I love my steam canner! It’s an old one my mom had and I have used and used it and have loaned it out numerous times. However….I am constantly losing the instructions or I don’t get them back when I loan it out. So with that in mind I’m copying the instructions here. If it’s helpful to you, to learn or use a steam canner, great! But mostly this is so I’ll always be able to find my instructions!! There are canning recipes in the recipe box for which I have used the steam canner, it’s very useful.
Instructions for using the Ideal Fruit Canner or Steam Canner
The same instructions are followed for preparing fruit, tomatoes, and other acid foods as are given in acceptable canning guides and by the bottle and lid manufacturing companies, except as noted below:
1. Do not fill the bottles fuller than one inch from the top
2. Screw bands on firmly by hand but not as tight as you can.
Then proceed as follows:
1. Place 1 1/2 qts of water in the bottom of the cooker (this is sufficient for 1 hour or more of cooking if steaming is kept to a low flow)
2. Put plate in position and place bottles on plate between holes.
3. Place cover over bottles and turn burner on high or medium high if an extra hot burner.
4. When steam begins to flow from escape vents, begin timing, always use a timer to avoid over cooking
5. After steam is flowing well turn heat down one notch and perhaps a little later a second notch
6. The heat must be adjusted to keep only a small flow of steam
7. Heating should continue for the time given in acceptable guides for the fruit you are processing remembering that it is best to use a timer to avoid overcooking
8. Turn heat off and immediately remove cover with hot pads turning it away from you and upside down. do not remove cover when steam is blowing hard
9. After 1 minute remove bottles to a dry place and tighten bands if they are loose
10. When bottles are cool remove bands, wipe and store bottles in a cool, dark, clean place.
11. Rinse bottom pan after each batch and add 1 1/2 qts water for each new batch
12. To minimize hard water deposit, clean and dry bottom pan after each day of use. To remove discoloration in the bottom pan add 2 slices of lemon to an occasional batch
Note: do not use this cooker for canning vegetables or meats, tomatoes or acid pickles excepted. (although I have done some veggies with this method and it has worked just fine)
To Avoid Bottle breakage
1. Do not fill fuller than 1 inch from top
2. do not tighten bands more than just firm (not as tight as you can)
3. In hot packing tighten bands only to slightest resistance
4. If you have an extra hot burner (electric or gas) try one notch lower heat
5. Add only dissolved sugar solution to bottle
Instructions for using canner as a steam cooker: For cooking vegetables or other foods for meals or blanching foods for freezing
1. Place 1 1/2 qts water in bottom pan, or more for a long cooking time, and put the plate in position. Never allow pan to run out of water!!!
2. Put vegetables or other foods to be cooked or blanched in a screen wire basket or other suitable container and place on the plate
3. Put the cover in place and turn heat on high until steam flows from escape holes. Turn heat to low for cooking period. Keep a small flow of steam
4. Soups and other liquid foods can be cooked by placing them in a suitable container that fits under the cover
5. After each usage clean and dry bottom pan
Advantages of using the steam canner
Cuts canning time in half, keeps kitchen cooler, saves energy, sager, easier to handle, can’t boil over, no mess to clean up, does a better, cleaner job, a much shorter overall processing time destroys the fruit enzymes more quickly, stopping chemical deterioration which saves the natural fresh fruit flavor and texture, great for completing the sterilizing process for hot pack jams, jellies, juices, relishes and fruits, convenient for 1 –7 bottles.
Steam canner is designed for greatest efficiency, only 3 pints of water are heated instead of 3 gallons, it heats with steam, which has a heat transfer coefficient many times greater than boiling water, although the liquid in the bottles is heated more quickly and more uniformly to the boiling point it never boils, so the liquid is not lost from the bottles, It is fine for blanching vegetables and fruits for freezing or drying, or for cooking vegetables, meats, casseroles, etc. for dinner.
It is made of aluminum for fastest heat transfer, it wont chip or rust