5 Best Pressure Cookers for Canning Meat [UPDATED]

The pressure cooker is a multi-functional kitchen tool for quickly cooking food in steam or liquid while preserving its flavors and nutritional qualities. The best pressure cookers for canning meat offers many possibilities for cooking meats in steam or liquid, boiled or simmered.

Two main cooking types are possible with a pressure cooker: steam or liquid. If you cook in a liquid (the most common option for meats), the foods are immersed in the liquid, with or without the basket. When steaming, the bottom of the basket remains above the water level. It is imperative to pour 250 ml of liquid in the pressure cooker (water, wine, or broth) without ever exceeding two-thirds of the tank.

This comparison article will review the five best pressure cookers for the best fit for canning meat and the guide to cooking meat in the pressure cooker.

5 Best Pressure Cookers for Canning Meat

A pressure canner is a safe way to can foods with low acids, such as pork, beans, and corn. The big-sized pot creates a tight seal that helps to heat water above its boiling point and trap steam to create pressure. The ultra-high temperature eliminates bacteria, especially botulism-causing ones.
There are certain models of pressure cookers that the NCHFP disapproves of. So it’s important that you search for various features and ask several questions. For example- is the pressure adjustable? Can you monitor and vent its pressure? Is it functional on a stovetop? Every answer to each of these questions should be a “yes. Suppose you intend to use the device to can meat. Ensure to read and follow the directions of the canner and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s instructions to ensure that your canned food is safe for consumption.

Keeping those guidelines at our fingertips, here are the five best pressure cookers for canning meat available on the market.

1. Presto 01755 16-Quart Aluminium Pressure Canner and Cooker

This pressure canner is a classic that has come a mighty long way. It has a striking resemblance to the models the USDA used to set its guidelines on pressure canning. Has the capacity to hold ten-pint-sized jars and seven quart-sized jars. It even functions as a water-bath canner for both pint and half-pint jars.
This aluminum pressure canner works in electric, gas, and glass ranges. You can adjust the pressure required for safe canning at high altitudes using the dial pressure gauge.

Pros

• Durable
• Affordable

Cons

• Incompatible with induction cooktops

2. Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker

A large catch or bumper crop calls for a canner with a large capacity. The trick here is striking a balance between size and weight. There are larger pressure canners available. However, this 23-quart model weighs below 11 pounds when empty, is relatively easy to lift even when fully loaded, and can hold 20-pint-sized jars.

Pros

• Works well on most cooktops
• Durable
• Large Capacity

Cons

• Incompatible with induction cooktops
• Needs regular recalibration

3. All American 10.5 Quart Pressure Cooker & Canner

A small-capacity canner like this one can last a lifetime only if you can make small batches and treat your canner with utmost care. Some of the most reliable canners on the market are made by All American. However, they’re the heaviest and most pricy.
The 10.5-quart pressure canner is one of the smallest on the market that meets the guidelines of NCHFP. When empty, this model weighs about 13 pounds and is the lightest All-American model. It has a dial gauge and a regulator weight that ensures consistency in pressure.

Pros

• Reliable
• Seals without a gasket
• It takes up little space

Cons

• Heavy
• Expensive

4. Mirro 92122A Polished Aluminium Pressure Cooker

Mirro’s 22-quart model is budget-friendly and might answer all your canning needs. Includes weight gauges for various pressure levels. It holds 16 stacked pint-sized jars or quart-sized jars. It also has a concave bottom, which isn’t suitable for flat-top surfaces.

Pros

• It doesn’t require recalibration
• Lightweight
• Budget-friendly

Cons

• Incompatible with induction cooktops
• No adjustments at high elevations

5. Presto 01784 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker

Typically, pressure canners are made of aluminum. However, this 23-quart model by Presto comes with a stainless steel-clad base. Furthermore, it works on electric, gas, and smooth-top ranges. It’s still advisable to check burner specs if you have a portable induction burner or a glass cooktop that may be unable to carry the weight of a full canner.

Pros

• Large Capacity
• Works well on all cooktops

Cons

• It May not function with portable induction burners.

What pieces of meat to cook in the pressure cooker?

The pressure cooker can cook multiple pieces of all kinds of meat, whether steamed, braised, or boiled.

Steam cooking allows cooking without adding fat. Once detailed, we can use pieces usually cooked in a pan or roasted: beef tenderloin, rack of veal, lamb nuts, pork tenderloin, horse tenderloin, or veal liver.

Meats can also be boiled, reproducing identically, but with shorter cooking times, the recipes for pot-au-feu, coarse salt beef, or veal head and tongue. Burning in a pressure cooker is also suitable for cooking certain slightly fatty pork pieces that appreciate the broth: the shank, the blade, the breast, or even the rack of ribs.

In the same way, the pressure cooker makes it possible to prepare, also with shortened cooking times, all braised or stewed dishes: bourguignon, beef stew or stew, sauté and veal shank, lamb stew, cheek and heart of beef, horse bourguignon, and finally roast, belly, pork pallet, etc. As with the traditional casserole dish, it is necessary to brown meat and vegetables before covering them with liquid and then cooking the whole.

Conclusion

These pressure cookers can drastically cut your cooking from 3 hours down to 30 minutes. So, shop around and invest in these quality pressure canners and cookers that are perfect for canning, meat, and nearly everything else.