Can You Use a Pressure Cooker for Canning?

Can you use a pressure cooker for canning? Short Answer:
No. A standard stovetop pressure cooker should not be used for pressure canning with USDA-tested processes.

Pressure canning requires equipment that has been tested and designed specifically for processing jars safely. A pressure cooker and a pressure canner are not the same thing. Read below for why.

This article is regarding standard stovetop pressure cookers used for canning purposes. The first thing to note is I have nothing against pressure cookers! I use one for cooking dinner but using a pressure cooker for canning is totally different. Remember canning is not cooking.

Why You Shouldn’t Can in a Pressure Cooker

Many people assume that if a pressure cooker reaches 10 or 15 pounds of pressure, it must be safe for canning. But pressure alone is not the only factor considered.

When USDA processing times were developed, they accounted for many things including:

• The time it takes the canner to heat up
• The time at the target pressure
• The natural cooling time

Those heating and cooling phases are part of the total safe processing time.

A smaller pressure cooker heats up and cools down much faster than a full-size pressure canner. That shortens the total heat exposure — even if you process for the recommended time at the recommended pressure.

That difference affects safety.

What the USDA Says About Pressure Cookers for Canning

Here is a quote from the NCFHFP.

Some manufacturers may offer process directions for smaller pressure cookers. Consumers using this equipment will need to discuss processing recommendations with those manufacturers; the USDA and National Center for Home Food Preservation recommendation is to not use them for canning with our processes.

https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/pressurecookers.html

In other words:

• USDA-tested pressure canning processes are designed for full-size pressure canners.
• Smaller pressure cookers have not been tested using those same standards.
• The official recommendation is not to use them with USDA processes.

If a manufacturer provides canning instructions for their pressure cooker, you would need to evaluate and trust their testing. I don’t can in a pressure cooker, and I have not researched individual manufacturer claims. That’s a decision you would need to make.

Personally, I feel that cooker manufacturers’ specialty is cooking, not canning. I would not feel comfortable with that.

If you’re looking at newer electric pressure canners, that’s a different category. I review the Presto Electric Pressure Canner separately here:

What Makes a Pressure Canner Different?

According to USDA guidance, a pressure canner must:

• Be large enough to hold at least four quart jars
• Hold jars upright on a rack
• Have a properly fitting locking lid
• Allow proper venting before processing
• Have an accurate way to monitor and maintain pressure

Many pressure cookers do not meet these requirements.

A full-size stovetop pressure canner (like models made by Presto and other manufacturers) is built specifically for processing jars safely.

If you are unsure about your equipment, I explain more about choosing the right canner here:

Can You Pressure Can in a Pressure Cooker If It Reaches 15 Pounds?

No. Reaching the correct pressure is only part of safe pressure canning.

USDA processing times were developed using full-size pressure canners that heat and cool more slowly. A smaller pressure cooker changes the total time the food is exposed to high heat.

That total heat exposure matters for safety.

If you’re new to pressure canning and want a full walkthrough of how it works, start here:

What About an Instant Pot?

Instant pots are a separate issue with a lot in common.

There has been a lot of discussion related to electric pressure cookers especially instant pots. I cover that topic specifically in this article:

This page focuses on standard stovetop pressure cookers.

The Bottom Line

• A pressure cooker is not the same as a pressure canner.
• USDA-tested processing times are designed for full-size pressure canners.
• Smaller pressure cookers heat and cool more quickly, changing total heat exposure.
• The USDA and National Center for Home Food Preservation do not recommend using pressure cookers for canning with their processes.

If you’re going to pressure can low-acid foods, use equipment that was designed and tested for that purpose.

Canning safety is not the place to experiment.

More Helpful articles on Pressure Canning

How Pressure Canners Work – How to Use Your Pressure Canner

Pressure Canner Reviews – Which canner should you choose?

Pressure Canning Confidence – A few videos to get you started.

Source – https://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/pressurecookers.html