This post contains affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Yes, you can use a stock pot for water bath canning, as long as it is deep enough to cover your jars with 1 to 2 inches of boiling water, has a lid, and has a rack that keeps the jars off the bottom. Most guides stop there. They don’t tell you how to work out whether your pot is deep enough for your jars, how to check it against your stove, or which pots to rule out. This guide covers all of that, so you can decide before you buy a dedicated canner.
Water bath canning is only for high-acid foods such as jams, jellies, pickles and many fruits. Low-acid foods, such as plain vegetables and meat, need a pressure canner. A stock pot is not a pressure canner. Processing times also change with altitude. Always follow a tested recipe from a source like your state’s extension service.
Is a Stock Pot for Water Bath Canning Safe?
It can be. A boiling water canner is, as Clemson Cooperative Extension’s Home & Garden Information Center puts it, “simply a big pot with a removable rack to hold the jars and a fitted lid.” Nothing in that description requires a pot sold as a canner. Your stock pot has to meet four conditions:
- It must be deep enough. The jars need to be covered by 1 to 2 inches of boiling water, according to Clemson.
- It needs a rack. Jars shouldn’t sit directly on the bottom of the pot. A rack lets hot water circulate underneath.
- It needs a fitted lid. A lid helps the water return to a boil faster.
- It must suit your stove. More on that below.
If any one of these isn’t met, the pot isn’t a good canner, however large it is.
How to Check Whether Your Pot Is Deep Enough
Most pot guides give a capacity in quarts, but canning is about depth. Here is a simple way to check yours before you start:
- Measure the height of your jar with the lid on, from the bottom of the jar to the top of the lid.
- Add the height of your rack, since the jar sits on top of it.
- Add 2 inches for the water over the jars. Clemson says 1 to 2 inches is the range.
- Add extra room so the water can boil without spilling over. One canning guide from Grow a Good Life says a pot should be at least 9 to 10 inches deep for quart jars, plus extra space to prevent splashing.
- Compare to your pot’s inside height, measured from the inside floor to the rim.
If your total is more than your pot’s inside height, the pot is too shallow for that jar size. A pot that fails for quart jars may still work for pints or half-pints, since shorter jars need less depth. Quart jars are the likeliest to fail the test.
👉 Browse tall stock pots with lids
Not sure what size your pot actually is? Our stock pot sizing guide explains how capacity maps to everyday cooking tasks.
Getting the Rack Right
A rack is the part people most often skip, and it is the part that matters. Without one, jars sit on the hot bottom of the pot, where they can heat unevenly and are more likely to break. Racks that come with canners often have handles for lifting jars in and out.
Some guides suggest improvised racks. Grow a Good Life mentions a round cake cooling rack or tied jar rings as makeshift options, and that’s reasonable for a small first batch. A purpose-made rack is more stable and easier to lift, which matters when it is full of hot, heavy jars. Make sure whatever you use fits flat inside the pot and doesn’t tip.
Check Your Stove Before You Check Your Pot
This is the step most stock-pot guides leave out. A big pot full of water and jars is heavy, and it has to fit the burner.
Electric coil stoves. Clemson says the canner should have a flat bottom and be no more than 4 inches wider in diameter than the burner, so it shouldn’t extend more than 2 inches on any side when centered. That keeps the jars processing evenly. Our electric coil stove cookware guide explains how to check flatness.
Smooth (glass) top stoves. Clemson’s guidance for boiling water canning on smooth tops is stricter. The pot should be no larger than the cooking eye surface, and it must be flat-bottomed. Ridged bottoms, such as those on traditional graniteware canners, are not suitable. Check your stove manufacturer’s instructions as well, since some limit the weight you can put on the glass. Our glass-top stove cookware guide covers this in more detail.
Induction. Your pot has to be magnetic and flat. Many stainless steel stock pots qualify, but test yours with a magnet. See our induction cooktop cookware guide.
Gas. Gas burners are the most forgiving on pot size, but a very wide pot can still heat unevenly.
What Material Should the Stock Pot Be?
Clemson notes a difference worth knowing. Aluminum transfers heat well, while stainless steel on its own is a poor, uneven conductor, so a stainless pot should have an added aluminum or copper layer in the base. In practice, a stainless stock pot with a thick, clad base is a better choice than a thin stainless one. Thin pots can also scorch and warp when heated for long periods.
Avoid pots with chipped enamel or heavy dents. Enamel can rust where it chips, and a warped base won’t sit flat on a flat-top stove.
When to Buy a Dedicated Canner Instead
A stock pot is a sensible start if you can it occasionally in small batches. A dedicated canner becomes worth it when you can often or in large batches, because it comes with a rack sized to the pot and is built for the job. Grow a Good Life makes a similar point: a stockpot works for small batches, but a dedicated canner is more efficient for frequent or large ones.
If you just want to find out whether you enjoy canning, a deep stock pot you can also use for soup and stock is the lower-cost route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a stock pot for water bath canning? Yes, if it is deep enough to cover the jars with 1 to 2 inches of boiling water, has a rack and a lid, and suits your stove.
What size stock pot do I need for canning? It depends on your jar size more than the pot’s quart rating. A pot at least 9 to 10 inches deep is suggested for quart jars, according to Grow a Good Life. Measure your jar, rack and water depth as shown above.
Can I use a stock pot instead of a pressure canner? No. A stock pot cannot reach the temperatures a pressure canner does, so it is only suitable for high-acid foods processed in boiling water.
Do I need a rack for water bath canning? Yes. Jars shouldn’t sit on the bottom of the pot.
Can I can on a glass top stove? Boiling water canning can be done on a smooth top if the pot is flat-bottomed and no larger than the cooking eye, according to Clemson, and your stove manufacturer allows it. Check your stove’s manual.
What can I use instead of a canning rack? Some guides suggest a round cake cooling rack that fits flat in the pot, or jar rings tied together. A purpose-made rack is safer and easier to lift.
Can I use an aluminum stock pot for canning? Aluminum transfers heat well, according to Clemson. Make sure the pot is clean, flat on the bottom and free of dents, and follow the pot manufacturer’s instructions.
A stock pot for water bath canning works when it clears four tests: depth, rack, lid, and a fit with your stove. For the full rules on pot size, burner size and materials, Clemson’s “Choose the Right Canner for Home Canning” and their guide to “Canning on Smooth Top Ranges” are solid, non-commercial resources worth reading. For recipes and processing times, use a tested source from your state’s extension service.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.