# Ward's Windsor A Canner # 8, Why too small?



## shellybo (Nov 9, 2013)

Hi, I recently purchased a vintage Ward's Windsor A Canner # 8. I thought it would hold 4 quarts from the footprint, but it only holds 3 and and a pint, or 5 pints. It is a gasketless canner with a gauge ( sorry don't have a picture). It looks like a vintage national or All American Canner. I have a larger Wards canner 18 just like it.

My question is does anyone know "why" this canner can't be used as a canner? I know the "recommendations" are a canner should hold 4 quarts but "why"? This pot was clearly made to can (and not as a pressure cooker) since it has a basket ( not just a rack) for jars to rest in and lift out just like my large canner. 

I removed the petcock and added an All American vent, weight like I did with my other canner ( there is a great youtube video on this), did a test run and it functioned like my other canner with coming up to vent, holding pressure and cooling down.

Why would I want a small canner? Well, some times I might buy something on sale - say chicken breast and I only want to buy a few pounds and not buy tons ;-)

Are these recommendations new? Since I think this canner is about 50 years old or more.

Thank You!

Michelle


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## shellybo (Nov 9, 2013)

found this answer on colostate.edu

" Use a pressure canner that holds at least 4 quart jars. Smaller pressure canner-saucepans are not recommended for home canning as they heat up and cool down too quickly to ensure adequate heat penetration using the processing schedules specified in this fact sheet." bummer! :-(


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## hippygirl (Apr 3, 2010)

Just a thought...are you using Ball quart jars or generic like Golden Harvest?

The reason I ask is that the Ball quarts are smaller than the GH. I know if I load my Presto canner with only Ball jars, there is quite a bit of "wiggle room", but if using GH, there is none...at all!


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## shellybo (Nov 9, 2013)

hippygirl said:


> Just a thought...are you using Ball quart jars or generic like Golden Harvest?
> 
> The reason I ask is that the Ball quarts are smaller than the GH. I know if I load my Presto canner with only Ball jars, there is quite a bit of "wiggle room", but if using GH, there is none...at all!



Hi Hippygirl,

I'm using the Ball jars. I was wondering if the shape of the jars had changed! But found an old posting on ebay and the bad news the photo shows 3 jars, but the good news is the recipe book they posted showed recipes for canning including times . The times were 10 mins longer or 100 minutes for quarts. So if I use it - plan to bring it up to temp on low and process a little longer.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

We have 2 small "canners" like you have, not a pressure "cooker". They work great, we love them. Jams, jellies and a lot of other things in pints now that there are only 2 of us. It is a "new" thing because they were used all the time. These were my Grandmothers and she used them a lot, then Mom used them for years. As stated "using the processing schedules specified in this fact sheet." They want you to buy a new canner. We do the same, heat slow and let everything get good and hot before starting the process time....James


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## shellybo (Nov 9, 2013)

Hi James, Thank you for this information! I really like this canner it is adorable ;-) Plan to try using it this weekend. Thanks again!

Michelle


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