Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Sally PB]

Also, what container do you put freezer jam in? Will the half pint mason jars with tapered sides break from the freeze or thaw if I leave headspace? - the kind fruit stands sell locally made jam in.

I made a lot of strawberry freezer jam when I was in high school. We froze it in large cottage cheese containers. We ate a lot of jam!

I only use straight sided canning jars in the freezer. I've been told the shoulders on other canning jars are more likely to break.

Oh, the paraffin was only used on cooked jam, and it was a pita to do.

 

[CedarLane]

I found the wire racks, so the next batch should freeze faster. Yay.

For what it is worth, I'm getting pretty gun shy about modified food ingredients. The links in Peris' thread about emulsifiers and orange juice have reinforced that but I've been moving that way for many years.

But no need to stop talking about it - it is good info, CedarLane. Thank you.

I, too, wonder about modified foods sometimes. I am curious to know what / how / when it is modified.

 

[CedarLane]

Ok, my sister and search engines both think the glass jars can be used for freezer jam. Just leave a bigger headspace than plastic containers need. Internet says a half inch for the glass jars. And don't try to use big jars.

My sister remembers the paraffin being used for cooked jam, not freezer jam. The main advantage is the canning jars could be used for the things that don't have so much sugar to give such a safety margin - the jam could go in jars the canning jar lids wouldn't fit. I don't have a shortage of mason jars.

Just be sure to use the straight sided canning jars. (Looking back I think you already mentioned learning that.)

I use plastic freezer boxes. When replacing or adding to my supply, I always buy the same brand so I don't have to search for the "right" lids. In my freezer I'd be worried about the glass jars being knocked around and broken, but I know that the straight sided mason jars are supposed to work in the freezer.

 

[Sally PB]

I use plastic freezer boxes.

I have a lot of canning/freezer jars already, but I'd like to get some freezer boxes. For one reason, they're square! Or rectangular. They fit into corners, and they stack. Jars don't so either well or as efficiently.

 

[CedarLane]

I have a lot of canning/freezer jars already, but I'd like to get some freezer boxes. For one reason, they're square! Or rectangular. They fit into corners, and they stack. Jars don't so either well or as efficiently.

This is one reason I prefer the boxes. When we 1st got married I used round containers bought at a bulk food store or cottage cheese/yogurt containers. I didn't like them because they didn't stack nearly as well as my square containers & I felt that they fit in the freezer space more efficiently.

 

[Folly's place]

I use glass jam jars for freezer jam, with the lids and rings. I never reuse those lids!
I too remember paraffin to seal jam and jelly jars, which were never done in a hot water bath. Bad plan! Use the rings and metal lids, and a hot water bath, as directed, for cooked jams and jellies..Freezer jam just goes into the jars with no hot water bath necessary. much easier!
Mary

 

[saysfaa]

One of the sizes of sargeant's cheese boxes from Meijer is close to perfect for 15 jam jars. With the lids and rings on, the jars fit better with the end flaps cut off. The ends went between the rows of jars to keep the jars from knocking against each other. I'll make proper dividers eventually.

I have the box the jars came in but boxes in categorize things haven't been holding up well in the freezer so the cheese box is better. And the same size as most of the others.

I found square freezer boxes and lids at an estate sale a few weeks ago. When I got them home, I started wondering what kind of plastic they were. They look just like the kind everyone used in the seventies. What do you think? We ate a lot of food from that kind and apparently survived well enough but...

 

[Sally PB]

I found square freezer boxes and lids at an estate sale a few weeks ago. When I got them home, I started wondering what kind of plastic they were. They look just like the kind everyone used in the seventies. What do you think? We ate a lot of food from that kind and apparently survived well enough but...

Hmmmm. I don't know what to think. Do they have a recycle symbol on them?

 

[saysfaa]

I don't know. I'll look next week.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm avoiding more plastics, especially for foods. We got rid of most of our plastic food containers, especially the old ones.
Mary