GE JBP95 Home Canning Tips, Observe the Following Points in Canning, Glass Cooktop Cautions

HOME CANNING TIPS

Canning should be done on the surface units only.

Pots that extend beyond 1 inch of the surface unit 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 porcelain cooktop surfaces surrounding the electric coil surface units.

Observe the Following Points in Canning

1.Be sure the canner fits over the center of the surface unit. If your range or its location does not allow the canner to be centered on the surface unit, use smaller diameter pots for good canning results.

2.For best results, use canners with flat bottoms. On the glass cooktop, flat bottomed canners must be used. Canners with flanged or rippled bottoms (often found in enamelware) don’t make good contact with the surface unit and take a long time to boil water.

Flat-bottomed canners are recommended for electric coils; they 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 can be shortened by:

(1)using a pressure canner, and

(2)starting with HOT tap water for fastest heating of large quantities of water.

Glass Cooktop Cautions:

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 glass 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 halogen and 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.

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