A frequent question I hear is “Can I use an electric multi-cooker, such as the Instant Pot, for canning?” Well, the answer is simple. No. Why? Below are some of the reasons:

Pressure does not kill harmful microorganisms, temperature does. Even though these cookers use pressure, the USDA has not conducted research on the actual temperatures inside electric multi-cookers during the cooking process or the temperatures of the contents of the jars. This is a concern, since ultimately the temperature and heat distribution inside the jars is critical for the destruction of harmful bacteria in the foo...