canning supplies

[Hinotori]

My grandmother on dad's side always used paraffin. Great grandma did as well. Allowed saving the actual canning jars for other things. Cut the top off glass bottles, sand edges, use for jams and jellies.

 

[Chic Rustler]

I have found that the Walmart jars are poor quality: have had some break during processing. No problem with the lids. So... I buy name brand jars, and WM lids.

I really like the golden harvest jars and lids. they are cheaper than ball and still made in usa. never had an issue with them.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Ball, Kerr, and Golden Harvest are all owned by the same company. I have jars from all three. All are good jars.

The Walmart brand ones looked questionable

we've used some of the walmart ones. had a couple break in the pressure canner. never again


I knew ball and Kerr were the same company, but i didn't know about golden harvest.

 

[Britesea]

Glass is a super-cooled liquid. As such, over time (a LONG time, but nevertheless) it will slowly slide downward. The top will become thinner. If you look at windows in old houses, the top is usually thinner than the bottom-- which is why old windows rattle.

I have a few antique canning jars that I still use, but only for BWB, not pressure canning.

 

[CrealCritter]

Glass is a super-cooled liquid. As such, over time (a LONG time, but nevertheless) it will slowly slide downward. The top will become thinner. If you look at windows in old houses, the top is usually thinner than the bottom-- which is why old windows rattle.

I have a few antique canning jars that I still use, but only for BWB, not pressure canning.

Maybe that's why my wife stores her empty jars upside down. That and I guess to keep them clean.

 

[Britesea]

Yes, I know about the old glass not being perfectly even. The fact is though, that when you install the glass into a window frame, you caulk it so it's airtight. Over the years, those upper sections of glass become thinner than they were and the caulking is no longer airtight; thus, they rattle. It's not much, but it's measurable. Float glass was invented in the 1850's; it's common to see the thick/thin phenomenon in Victorian era homes. I grew up in a Victorian era home, DH grew up in a 30's era home and both of us are familiar with the rattling windows caused by the caulking no longer fitting the glass panes.

 

[Hinotori]

Mom and I are the only ones who do regular canning in my family anymore. Mom only does jams for her yogurt. Mom still freaks when she hears Im pressure canning. It scares her because "your great grandmother had one explode on her". My great aunt said it just blew out the overpressure plug and spewed water and some food over the kitchen. That didn't stop her from canning.

My SIL doesn't understand canning food. She made spaghetti sauce with all the onions and meat, left it set overnight, then jarred it and waterbathed it for 10 minutes the next morning. My brother wouldn't let her feed it to any of them. She hasn't tried any canning again. Mom offered to help her make jam for her first try well before that but oh no. Cant do that.

 

[farmerjan]

I hear you @Britesea , and I can well understand as there are boxes and boxes of books of mine right now in a storage trailer. There won't be enough space in this new house for the books unless I line all the walls with them.... Well, we will see if I get the house, depending on the appraisal since they are cutting it off a much bigger piece of land. Have to have 2 acre minimum here, and that is all that will go with the house which is fine for me for now. There is alot of other property that I have access to with our farming operation. I just want to stop renting a house, and this place is close to where we have the majority of our cattle operation. It is becoming available as they have not done anything with it for over 6 years since the mother passed away, and I had expressed interest last year, and this spring the 3 sisters that inherited it said it was a good idea to sell it. The rest of the land on that side of the road, has their Christmas tree farm, and the other side of the road has a 15-18 acre hay field we rent and the house where one of the sisters and her husband live. Since none of their kids is interested in it, they agreed it shouldn't keep sitting. So waiting on the surveyor and then the appraisal, and then see. It is on a busier road than I like, but hopefully it won't appraise too high since it does need some work inside.
Maybe turn one upstairs bedroom into a library ? I don't know. I also have several tropical fish tanks that got put in storage when I moved here, that I would dearly love to get started again.... I just enjoy the fish and the water is great for watering house plants.....

But I agree 100%... I love my books too.

 

[Hinotori]

I simmer some vinegar water in the canners (and steam juicer bottom) before they are put up. It removes the scale that builds up. My little saucepan I use to boil eggs also gets that treatment regularly.

If you dont use Jet dry or anything in your dishwasher, use white vinegar in that dispenser. It removes extra soap and helps with the water spots as well.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

My canner instructions also state to use a bit of white vinegar in the water if you have hard water... which we certainly do.