Canning without the Heat

When we first began canning we were living in a condo and did all of our canning in our kitchen on an electric stove. If we didn't run the air conditioner, the house became hotter and if we did run the air conditioner, it simply ran more which cost more money .... to can.

Then we moved into a house that has a small covered back porch (7 ft x 14 ft). We bought a two burner propane stove to put on the porch and connected it to our 30 gal propane tank from our camper. This works great because we can can in any weather and all of the heat stays outdoors. We have two pressure canners and two water bath canners so we can get more done in a shorter period of time.

The biggest inconvenience of this is I am in my mid 60's and those propane tanks just keep getting heavier and heavier. So, I had a 120 gallon propane tank installed and connected my two burner stove, as well as, my grill. At 80% capacity the tank holds 96 gallons of propane and will probably last 1 1/2 to 2 years. When I need more propane, I simply call and they deliver the propane directly to my house.
This set up is not just good for canning and grilling. As a prepper, it meets our requirement for alternate cooking methods in a lights out situation. And with a 120 gallon propane tank, we will not worry about ice or snow storms knocking out our power or a longer term outage caused by some natural or man made disaster.

My 30 gallon propane tanks will still be used for my camper, as well as, to connect to an energy efficient propane heater to use in emergency situations. I have two 30 gallon and one 20 gallon propane tank to provide for emergency heat. I will also buy more propane tanks if I can find them at yard sales.

Using propane tanks inside your house is a little more dangerous so make sure you have monitors set up close to the tank to detect any leaks. You can use a soapy solution to check your connections to ensure there are no leaks. You can also have the gas company install a quick disconnect connection so you can hook up a heater in a room of your choosing. This is the safest method of using propane inside your house.

So, look at your situation for canning and long term cooking and heating alternatives. Pick a solution that best meets your needs but by all means, be prepared.