How to Steam can Pineapple using a Pressure Canner
Instead of buying another piece of equipment for the kitchen. I show you how you can use your Presto Pressure Canner and use it as a steam canner.
Did you know you can use your pressure canner to steam can?
I stumbled across this hidden gem of information that isn’t very widely known yet. You can use your pressure cooker to steam can. It has all been tested as a safe activity as long as you are still using safe methods of canning.
You can safely steam can anything that you would normally use for the water bath method. For those products that are high-acid foods, the high-acid environment makes it harder for bacteria, yeast, and mold to grow.
The first thing I chose to can using this method was pineapple. This would have to be one of my favorite things to can. I have only bought one can of tinned pineapple in over two years it is that good. The taste of fresh canned pineapple just does not compare. You can make the size of the pineapple pieces as big or as small as you wish, and you can even boil any scrap pieces like the cores to make pineapple juice.
The advantages of steam canning over the water bath method
Some of the advantages of using steam canning are
- Environmental – You use less water
- Time – It takes far less time to heat up 3 quarts of water than a whole canner of water
- Safer – because you are not dealing with large quantities of water
- Money – if you are paying for water, it will save you
- Space – Now I don’t have to buy a separate steam canner to store in my pantry
How does it work?
I have a Presto Pressure Canner which I got from Oz Farmer in Australia. There are a few places in New Zealand that you can buy them from, but they tend to be more expensive.
The canner can act as a steam canner all you have to do is heat the required amount of water and let the steam build up. Once the vent toggle pops up you can then start the timer for steaming. For example, I time pineapple for 10 minutes. It is the same time as if you are going to be water bathing it.
You do not want to place the weight on at all. You aren’t pressure canning it, just using the steam.
I use a round springform cake ring in the bottom of my canner, and I then place the canner rack on top of the ring. You then place your jars down. If you don’t have something to keep the jars out of the water, it is perfectly fine to have them sitting on the canner rack. All the instructions will be found in the below recipe card as well.
Other links and recipes
Here is a video from my YouTube channel showing you how to do it step by step Steam canning using my Presto Pressure Canner/ Canning Pineapple
I also have a video showing how to can Pineapple without any special equipment or mason jars
Also, if you would like a more in depth look into it, please go and watch How to steam can, using your presto pressure cooker
A family favourite recipe I like to use these jars of pineapple in is my Easy, peasy Sweet and Sour Sauce
How to Steam Can Pineapple using a Pressure Canner
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Canner I have a Presto Canner
- 1 Springform ring I used a cake tin ring
- 1-2 Pressure Canning Racks One comes with the canner, and it depends if you are doing two layers of jars.
Ingredients
- 6 whole pineapples please feel free to use as many as you like. I like to wait until they are on special and in season.
- 1 cup sugar how much sugar depends on how sweet you prefer your sugar syrup. Use less or even none at all if you like.
- water enough to cover the cut pineapple in a large pot.
Instructions
- Cut off the skins and the ends off the pineapples.
- Cut in half lengthways and then each half in half again lengthways. You should have 4 pieces of pineapple now.
- Slice the cores off the 4 pineapple pieces.
- Cut the pineapple into diced-sized pieces.
- Add the pineapple to a big pot and cover with water. Add in the sugar now if you are using it.
- Bring the water, sugar, and pineapple to a boil and then turn the heat off.
- Get the pressure canner ready by adding 3L (quarts) of water to the canner. Place the spring form ring in the bottom of the PC and then the canner rack.
- Ladle the pineapple into hot clean jars and wipe the rims clean and use new seals. place the rings on the jar and screw them down until they are fingertip tight.
- Place your jars into the canner and steam can for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars from canner and cool on the bench. Once cooled store in a cool dark cupboard.
