naturelady Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 I have a question (and I shouldknow this...) about the jars you can use to can jelly. For instance, I have some jars that had Smuckers jelly in it, and the regular canning lids and rings will not fit this jar. But I still have the Smuckers lid... Can I use this jar to can jelly? How will I know for sure that it sealed? Link to comment
ArmyOfFive4God Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Not safely, no. There are a few jars out there that will say mason on them after yuo've peeled the label off and you can use them. But no to basic jelly, mayo & of the like jars. I'd use the jelly jars to store dry goods though! Link to comment
Violet Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 Those are one trip, disposable jars. You take a risk trying to use them. If they come unsealed, even if they seem to seal at first, you have lost your jam. To me it is not worth risking it. Link to comment
naturelady Posted October 17, 2007 Author Share Posted October 17, 2007 That's kinda what I thought.... They are really neat shaped jars, too. Guess I can use them for candle holders ! Thanks ! Link to comment
HappyCamper45 Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Armyof5: I was just about to ask about the old fashion mayo jars...Seems lots of people have used them to can and I was wondering if it's alright to use them. I just don't understand why if our grandmothers used them, why can't we? Lot's of people in these parts are giving a way Mayo jars that were used to can... Link to comment
ArmyOfFive4God Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 I'll be the first to admit, I don't follow all the rules, but if you decide to use the mayo jars it's an AYOR (at your own risk) sort of thing. (PS- I reuse flats lids LOL) Link to comment
Leah Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 It has to do with the thickness of the glass. New jars are thinner making the seal more 'iffy', and the jars more prone to breakage. Link to comment
Darlene Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 HC, the mayonnaise jars are not built to go through the amount of heat and pressure that the formal cannings jars do. We hafta remember the money, time and work that we put into preparing the foods we preserve. Do we really wanna jeapordize all that by trying to can in jars that you can't have confidence in? Link to comment
Cat Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 (Following the BOSS??? ) (Boss, I love ya, but you've been canning only since they changed the Miracle Whip jars.) My 2 cents... based on years of experience. The *older* Miracle Whip/mayo jars were probably made by the same companies that made the canning jars. They are threaded the same as the two-piece canning jars, and are pretty much the same thickness. In my experience, they are every bit as sturdy for canning as my "real" canning jars. In fact, I've had more canning jars break than mayo jars... though I actually HAVE more canning jars, so breakage is probably the same percentage-wise. Prevention magazine did a side-by-side comparison study in the early 80s. They found no noticeable difference in the rates of breakage between canning and mayo jars. Personally, I'd take the older mayo jars for canning, if that's what they've already been used for. That said, the NEWER jars are *junk*. The threads are different, and you don't have the thickness the older ones have. (I suspect they're made in another country, and standards are not the same.) ( And I NEVER re-use flat lids!!! Not a risk I'm prepared to take.) Link to comment
naturelady Posted October 17, 2007 Author Share Posted October 17, 2007 I used to always keep and use the old Mayo/Miracle Whip jars for canning. And then a few years back, they changed the size of the opening so that the lids and rings don't fit anymore. I'm sure I still have some of the old jars in my stash and I still use them as they get pulled from the shelves. But the newer ones won't work because the rings/lids won't fit. Also, there is one spaghetti sauce jar that will work, and it says Mason on the side or the bottom... can't remember right now what brand it is... Link to comment
SueC Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Over here we can get new lids for the commercial jars. One lady I talked to said that she has been using the commercial jars for 20 years and has no problems with them, or if there is a problem it is no more frequent than using Fowlers Vacola (the aussie 'mason' jar). Maybe the jars are better made here or something. I noticed that Susie can do the same in France. Link to comment
HappyCamper45 Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I haven't bought a glass jar of sauce or mayo...It's all plastic at sam's and other grocery stores. I have bought apple sauce in glass jar but not since Darlene goated me into making my own... Not 500lbs of course like she'll working on but, enough to last us about 6 months. I had asked a question about canning with older mayo jars and I'm glad to here you can do that. Thanks.. Link to comment
Necie Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 I can in old mayo jars, too. I usually try to use them for WBC so they're not being put under the extreme temps and pressure of PC, but have used them in the PC, too. Also use them for things that I plan to give some away. That way if I don't get them back I'm not out the cost of actual 'canning' jars. I also LOOK for jars as packaging when I'm shopping. (I look for reusable containers whenever possible.) Examples: Buying honey at the Amish store last week-they had 5# milk jug type containers for $14.89, and they had 2#13oz mayo jar containers for $6.49, so I got two of the quart jars-5#10oz for $12.98-cheaper plus two free jars. Then at Aldi's Monday, I was buying fruit-they had 29oz cans for $1.19 or 24oz mason jars (like the speghetti sauce type) on sale for $1.29. Well, I lose 5 oz of fruit (which I couldn't see and the stuff in the cans and the fruit in the jars-same brand, but 'Hand Select, Fancy Grade'- looked GOOD), but I gained pint and a half mason jars (which are getting harder and harder to find) for .10c ($1.20/dz for actual mason pint and a halves!! ). The only thing I reuse canning lids for is dry storage. Link to comment
HSmom Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Necie, you like 1.5 pint jars (24 oz)?!? I see them in one particular thrift store all the time. But I don't know what to do with their funny size and always set them back on the shelf. I assume one would process as for quarts, but I'm curious, what do you use them for? Link to comment
Necie Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 Fruit-alot of times DBF will open a jar of fruit and I'm not in the mood for any. (He eats alot of fruit and I don't.) A qt is too much and a pint isn't enough. Then there's this one-egg cake I make with fruit-same problem. And upside-down cakes. Mushrooms-wild varieties...honey mushrooms and hen-of-the-woods I can in pint and a halve. Corn-I'd rather can in them, but don't have enough jars, so they go in pints. Same with some pickles and jalepenos and stuff like that. Link to comment
susie Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Originally Posted By: naturelady I have a question (and I shouldknow this...) about the jars you can use to can jelly. For instance, I have some jars that had Smuckers jelly in it, and the regular canning lids and rings will not fit this jar. But I still have the Smuckers lid... Can I use this jar to can jelly? How will I know for sure that it sealed? I buy those ordinary kinds of jars, along with new lids (the lids have little sealing button on the top that pings), at a local wholesalers, and that's what I use for canning everything. Link to comment
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