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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
too long 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 cycle 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, you cannot can on any of
the cooktop surface units if your canner is not
flat enough.
What is a Temperature Limiter?
Every radiant surface unit has a Temperature
Limiter. The Temperature Limiter protects the
glass cooktop from getting too hot.
The Temperature Limiter may cycle the units off for
a time if:
• The pan boils dry.
• The pan bottom is not flat.
• The pan is off center.
• There is no pan on the unit.
HOME CANNING TIPS
Canning should be done on the cooktop only.
Pots that extend beyond 1 inch of the surface unit
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.
Surface Cookwar
e T
ips
Home Canning T
ips
