Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Has anyone had any luck reusing "mason" jars that regular groceries are packed in, for use in dry canning using the foodsaver? The tomato sauce I buy from Sam's club, Classico, comes in an "atlas mason" quart size jar, and other tomato sauce (barilla) I've bought also come in mason type jars. Both these jars seem like they would accept the regular mouth ball canning lid, but I experimented on a few this morning, and couldn't get a seal.

Most of the time I buy new wide mouth Ball jars, and have never had a problem. I have both the wide mouth and regular mouth mason jar sealers, I was just hoping to save some money by reusing some of these good jars to vacuum seal them.

If you have found jars that would work, would you let us know what products were packed in them? Thanks.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

I have a ton of the classico mason's. I didn't notice any difference with them. I will try one out when I get back to the house and post here.

I never throw them away since they are good jars. I use them for tea and drinks around the house. I was saving them to try this out.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

My husband came home for lunch, so he tried helping me with these jars. By pressing down really hard, he was able to get them to seal. I never have to press down very hard with the standard Ball jars. He seemed to think that the problem was in the connection between the jar and the (mason sealing) adapter -because the jar was a slightly different shape, it wasn't making a good seal. In general, I seem to have more difficulty with the regular mouth jars, vs the wide mouth ones - but as you seem to have had good luck using them, this may well be simply a matter of operator error!

TechGuy -I just wanted to thank you, I've learned a great deal from your thread about dry canning. I've used this method for years to store my standard pantry supplies, but I never knew it could be adapted for really long term storage. (I had never even heard of oxygen absorbers until I came here!) It also really expanded the range of foodstuffs I learned I could store using this method. Now I really need to use as many mason jars as I can lay my hands on. :553:

I'm curious to know if anyone else has had either difficulty or success using these non-standard jars.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Yes, I've experienced this exact problem. Occasionally it happens with brand new mason jars. Take the food sealer adapter and pull out the ring seal ever so slightly on one side. This seems to make better contact with problem jars.

Sometimes I can just twist the jar under the adapter (and push down) to get it to work, but even the most difficult problem jars vacuum tight when I adjust the ring seal.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

thats odd, weve been using Atlas jars for years and never had any troubles. lids perhaps?

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Didn't get a chance today, got busy building nest boxes for my chicks.. i am running out of time, should start laying in around 2 weeks.

Will try tomorrow.

Just curious did you warm the lids?

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Yes. I used Ball lids and set them in a pan of hot, not boiling, water for 5-10 minutes. I did about a dozen 1/2 gallon jars, plus 2 regular mouth Ball quarts plus my "experimental" jars. All the Ball jars sealed on the 1st try, just not the sauce jars. I think MaxGravy is right, its just going to take a little adjusting of the adaptor and the seal.

I understand there might be a difference between the old Atlas mason jars and the new ones made (by a different company, I believe, but using the same name) for product packaging. Were your Atlas jars old or new?

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

be VERY careful with the jars from stores, the glass is not as thick, if you boil them (can with them), they can explode. the glass looks the same, but it's not.

i'd only use them as dry storage. i speak from experience, i had 2 classico tomato sauce jars literally explode like bombs in a cooker.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

We use the Classico "Atlas" jars for dry storage and water bath canning as we are concerned about the glass breaking during pressure canning. I did run a few test jars in the pressure canner with some extra foodstuffs, and I did not have any issues. Still, we have a surplus of quart Ball jars, so the Classico jars can safely be relegated to water bath canning and dry food storage.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

we have a food saver with the hose attachment and lots of mason jars.

I can't find any info (looked for a whole 5min) on how this works
Do you poke a hole in the lid?
and
How Do you seal the jar after sucking the air out?

thanks guys and ladies

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Use these with jar lids to pull and keep the vacuum

http:///www.foodsaver.com/Category.aspx?id=s&search=jar sealer

I think their is a video on that site that shows how it is done...
just check out their site.

Hope this helps...

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

thanks.
so let me get this straight...You gotta Leave that 9 dollar plastic thingy on there??

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

No

It is used to pull the vac on the jar.

You take the jar put the sealing lid on .
place the plastic thingy on and pull the vac when the machine stops
pull the hose off the thingy.
The lid will pull down on the jar when you disconnect the vac hose.
then you can put the ring on the jar and tighten..

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

ok thanks Golddust
Im looking for the video

or maybe my wife will dig out the instructions that came with the foodsaver.

thanks again!

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

:111::cry1:

When all else fails...


Read the manual...

The web site has tons of info....
Way past the manual's scope..

Glad to help...

:biggrin:

Edit:
Added to the other post....

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

:applause_:5_1_120:

Yeah I usually read the instructions as a last resort.

I dug out the foodsaver box and it came with a DVD so we will have to watch that later.

It also came with 3 different size "canisters" so we are gonna have to put those to use

But I would still like to put all these mason jars to use for stuff that can "Poke" the Mylar Bags

My wife is reading up on the web bout it now

Thanks again for the help

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Just place the lid on the jar, and place the foodsaver attachment over it.

The vacuum pulls air from around the lid. When the vacuum from the foodsaver is removed, the lid sucks down onto the jar.

Easy as pie.

Oh, and that reminds, me, I never tried my atlas jars... Better see if I can do that as promised.

PS> The vacuum is so tight that you don't have to worry about bands if you don't want to. Those lids require a knife or spoon edge to remove.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

I've got another question!

In the 5 years or so that I've been using the mason jars/foodsaver to store basic pantry foods, I've only ever used the inner sealing ring. Does it matter for longer term storage if you use the outer "screw on" ring? Are you supposed to do this? I've recently done about 6 cases worth of dry-canning (using the oxygen absorbers) for really long term storage, and I didn't add the outer ring, because I wasn't used to using them. I do have them, as these were all newly purchased jars - so it will be an easy fix.

Part of me thinks that having a backup for the seal is a good idea. Another part of me wonders if the pressure exerted on the seal by the outer ring might lead to premature failure of the vacuum seal. Any insight would be appreciated!

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

I believe TechGuy answered your question..

You do not need to use the screw on ring....

But I would recommend using the outer ring
if anything to protect the seal and the edge of the jar
from banging around and breaking the seal or chipping the rim of the jar....

Edit:

I do believe that using oxygen absorbers on jars that are vac sealed
by the machine is overkill.
and the tight screw ring may help keep the seal longer..but of that
I do not have a clue, if true or not but logic tells me it may help...

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Gonna order one from amazon right now!

Thanks Techguy!
And Golddust!

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Get the large mouth and regular one.

There are two and both will help ..

Just saying

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Good Idea But we mostly have wide mouth jars...

and there is a 3 to 4 week wait on the the regular mouth one.

we are gonna order it separate.
we get free shipping with amazon

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

Thanks, both of you. I think I posted the same time as Techguy, so I didn't see his post before I submitted mine.

Since I already have the rings, I think I'll go ahead and put them on - that way I won't have to find a place to store them. I won't worry about purchasing rings for the older jars that didn't come with them though.

Re: Dry Canning with non-standard "Mason" jars
 

That is correct... I follow the blue book advice on this.

If you want to keep the rings on to protect the jars/seals. Put them on VERY loosely. Any tension is NOT required. The force of the vacuum in the jar will keep the lid on there.

Believe me, they are NOT that easy to open by hand.


PS> I practice what I preach. I have jars WITH and WITHOUT the bands.... both are fine. The bands are very loose on all.