old-fashioned glass lid canning jars

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I was surprised at the response to my previous question about the mayonaise jars. Thanks to all who answered. Here's a new question: I have some of those old fashioned glass jars that require the rubber gaskets. I bought a couple packages of gaskets so I'm ready to use the jars. I have never used those kind of jars before and don't know what to do. Do you pressure can, water-bath can, or what? And how do you know they're sealed? Obviously, the lid is not going to pop down.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), August 15, 2001

Answers

those were designed for water bath, since they didnt have pressure canners at the time. If I was goignt o use them for food storage,, Id MAKE DARN SURE, I boiled them ALOT. since there is NO way of knowing when the seal is ready. IM sure some old book would have times and such.

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 15, 2001.

We do not use our glass lid jars for canning, too afraid of breaking them and don't trust the seal. Instead we put seasonings, candies, etc. in them. They look very nice on the Hoosier cupbard.

-- Nancy Bakke-McGonigle MN. Sunset (dmcgonig@smig.net), August 15, 2001.

Oh my..... I used to can with those, forgot what i did exactly. I think I used a hot water bath but I also recall canning a lot in my pressure canner as thats so much easier. I remember steralizing the glass lids well and the rubber rings then putting the contents in the jar, the rubber band, the lid and sealing. I think I canned as i normally did. Its been 10 yrs and even though I LOVED those jars my brain has pooped out on me. I couldn't take all my stuff with me when i moved and so i sold them. I'll see if i have it written down someplace. I recall being very careful. Sorry i'm not much help.

Bernice

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), August 15, 2001.


Hi, Cathy. We always use them to hot water bath tomatoes. They are actually a better way to can because the lids will never corrode like the tin ones can--the only thing that can give way after a long time is the rubber ring. You can tell when they seal by just letting them cool down and then unsnapping the wire bail and gently testing the cover to see if it's loose. It's always easy to tell. If they don't seal the cover pops right off.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), August 15, 2001.

Get yourself a copy of "Putting Food By" by Ruth Hertzberg, Beatrice Vaughan and Janet Greene. They throughly discuss all types of jars and closures available now and in the past, with instructions on using them. These jars may be used in pressure canning. They have not been manufactured since the sixties, and rubbers can be hard to find, but I have a pressure canner dating from the thirties (still using it too--it was my grandma's Presto brand, with the original book) and instructions for those type jars as well as the zinc lid jars are included. I have not canned with them because I couldn't find rubbers until lately. "Putting Food By" has good instructions and has the times for pressure and water bathing for whatever you are canning. Good Luck! (P.S. Putting Food By does not condone canning in mayo jars, but I still do it with good luck. The authors are home economics professors and go very much by the book, which is why I would trust their instruction for the glass top jars.)

-- Denyelle Stroup (dedestroup@hotmail.com), August 16, 2001.


Cathy I think you can use the regular sized canning lids that are available on the market still. Just be sure to center the lids first, the zinc rings are larger than the lid.

-- Martin H (martinh@wcl.on.ca), August 16, 2001.

I still use the glass lids for canning on these jars. You know when they are sealed when you try to open them....they are really hard to get off. Of course you always taste a little and "sniff" the contents before eating them. Today they recommend not using them for safety sake and perhaps they are right. I pressure can with them and also use the regular "new" metal lids on the other mason jars. I figure if the metal lids "ping" down the glass ones must be OK too. As always, boil the lids and rubber rings well and your jars, and follow sanitary rules in canning. Don't be afraid of using them...just be smart. Good Luck !!!

-- Helena Di Maio (windyacs@ptdprolog.net), August 17, 2001.

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