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12:08 am
June 8, 2010
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Forgive for my questions I've never done any canning before but I remember watching my grandma do it as a kid. But I plan to do some canning this summer. Last year I didn't do any and most of our garden went to waste. 
Gasp in horror. Yea I know shame on me-I'm still learning. This year I do not intend to waste one bit of food. How long of a shelf life do most canned goods have?
9:06 am
February 8, 2009
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Here is the official answer:
How long will canned food keep?
Properly canned food stored in a cool, dry place will retain optimum
eating quality for at least 1 year. Canned food stored in a warm place
near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, or in indirect sunlight may lose
some of its eating quality in a few weeks or months, depending on the
temperature. Dampness may corrode cans or metal lids and cause leakage
so the food will spoil.
The unofficial answer is YEARS. If processed properly and stored in
cool and dry conditions. May not be optimal nutrition after
that long, but it's fine to eat. My personal timeline is around 5 years,
but that depends…..
HTH
dede
4:56 pm
Hi, I was wondering about pressure canning? You see I want to take the plunge and buy one, BUT I AM AFRAID kind of like Suzanne and the Lye for soap, I have a pressure cooker, but it's not for canning, and I do lots of water bath canning, any advice on what kind to buy? and is it hard to use? I know I am a scaredy cat when it comes to things possibility exploding!!! 
not afraid of the lye, just the pressure canner!
THANKS!!!
5:06 pm
October 17, 2008
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NOT HARD TO USE!!!! Makes life simpler, too! I have the Presto 23 qt….. it was inexpensive (comparatively).
Here's a link of a pressure canner discussion we've had ongoing for quite a while http://chickensintheroad.com/forum/the-canning-pot/pressure-cookers-and-canners/
I think the link to the Presto deal was in that topic.
10:30 pm
Thanks Cindy!!! I checked out the Presto online, and I am going to talk to hubby, he works for ACE, so I may be able to buy it from them and get a discount. I really don't need the All American one, for what I do, Sam is 13 and my other kid's are out of the house, so its not like I would be canning mass quanities of food. I will keep you posted if I get one.
12:45 pm
April 12, 2010
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I read yesterday in my Better Homes and Gardens magazine that if you leave to much air in the jar the food can spoil, and if the lid is put on too tightly the seal might not be good. I might have a problem with some of my jam after reading this. 
2:01 pm
February 8, 2009
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The air in the jar has to be forced out in order to form the vacuum that preserves the contents. If there is too much airspace/headspace in the jar and/or if the ring is too tight, the processing cannot force the air from the jar and a proper vacuum will not form. This is why watching headspace recommendations and only tightening 'fingertip tight' are very important. Now, for jellies & jams there may not be a huge issue since they will keep with NO processing for some time. I would use the jars with the biggest 'gaps' first.
That help?
Dede
3:32 pm
April 12, 2010
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Thanks.
2:19 pm
September 2, 2008
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On canners, I got an AA921 several months ago, and I love it. It works well on my glass stop stove, I guess because the stove is old. The only negative is that it is very heavy, but other than that it is way better than the old Mirror canner I have.
6:58 pm
February 10, 2009
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I've always been told by my mom, and always told others that using anything but real canning jars and canning lids was a very bad idea. Others have told me they use certain jars, but I've held the tough line and refused to step over it on the subject…. but I would like to use these jars, PG1985F Victorian Footed Jars, 9-1/2 oz., 12/cs
or possibly the 12 sided ones to put some fancy jams in for gifts etc. I use the 12 sided ones for spices now because they fit into shelves and drawers better than round ones, but have resisted canning anything in them. What do you gurus think? I've canned a lot over the years, but this has me hesitating. I suppose I coud try some and keep them for myself to test.
You can get brand new lids for every time, so reusing the lids is not a question at all, I KNOW that's a huge No No.
8:47 pm
February 8, 2009
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Deb, those jars are commonly seen around here at craft fairs and I have seen jellies, jams and mustards in them especially. I wouldn't hesitate to use them and BWB bath them. I save the coated one piece lids to use for leftovers BUT my main motivation is that I would use them for BWB canning if the bands and lids were totally unavailable. Same with these, and yes I mean re-use a lid if necessary some day.
So can away and take pride in your gifts! BTW, a couple of years ago I saw a local TV piece on a lady who has an herb farm and has sold jellies in mass quantities for years. They taped her talking while she filled jars like these with road kill jelly, capped them, and set them aside on layers of newspaper. That was IT. No further processing. I was stunned. Ummm no further processing required in WV for jelly to be sold to the public. Who knew…..
dede
OH – road kill jelly = fallen crabapples and such that fall onto the rural roads 
9:09 pm
February 10, 2009
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Oh good. I've seen them at craft booths too actually, of course I have! I guess I'm a bit set in my ways? 
I don't like to think too set in my ways about everything, but canning is something I'm pretty much a stickler about. I know it says in the text on that site that they're safe for BWB canning, but I really don't believe what people say especially when they're trying to sell a product. Of course, in cases like this, if it's a reputable site I guess there'd be a high price to pay if they were telling bald faced lies!
I appreciate the reassurance Dede!
