Steam Canner | How to Use One Confidently
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How to Use a Steam Canner Confidently

A steam canner is a canning tool used to preserve foods that are high acidity. This canning tool has revolutionized how jams, jellies, fresh fruitfruit juice, pickled items, and many more high acidic foods are preserved at home.

Steam Canner | How to Use One Confidently

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There are very few preserving tools in which I strongly suggest. In order to make my, must have canning tools list, it must be efficient.

These tools must reduce the time spent in front of the stove, require little effort in completing the job, and serve multiple purposes. Take a look 12 must have modern appliances for preserving food. Each item on the list safely cuts corners due to their high level of efficiency.

An Efficient Preserving Tool

A steam canner is the most brilliant canning tool created. It is a efficient canning tool, saving water and energy costs.

Unlike a HWB, the steam canner uses only 2 inches of water. Making it an ideal canning tool to use on a glasstop stove. Because of its lighter weight when full, the steam canner is also gentler on stove burners. Not to mention, during the summer months this tool releases very little heat. Keeping the temperature within the home more bearable.

This particular canner is capable of holding 1/2 pint, pints, and quart size jars. Foods which are high in acid are ideal with this canning tool. Making the following items perfect canidates:

  • pickled items
  • jams
  • jellies
  • marmalade
  • fruit butters
  • salsas
  • most tomato products
  • juice concentrate
Steam Canner | How to Use One Confidently

How can the jars of food be safely preserved with so little water? 

Steam reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit, thus providing the same sterilizing heat as a hot water bath (HWB) canner.

One thing to keep in mind, a steam canner is capable of running for 45 minutes at a time. Anything longer puts the canner at risk for running out of water. Tomato products are best reserved for being processed in a HWB canner, unless your home runs on new electrical wiring.

How to Use a Steam Canner

  1. Place the bottom rack that comes with the canner into the bottom pan.
  2. Fill the canner with the recommended amount of water, never exceeding about the bottom rack.
  3. Place the jars onto the bottom rack and add the dome lid.
  4. Allow the steam to heat up, then vent steam from the holes in the lid until you see a solid, unbroken column of steam.
  5. Once the unbroken column of steam is solid, start the processing time. Process canned goods for the same amount of time recommended for a hot water bath canner.
  6. Make sure the column of steam is unbroken throughout the entire processing time.
  7. Maintain the heat to regulate the column of steam. Do not set the heat too low, the chance of breaking the column of steam can occur. Setting the heat too high runs the risk of the steam canner running out of water within 20 minutes.
  8. It is important to not lose the column of steam during the processing time. If this should occur the processing time will need to begin again, starting the time once a strong column of steam is visible.
  9. Upon the completion of processing, turn off the burner, allow the steam to evaporate from the canner. Remove the cover once no more steam is present.

The processing time for goods processed in a steam canner is identical as items processed in a HWB. However, a steam canner is much more efficient to use. Little water, less distribution of heat, user friendly on glasstop stoves and gentler on electric burners.

I can’t say this enough, this is the best preserving tool available on the market.

Steam Canner | How to Use One Confidently

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