new stove with a new gas range.

I prefer gas because I can regulate the heat by looking at the flame and know what I am getting and when I turn the fire down there is little or no delay in reduction of heating. Electrics seem to keep on keeping on with stored heat for a while.

I have cooked on my mom's smooth top electric and it is OK except for not having an easy way to "see the fire."

My 5 burner gas over double electric oven range seems to be the best of both worlds for me. I have sealed burners so a stove top spill can't get underneath. It is a mineral glass top like on a smooth top electric but with gas burners. The cast iron pot holders sit on rubber pads and interlock with each other as well as fit into a detent on the top of each burner.

I can slide a pot from one burner to another just like yo can on a smooth top electric. I don't like gas or electric units that force you to pick a pot up and set it down on the other burner.

I asked around and got a couple comments from folks who used oversized pots on their smooth top electrics. They had no problems so far but couldn't comment on the instruction manual since neither had read theirs.

If the hot part of the electric stove top sticks out past the burner then most of the heat in that part is wasted. You should have pans that cover the hot part. Also it is good to have pota and pans that are dead flat over most of the bottom to make good contact and get better heat transfer.

Pat.

[Bird]

OK, so I got the KitchenAid manual out to do some checking. They call the cooking surface "ceramic glass" and to quote a couple of instructions:
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Lift pots and pans on and off the cooktop. Sliding pots, pans and skillets that have aluminum or copper bases could leave permanent scratches and marks on the cooktop.

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I guess sliding our stainless steel cookware is OK? I still tend to try to avoid much sliding of cookware.
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Use cookware about the same size as the surface cooking area. Cookware should not extend more than 1 in. (2.5 cm) outside the area.

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It even has a diagram, so apparently it's best not to use cookware that's too big. Our particular model is just a 4 burner one, but each of the 4 burners is a different size, with the largest of the four being a dual element burner. And in the canning instructions, it also says to use only flat bottomed canners

I understand about the advantages of gas that you mentioned and tend to agree; however, once accustomed to electric, I've found I prefer it because I know just which setting to turn the knob to for different things; i.e., I turn the knob to the same place every time for sausage, fried eggs, etc. and know I'll have the right heat without even looking at a burner.

[Pat]

I'm sure I could learn to use an electric just fine (I did OK on my mom's) but I prefer gas and until or unless this one dies an irreparable death it is a done deal. I have a small plain 4 burner gas apartment sized range in the basement. I find that I can do OK on anyones gas stove by looking at the fire but #5 on your electric stove may not be the same as #5 on the next one. I know if I remove the pan from the electric burner it will stop cooking just as fast as my gas stops but... that takes making a new habit.

The most important thing is if you like what you have and get good results because you sure won't taste the difference. I have 3 microwaves in the kitchen and a little roll up doored spot for a 4th that is currently holding a 4 slice toaster. I use a microwave as often as I use the stove top. There are things that don't microwave so well. I still like to boil water the old fashioned way for pasta and hamburger gravy MUST BE MADE in a skillet. Would you believe, I have a pressure cooker for use in a microwave. Yes, it is fast.

Pat

[Bird]

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I have a pressure cooker for use in a microwave

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So do we, and it's seen a lot of use, too.

[Pat]

Patti, Just checking on you to see if you feel comfortable with the info you have re pan and burner size.

We don't can as a rule but tend to freeze instead. Of course not everything freezes well. Tomatoes keep as tomato paste or sauce. Jalapeños, Habeñeros, and such keep exceedingly well. Okra freezes well and some folks pickle it.

Gook luck on your home canning project.

Pat