Michigan State University Extension
Preserving Food Safely - 01600948
10/13/97

### RECOMMENDED CANNERS

        Equipment  for heat-processing home-canned food  is  of

    two
    main types--boiling-water canners and pressure  canners.

    Most
    are designed to hold seven quart jars or eight to  nine

    pints.
      Small pressure canners hold four quart  jars;  some

    large
    pressure canners hold 18 pint jars in two layers,  but

    hold
     only  seven  quarts  jars.   Pressure  saucepans  with

    smaller
     volume  capacities are not recommended for  use  in

    canning.
      Small capacity pressure canners are treated in  a

    similar
     manner  as standard larger canners, and  should  be

    vented
    using the typical venting procedures.

        Low-acid  foods must be processed in a pressure  canner

    to
    be free of botulism risks.  Although pressure canners may

    also
     be  used  for  processing  acid  foods,  boiling-water

    canners
     are recommended for this purpose, because they  are

    faster.
      A  pressure canner would require from  70  to  115

    total
     minutes  to  can  a load of jars; the total time  for

    canning
    most  acid  foods  in boiling water varies  from  25

    to
    60 minutes.   A  boiling-water canner loaded with  filled

    jars
     requires  about 20 to 30 minutes of heating before its

    water
     begins  to  boil.  A  loaded pressure canner requires

    about
     12 to 15 minutes of heating before it begins to vent;

    another
     l0  minutes to vent the  canner; another 5  minutes

    to
    pressurize the canner; another 8 to 10 minutes to process

    the
     acid  food; and, finally, another 20 to 60  minutes  to

    cool
    the canner before removing jars.

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