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Cookware Tips Home Canning Tips
HOME CANNING TIPS
Pots that extend beyond 1 inch of the surface unit’s
circle are not recommended for most surface cooking.
However, when canning with water-bath or pressure
canner, larger-diameter pots may be used. This is
because boiling water temperatures (even under
pressure) are not harmful to the cooktop surfaces
surrounding the surface units.
HOWEVER, DO NOT USE LARGE DIAMETER
CANNERS OR OTHER LARGE DIAMETER POTS
FOR FRYING OR BOILING FOODS OTHER
THAN WATER. Most syrup or sauce mixtures—and
all types of frying—cook at temperatures much higher
than boiling water.
Such temperatures could
eventually
harm the glass cooktop surfaces.
Observe the Following Points in Canning
1. Be sure the canner fits over the center of the
surface unit. If your cooktop or its location does not
allow the canner to be centered on the surface unit,
use smaller diameter pots for good canning results.
2. Flat-bottomed canners must be used. Do not use
canners with flanged or rippled bottoms (often
found in enamelware) because they don’t make
enough contact with the surface units and take
a long time to boil water.
RIGHT WRONG
Flat-bottomed canners are required
for glass cooktops.
3. When canning, use recipes and procedures from
reputable sources. Reliable recipes and procedures
are available from the manufacturer of your canner;
manufacturers of glass jars for canning, such as
Ball and Kerr; and the United States Department of
Agriculture Extension Service.
4. Remember that canning is a process that generates
large amounts of steam. To avoid burns from steam
or heat, be careful when canning.
NOTE: If your house has low voltage, canning may
take longer than expected, even though directions
have been carefully followed. The process time will
be shortened by:
(1) using a pressure canner, and
(2) starting with HOT tap water for fastest
heating of large quantities of water.
CAUTION:
Safe canning requires that harmful microorganisms
are destroyed and that the jars are sealed completely.
When canning foods in a water-bath canner, a gentle
but steady boil must be maintained for the required
time. When canning foods in a pressure canner, the
pressure must be maintained for the required time.
After you have adjusted the controls, it is very
important to make sure the prescribed boil or
pressure levels are maintained for the required time.
The cooktop surface units have temperature limiters
that prevent the glass cooktop from getting too hot.
If the bottom of your canner is not flat, the surface
unit can overheat, triggering the temperature
limiters to turn the unit off for a time. This will stop
the boil or reduce the pressure in the canner.
Since you must make sure to process the canning jars
for the prescribed time, with no interruption in
processing time, do not can on any of the cooktop
surface units if your canner is not flat enough.
What is a Temperature Limiter?
Every halogen and radiant surface unit has a
Temperature Limiter. The Temperature Limiter
protects the glass ceramic surface from getting
too hot.
The Temperature Limiter may turn off the
elements if:
• The pan boils dry.
• The pan bottom is not flat.
• The pan is off center.
• There is no pan on the unit.