We have a flat top stove and want to can food.

[kijip]

We are wanting to start canning foods again (used to do jelly and fruit, now want to add some pressure canning). However, we have not only an electric stove but a flat top stove. Can we use a canner on it or do we need to invest in something else (like a burner) in order to can effectively. We used to can on an electric stove with regular burners and never had an issue. We can not get a gas line to our house, so replacing the stove is not an option. All the houses we looked at with gas stoves had huge other issues so we bought this one, loving just about everything except the stove! Thoughts?

[jillian+1]

What's the issue? I don't can, so maybe I'm being dumb, but as long as your pot has a flat bottom so it makes good contact, you should be fine.

[nigellas]

What's the issue?

I've heard that the weight of those huge pots filled with the cans and all that water can cause flat top stoves to crack.

[jillian+1]

Yikes! Maybe you can call the manufacturer and ask what the weight limit is.

[ustasmom]

I've used my water bath canner on mine for over ten years and so far, so good.

Boil water in a kettle and add it to the large pot so that it doesn't take FOREVER to get boiling.

[texmati]

My mom uses her huge pressure cooker on her flat top stove all the time. She's never had any problem with cracking or not getting hot enough.

[Denvergirlie]

People do can on flat glass stoves and some are safe for years, some break the top the very first time they try, it's really a choice of do you want to risk it.

If you deciede you don't want to rish it, you can purchase a stand alone electric stove top coil or two or propane stove top and use for just that purpose.

[velochic]

On another site, I hang out at the preserving and canning forum quite a bit, gleaning knowledge from people older and wiser and who have been at it a long time.

According to them (I have the same problem), canning on an electric stove, unless you have a special coil made for canning, can be dangerous. It can cause the elements to burn up, put holes in the bottoms of canners, etc. For the glass tops, there is the added risk of the top breaking under the weight.

As a pp said, you might get by for years with no issues... or you could ruin your stove the first time. This one fellow, canning on a coil electric stove had a pea-sized piece of his element burn up and shoot through the bottom of his brand new canner, through the side, flying across the room and breaking a glass. Ruined the burner and the new canner, both.

The best thing to do is to get a propane camping stove and can on that if you have an electric stove. That's what I have done, and it works fine.

[kijip]

Originally Posted by velochic

The best thing to do is to get a propane camping stove and can on that if you have an electric stove. That's what I have done, and it works fine.

Can you suggest a good model? I am assuming I need something bigger than my regular Coleman camping stove.

[Contrariety]

My cousin is an avid canner and she cans everything outside on a camp stove.

She likes it best because the heat is even... and the heat as well as the mess stay outside!

[kijip]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Jesus

She likes it best because the heat is even... and the heat as well as the mess stay outside!

Very good points! And we live in a mild climate so we can be outdoors most of the year.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by kijip

Can you suggest a good model? I am assuming I need something bigger than my regular Coleman camping stove.

This is the one I have:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...7038_200317038

But any stove with a high BTU output will work.

Here is a link to my canner with the warning (at the bottom of the page) about not using it on a glass-top stove:

http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/921.htm

Good luck!