Where do I buy a boiling water canner?

britneylindsey

I have never saw them at Target or even Walmart for that matter....do you think like Menards, Ace one of those places? I need to get on top of making some crushed tomatoes for sure before they go to waste!!

kastle

I just use a stock pot...

britneylindsey

Do you use a rack or anything on the bottom?

kastle

No, it's a very heavy-bottomed stock pot, though.  If you do have a thinner pan, then you could just put some unused ring lids on the bottom to prevent scorching.

I've done several canning sessions of stewed tomatoes, applesauce, pickles and green tomato-and-apple chutney w/ no ill effects from not using a rack.

britneylindsey

Ok, good to know.  My pots are all aniodized, so that should be a heavy enough bottom don't you think?

Shortcake2675

You could use a folded kitchen towel on the bottom also.  The important thing about using a stockpot is that the pot is deep enough for the water to cover the jars by 1-2 inches.  

MingoMoll

We got a canner, because it can hold more jars at a time than any of our pots. We got ours at the local hardware store (a True Value one).

paith041

I found mine at Wal-Mart, it was cheap too, only around $15 and it had the rack in it. I thought it would have been much more. It's not in the regular aisles with all the pots and pans. At mine it was a few rows back but still with some utensils and appliances. Actually it was right next to where they keep the shelf liners (I helped a woman grab one that she couldn't reach). They'll have all the canning stuff together too and I bought a kit for about $10 that had the lid grabber, tongs, bubble remover and funnel.

pixieprincss

Walmart only sells them seasonally--and now is the season! Also, try an independent hardware shop (the kind that sells all sort of neat little household gadgets, too). We got ours at a yard sale.