Canning - Can I use a towel instead of a wire rack?

[ABHanna4d]

I lost my wire rack for canning (water bath, not pressure canning). I heard somewhere sometime that I can use a towel in the bottom of the pot instead of a wire rack. Is this possible or are there risks involved? Has anyone ever done this before??

 

[noobiechickenlady]

That's all I've ever used. You can also use twist ties & put together the screw bands to make a rack. It's just to keep direct heat away from your jars so they don't crack.

 

[Farmfresh]

Learn something new everyday.

 

[ABHanna4d]

That's all I've ever used. You can also use twist ties & put together the screw bands to make a rack. It's just to keep direct heat away from your jars so they don't crack.

WOW Thank you!!!

 

[punkin]

Same thing happened to my Dad. He lost the rack for one of his canners a long time ago. He's used a towel ever since with no problems.

 

[Lady Henevere]

Potentially dumb question, but...how do you use a towel? Just lay it in the bottom of the pot?

 

[Ldychef2k]

Yep. And there is no such thing as a....well....you know or you wouldn't have added "potentially" as a disclaimer !!!!

 

[ABHanna4d]

Thank you all so much!! I canned my jelly yesterday and the towel method worked beautifully!!! I was even able to fit more jars in the pot than I used to be able to with the wire rack! Bonus!

 

[ducks4you]

The only thing that has ever cracked my jars was an extreme change in temperature. I have two rapid boil canners: one is a heavy, metal, very old with a glass top, 4 jar canner; one is a new lighter metal, spatterware, 7 jar canner--both have dividers. I either start with cold jars in cold water, OR I dip the jars in scalding water, fill with scalding hot ingredients, then put into boiling water, set the timer, check my lids, etc. Lukewarm jars and hot water has cracked jars for me in the past, and they have cracked solidly in half, or the bottoms have cracked off.

BTW, there are a few jars that I have gotten by buying another product, and the screw lids fit the jars. For some reason a lot of manufacturers, whose jars USED to fit canning lids, have made them smaller or larger, but you cannot reuse, say, a spaghetti sauce or mayonnaise glass jar anymore for your canning. Too bad.

 

[patandchickens]

I have better luck with wired-together lid rings -- they stay PUT, whereas when I curl a towel up on the bottom of the pot it always seems to squish around to where there are bare spots exposed and the jars won't stay upright when I put the first few into the boiling canner.

But if you can GET a towel to behave for you (my closest to success has come from rolling it into a 'snake', then spiralling that around to cover the bottom of the pan) then sure, knock yourself out You're just trying to keep the jars up off the pot bottom, which can cause jars to crack (too-fast heating)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat