If I use a diffuser will I be able to use a pressure cooker to can food on my glass top stove?
I have a glass top stove and just purchased an All American pressure cooker/canner. It's very heavy and will hold 7 quarts or 19 pints. If I use a diffuser will I be able to use my stove to can food?
Best Answer
Glass stove top manufacturers sometimes recommend not using pressure canners because the weight and heat distribution can be too much for them and the glass surface can crack.
A diffuser would probably not help with that problem. The diffuser is not likely to be so much bigger than the canner that it would distribute the weight. If it was that large then it would diffuse the heat too much.
Sometimes stove or canner manuals will place restrictions on the size of the canner vs the burner size. If the canner is too large it can transfer heat out of the burner area and damage the surface.
Another common problem mentioned is that some canners have concave bottoms. Obviously, only flat bottomed canners should be used otherwise the weight distribution will be bad for the burner and the canner might not heat properly.
You should check with the manufacturer of your range and see if your range can be used with a pressure canner. If they say it can can then you can can without the diffuser. If they say it can't then you may just be out of luck.
We use a camp stove and do a lot of our pressure canning outside- especially in the summer to save AC bills.
Anecdotally- My mother once, 20 years ago, had a glass surface crack while canning. I have been canning on a glass surface for two years without incident.
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Quick Answer about "If I use a diffuser will I be able to use a pressure cooker to can food on my glass top stove?"
“No, it is our understanding that the manufacturers of glass-top stoves recommend using only flat cookware, and the ALL-AMERICAN Pressure Cookers have indentations in the bottom. “Also, the cooker is quite heavy and if dropped or slid across the glass-top stove, it may damage the cook top.Can you use a diffuser on a glass top stove?
The glass on your stove is very durable, it is made from a kind of quartz. There is only one glass manufacturer (Schott) that makes the glass for all the glass top stoves in North America and Europe. Bella Copper Diffusers will not hurt the glass, the copper heat diffuser is just like a flat copper pan.Can a pressure cooker be used on a glass top stove?
In general, you don't want to use a pressure cooker on a glass stovetop. Considering that the heat produced from your pressure cooking device can cause a glass top stove to crack or even shatter, it's best only to place your device on the countertop.Can I use a steam canner on a glass top stove?
Use a smooth-bottom stockpot or canner. It needs to be completely smooth along the bottom with no divots. The smooth bottom makes sure that the water heats up properly for safe home preserving. Don't use an enamel canner on a glass top stove.What is a cooktop diffuser?
A diffuser, also known as a flame tamer, simmer ring, or burner plate, is a metal plate that sits right on the stove burner to spread heat evenly under pots and pans. Because it prevents hot spots, a diffuser is also great for cooking rice, as well as delicate sauces and custards.Can I Pressure Can using an All American on a Glass Top Stove????
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Answer 2
A diffuser is used to spread heat from a source around a wider surface area. You don't need to use a diffuser with a pressure cooker/canner, as it doesn't need any sort of protection, and you'll lose some heat due to the inefficiency. In other words you probably could, but you don't want to.
Answer 3
Not sure why you would use a diffuser to can food. As far as a glass top stove, it is no different for canning than gas or a electric coil top burner. As long as you have water in the pot (sufficient to water bath the jars, usually to the rim) and obtain an internal temperature of 180F. inside the jar, your there. 1/2 pint needs 45 minutes after starting to boil to reach the 180F. 1 pint needs 1 hour. 1 quart needs 1 1/2 hours after starting to boil to reach a 180F safe level. Of course pressure cookers are a whole different animal and the pot should always come with the numbers. Mike
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