canning jar question

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I love some of the jars stuff comes in from the store.
I know I can't reuse lids for home canning but would love to reuse some of these cool shaped jars.
However the lids all seem to be of indeterminate sizes . . . is there a place to buy seal and rings or lids that would work ie; fit these jars . . . or is there another alternative that meets the requirements of safe canning?

 

[ChikeeMomma]

So you are asking if you can reuse commercial jars that had say pickles from the grocery store or some such thing in them for home canning, right?

See what others have to say, but I'd stick with the jars and lids that are specified for home canning. You could always use the ones your speaking of to store beans, grains, granola, etc. Or maybe garden seeds -- or if you are a seamstress, use them to keep odds and ends in. Just some ideas.

 

[Chick named Lola]

Never, never reuse the lids for canning. But as mentioned it's ok for non food items. If your looking for replacements so you can can...ha ha... just go to any store that sells canning supplies. You can get any size..regular or wide mouth lids and/or bands.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

ok so my question is; does anyone know of a place on line or store front that sells lids other than the standard ball/kerr lids that might fit jars with non standard sized mouths that would be safe to use for home canning?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I think there are only two standard sizes- the wide mouth and regular. I have never seen other sizes for sale.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

Me either, but ya never know what you can find on the internet.

All the retail stores around here sell the regular mouth and wide mouth lids and rings.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Quote:
=========
I do a lot of dehydrating, so yeah, I keep a lot of the jars of things I buy in the store. Like jars of peanut butter. Salsa. Pickled beets. Etc.

I don't need to buy rings or anything. As long as the lid can tighten to keep out bugs and rodents, I reuse them to store dried tomatoes, beans, peppers, garlic, diced onion, banana slices, fruit roll-ups, etc.

Sometimes I even use them to make ice-box pickles. They don't need to go through the canning process, just go into the fridge and are ready in a couple of days.

Just a thought.

 

[ChikeeMomma]

Okay, Katy, I hope you don't think I'm dense, but it sounds like you want to use the neat looking jars for canning, correct? I would not use the jars for home canning. I would buy the glass jars specified for home canning. Some brands are Kerr, Ball, and there's others. The glass jars used to commercially can may be of different thickness or make up, etc and are probably canned in a different way than how you would do it at home. So I would think that they would not be safe to use. They would be safe for refrigerator pickling like someone mentioned. My grandma used the big jars to make the drunken fruit (for lack of a better term) for fruitcake. In that case it's fine to use the lids they came with. If the jars were smaller and were a neat shape try making jar candles.

Sorry if I'm not getting it -- it's late!

And I'm sleepy.

 

[CarolAnn]

I wouldn't try using them for canning. I love the old blue/green Ball canning jars and use them to store all kinds of things in my kitchen and bathroom. I have a ton of the old zinc lids that I use natural or sprayed black. I love the look of them, but mostly love knowing I'm using pretty old jars that go way back, before they were antiques. If you're going to be canning I'd suggest you use the new jars and find ways to use your neat jars for various neat things around the house. That's what I do. Have fun with them!!

 

[armadamork]

I was told by my very wise mother never to anything but Ball, Mason, Kerr, etc. that are designed for canning. The easiest way I have found is to see if a standard or wide mouth ring fits. The jars are usually marked as well. Certain spagetti sauces are definately reuseable.