Pressure cooker or canner?

[lilcee]

I'd like to start canning again (after many years). Which would be better for canning fruits - like peaches and pears? I probably won't be canning many veggies except maybe beets in the future - mostly fruits.

I also have a ceramic cooktop and I understand that most canners/pressure cookers wouldn't work on it because they have to be flat on the bottom and not too big. Would it be better get a seperate burner for canning?

Pressure cooker or canner? Which would you use?

[hit or miss]

With most fruits you can use a water bath canner. Check out https://www.uga.edu/nchfp/ for recipes and ideas.

If you are willing to take a chance on hurting your stove you can probably can on it. I have been canning on my flattop for 3 years now with no noticeable problems.

[rainbowgardener]

I think sweet fruits like peaches have to be pressure canned, unless you add lemon juice to increase the acidity.

I don't have a pressure canner and mainly only can tomatoes and tomato products. But I have done water bath canning on my flat cooktop.

[GomoIsGardening]

Most fruits can be water bathed properly. You need to use enough sugar. They will come out as in heavy syrup.

Some of my cookbooks, advocate adding some citric acid for some fruits. These books are from the 60's. They called them canning pills. Now, we would call them Vitamin C pills. I wouldn't trust it.

I would check with your local county extension service. If that person is rude, call another neighboring county. I get my best info from a CE agent that is SE of me and a different county.