We’ve had this Presto pressure canner for a while.
I don’t remember when we got it. Bernie says about 20 years ago. It can process 8 pints or quarts at a time.
And if I’ve got 8 or less jars to process, this little canner does the trick in short order. When there are more than 8 jars to process I can still use this canner, and I have on many occasions, but recently I got a double-decker canner that cuts down the amount of time spent canning by allowing me to process twice as many jars at one time. It’s a huge monstrosity in comparison. I named it Franken-canner.
It’s an “All American” brand canner, and the documentation says it can hold 19 pints or 14 quarts. I could only fit 16 pints in it, but I was using wide mouth jars and I imagine that’s why. But 8 pints easily fit in the bottom of it.
And, after adding the second rack, 8 more pints fit on the top.
I know there’s only one pint on the upper rack in that picture, but I wasn’t really canning and was only trying to give you an idea of how much these canners hold. Those green beans were some of the 10 pounds Charlotte gave us last weekend and I had already processed them, and they just agreed to model the canners for me.
I like both of these pressure canners.
If you’re in the market for a pressure canner and don’t know which size would suit you best, consider how many jars you would typically be processing at one time. I think if you typically process 8 jars or less at one time, a smaller pressure canner like this Presto will work beautifully for you. It’s also less expensive than the Franken-canner. But if you typically process more than 8 jars at one time, then the Franken-canner is probably going to be a good choice for you. Keep in mind that because pressure canning requires pressure to function properly, using the Franken-canner for only 8 jars or less is not quite as efficient as using a smaller canner. Because there is less space to pressurize, the smaller canner will work a little quicker and more efficiently for smaller batches.
I also have two sizes of water bath canners.
The smaller one Bernie and I bought just after we married. It processes 7 quarts or pints at a time. The larger one was gifted to me from an aunt and it processes 8 quarts or pints at a time. In all honesty, I’d have a hard time recommending the larger water bath canner over the smaller. The reason is because the difference is only one jar, but the amount of additional water required to fill and bring to a boil in the larger canner is significant. If I know I am only going to can exactly 8 jars, I use the larger canner, but I typically water bath can more than 8 jars in a day, so I tend to use the smaller canner. Did that make sense?
And since we’re on the subject of canning, I’ve been wanting to share this little book with y’all for quite a while.
I have no idea when or where I found this manual – certainly it’s much older than our Presto canner, but there is no copyright date inside it. There is this little clue though:
The style of this manual, combined with the “material shortages due to the present national emergency” lead me to believe it was published during World War II – probably between 1939 and 1945. I don’t know why that fascinates me, but it does. And I love that the manual let the owner know she had made an investment in good eating.
Because home canning is very important.
There are so many things I love about this manual and enjoy looking at, but there are a couple of pages I actually use from time to time.
I just love that manual. And I’d love to see the canner that came with it.
Tags: All American Canner, pressure canner, Presto Canner, water bath canner
Please tell me you wear a frilly little apron like that when you’re canning. And rocking that same awesome hairdo. PLEASE!
Penny Thank you, I just loved this post & Franken Canner. Tex is in trouble now I want one. That would have come in very handy when Kristin & I were doing all those peaches & apples. Then on all the green beans I caned.
Good readin! thanks
PLEASE make sure that if you pick one of these up second hand you get the gauge tested. They do go bad, with dire consequences, but they’re cheap and easy to replace. Testing is free (at least where I live) at the Extension
Agency.
That’s a good point Kat – our extension agencies test the gauges free as well. And it’s a good idea to have it done each year in the early spring, before canning for the year begins.
WOW! Penny! I couldn’t imagine using the “Franken” canner. Seriously, I have NEVER in my life used a pressure cooker or canner. I finally broke down and bought one after talking to you and Angie about it….but it’s still sitting in it’s wrapping….I really have to over come my “fear” of it I know. But another thing…why in the world do you have to cook things for so long in it? I mean from what I’ve read you have to cook everything before you can it and then cook some things for over an hour in the pressure canner…..I haven’t spent that much time in a kitchen since the boys moved out! LOL
I need inspiration….encouragement…..but most of all……..time
I love the book and the part about filling out the coupon and carefully saving it for six months after the emergency is over…..how neat was that??? The hope and care of the people of Presto…..
Love ya!
I have a pressure canner with an odd jiggler that doesn’t jiggle like my smaller pressure cooker. It really doesn’t jiggle; it hisses. Does your franken canner jiggle or hiss? Would you recommend the canner to others?
Wow, now that is a huge canner. I love old cookbooks and manuals. Some are so old that they don’t even make sense in todays world. One day I hope to can up vegies but right now I just don’t have the time. I love the kitchen towel.
Jocelyn – well, of course I wear a frilly little apron with my hair all done up while I’m canning. Wait, you don’t???
Charlotte – My only problem will be finding a good place to store that monster!
Debbie – thanks for stopping by!
Julie – pressure cookers/canners can be intimidating the first time you use them, but once you get past that first time I think it gets a whole lot easier. Just keep an eye on the pressure gauge and when it reaches the correct pounds for your recipe, back the heat off to keep it there, and then bump it up if it starts to get too cool. It’ll take some getting used to, but it won’t take long to figure out your particular burners and where you need to set the heat. There are some things that it seems to take forever to can – but the temperature and amount of time is what kills off the bacteria and micro-organisms that cause botulism and nasty stuff like that. Daddy and I canned fish while he was here and it took 90 minutes – I cooked supper and did some things in the kitchen, but I wouldn’t want to can more than one batch at a time of it!
Tammy – the Franken-canner kinda sputters and hisses, but it doesn’t have a jiggler. It vents steam through the pipe the weight sits on. And yes, I would recommend this canner to anyone who routinely cans more than 8 jars at a time, or would just like the convenience of having it for times when they do!
Kelly – Wish we lived closer – I’d love to barter canned veggies for some of the goodies you’re producing on your farm!
What a huge canner. I think my stove would give up the ghost if I got one that big. Course it is so tall I don’t think I could reach inside to get the jars in and out without a ladder, either.
I like those canners. Very nice! I see All American has one that will wold 19 quart jars. I don’t think my stove could handle the load! I bought a Presto 606 Meat Master (names used to be so common sensical) at an auction once. It had a manual with parts and prices in it. I copied the order form and ordered a seal, pressure stem, and requlator from presto. They said they don’t stock parts for the 606 anymore and sent my $1.75 back, hee hee! The parts ended up costing me 30 bucks! There is a pic of it here… http://saltcreeklife.com/2010/03/04/old-timey-cookware/