Oh, and I used to have a shirt that had a menu on it for a 'place' called "The Road Kill Cafe", one of the dishes was "Grilled Moose"… it was prepared on the grill of a ford, a chevy, or a mack truck.
10:56 pm
February 8, 2009
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I am a stickler too – there are a lot of things that I was taught to just 'fill and they'll seal' but after learning better, there is no way I would now not BWB those things now unless there was no choice. This type of jars and lids are what is used pretty much everywhere except in the US and Canada. For the use that you plan, for jellies and jams and BWB'ing them, there is no safety issue.
12:45 pm
May 5, 2010
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BuckeyeGirl said:
I've always been told by my mom, and always told others that using anything but real canning jars and canning lids was a very bad idea. Others have told me they use certain jars …..
Okay, this is where I have a question as a canning newbie … everyone I know is being helpful in their attempts to enable my growing interest in canning by passing on jars that pasta sauce is sold in at the grocery store. I know not to use the lids again, but I've heard that these jars may not be suitable for repeated canning despite the fact they have the 'Mason' name on the side with all the pretty measure lines. Something about these jars not being tempered sufficiently for repeated canning efforts (this puzzles me since I would think the pasta sauce was canned in the jar originally). Other comments that the screw lines molded in the glass lip may not fit 2-part lids, etc. Honestly, if these are not considered real canning jars, the molded name and measures are darn misleading …..
HELP from the canning gurus?! Do I mess with these jars or clear out the growing collection, eating up precious shelf space, to the recycle center? Thank you, thank you!
1:01 pm
February 8, 2009
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Ruthmarie said:
Okay, this is where I have a question as a canning newbie … everyone I know is being helpful in their attempts to enable my growing interest in canning by passing on jars that pasta sauce is sold in at the grocery store. I know not to use the lids again, but I've heard that these jars may not be suitable for repeated canning despite the fact they have the 'Mason' name on the side with all the pretty measure lines. Something about these jars not being tempered sufficiently for repeated canning efforts (this puzzles me since I would think the pasta sauce was canned in the jar originally). Other comments that the screw lines molded in the glass lip may not fit 2-part lids, etc. Honestly, if these are not considered real canning jars, the molded name and measures are darn misleading …..
HELP from the canning gurus?! Do I mess with these jars or clear out the growing collection, eating up precious shelf space, to the recycle center? Thank you, thank you!
I re-use any of those jars IF the bands match the threads and tighten as well as 'real' canning jars. I use them for BWB only but I know that others have PC'd in them with success. I have little breakage anyway but it's definitely more the 'real' jars than these when it happens. Save the lids to use these jars for leftovers too or for giving away a quart of just-made soup. The 'not tempered properly' I believe comes mostly from liability issues – companies have to cover their behinds AND canning jar manufacturers don't want us using anything but 'real' jars 
dede
1:51 pm
December 28, 2008
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Oh, I covet those jars! They are good for sooooo many things, like storing the partial sack of rice, beans, all those odds and ends. And they look pretty nice, since they are the same size and shape.
2:52 pm
May 5, 2010
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Hmmm, you know, I hadn't considered using jars to store partial bags of dry goods … I have pullout drawers (thank you, DH!) in the kitchen pantry and the low clearance has kept me in quart ziploc bags (which I clean and reuse. But I sure like the idea of using jars for instant gifting … although many are without lids now. Although I recall that there are plastic Ball lids sold now to cap a canning jar once opened in the frig.
Okay! thank you, thank you! I will now take a lid ring and start testing the threads on 20 or so jars for fit. At the cost of the darn canning jars … and I'd agree about the company trying to perserve autonomy in the industry … it would please me no end to repurpose the empty grocery jars if possible. Besides, I suspect that the contibutors are hoping I'll give them back with something in them …
5:24 pm
February 8, 2009
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Ruthmarie, I also use them and their lids to store bulk herbs in the extra frig or in the freezer. I buy things like dill seed and weed, turmeric, etc. by the pound and store it for a huge savings over what you buy in those little herb containers at the store.
And when I can in them, I often give those jars away when someone wants to sample something. That way if the jar doesn't come back ………
dede
5:52 pm
May 23, 2009
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I use my larger ones for storing things too. Like dede above, I only use them for recanning IF the lid and band fit securely. Make sure to check before filling it with hit canning goods also. I hate when I go to screw on a band and I've missed one that won't tighten down! Those little fat jars that fruit comes in at the $ store for $1 each are perfect for storing dried herbs and for doing kids crafts and for gifting. Make sure to keep the orginal lids, bands won't fit. You can put a piece of patterned cloth over the lid and tie it with twine or raffia and they make adorable gift jars for homemade scrubs, etc.
6:00 pm
May 23, 2009
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Oops, one more thing for newbie canners out there. I absolutely LOVE the look of old canning jars full of garden goodness but make sure to always check the rim of the jar for nicks. After years of use some of them get some good sized nicks and dings around the lip. I always run my finger around the lip to make sure I don't feel any (careful not to cut your finger). If you find a nick, save that one for other uses because you might not get a good seal on your lid.
My first year of canning I told my mom I had tried to use a jar twice and couldn't get it to seal. She popped the lid off, checked and said, you got a little nick there…..um, duh! Thanks mom! Sounds like common sense but thought I would share in case anyone else didn't think of that.
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