Sorry, the rings will rust quickly. Usually if its from an acidic food lile pickles or stuff with vinegar and salt, the rings do rust quickly. Some prefer to remove the rings once the lids are concave and have been processed through a canner. As a substitute AFTER they are canned, you can always switch to the plastic screw on covers. These are not totally leak tight, but work very well to help hold the flat metal lids from falling off once a jar has been opened. I am now using several in my fridge, with half sour pickles, sweet and sour sauce, and even some dried herbs that are currently stored under vacuum. The plastic covers work well and are reusable. Unfortunately, they are not heat resistant to canning processing though, but can help to reduce and prevent the rust on rings, which are usually tossed out if they do become rusty. The metal lids on the other hand, usually hold up very well to corrosives like vinegar and salt, and I have only see the very edge of these start to rust a little. Because they are not recommended to be reused, I toss out the used lids once the jar is empty, wash the plastic cover, and reuse that over and over. A box of rings and lids runs about $2.50 or so, and ins't much more money compared to just a box of lids alone. Sometimes the rings get corrosive liquids trapped in the threads and this will just start the rust off, so once the jar is open, rinse the rings well and store, then switch to the plastic caps, but keep the metal lids on the jars until empty. This will help prevent the contents from leaking out should a jar get tipped over.

Part of the problem is that you're leaving them in place.

Recommended procedure is to remvoe the rings after the jars seal. The used ring should be washed, dried, and stored for future use.

Try that and you'll find they don't rust nearly so fast.

Gina, mine rust instantly if I let them sit in the dishwasher. When the cycle finishes, I shake off the excess water by jiggling the rack, let them sit in the hot air a few minutes more, and set them on a towel to dry.

If a ring starts to rust I toss it right away...in theory, you only need as many rings as you plan to use in one day, then you can take them off when the jars cool. Unless my jars have boiled over, I feel fine reusing them without washing since they dry from the jar heat. Once they've sat between uses, then I wash them in the dishwasher with the jars.

Melissa

Ken,
I have been saving the lids from the classico spaghetti jars - we still get the jars that have the right threads for canning. I have washed them and then use those on the tops of the jars that are open in the fridge. The blue plastic lids from our mayonaise jars fit also. I have put some of those on top of the flat lid on gift jars instead of leaving on a ring.
Melly

Some plastic lids from peanut butter work well as do mayo lids. It is important to remove the metal rings. Wash and dry thoroughly before storing in an air tight container. Don't store them in a damp cellar unless properly wrapped.
Ken, I always throw away the metal flats after opening. I like your idea of keeping it under the plastic to prevent spills.
I bought over 20 cases of jars this season so I'll have plenty rings to store.
Deer season opened this morning here in Western New York.
If my three sons have any luck, the 3 cases of jars in the corner of my kitchen will be filled by next week.

Shirley

Thanks everyone. I didn't know you remove the rings afterwards. I'm planning on giving away a lot of my canning efforts, since it's just DH and I. So I want to get nice "packaging". Where can I buy plastic rings, and what other ideas y'all have for dressing up jars to give as gifts?

I want to know where to get the plastic rings too.

jt

(who also uses Classico brand)

Gina, I knew you'd come over to the dark side. LOL

I always remove my rings after my jars sit for the required 24 hours, because sometimes they get sticky or rusty and I can't get them off the darned jars.

The same company that makes Ball/Kerr lids makes a plastic lid that fits on the jars, both widemouth and regular size. I get them here in my hardware store next to the canning lids, and I've also picked them up at the Evil Empire...um....Walmart.

Funny, though, they come 8 to a box, not 12, so one box won't be enough for a case of jars. Sort of like the 8 buns but 10 hot dogs dilemma.

If you can't find any, you know where to find me, I'll be glad to send you some!

Annie

> and I've also picked them up at the Evil Empire...um....Walmart.

Thanks! And I'm also thankful to the "Evil Empire' which I figure saves me 2K a year and that's important to this old GM retiree on a meager pension. Will take a closer look when next in Wally*World.

jt

Keep in mind that the all plastic 'lid', isn't just a flat lid, but a whole screw on plastic cap. Because Ball made these to fit their jars and deliberately made them for NOT sealing, they do not work for a water/air tight seal. As a gift, screw on one of these white plastic covers OVER the sealed metal lid. This way, the user can easily cover the jar again, without concern about leakage. I do this only with gift jars, and always ask the person to return the empty jars and plastic lids. Besides that, the plastic cover can allow a round label to be attached to it as well. The plastic covers come in both regular and wide mouth sizes, and are usually found wherever you find the canning jars and metal lids and rings.

Yes, I've crossed over. Bwa-ha! Started on Orchids 6 years ago, then wandered over to Cooking with some stops over at Kitchens. Now I've been sneakily introduced to canning and you know me - compulsive.

Thanks again, people. There's a Walmart near my girlfriend's house in Cerritos so I'll try that one. If I can't find them I'll email you Annie.

> As a gift, screw on one of these white plastic covers OVER the sealed metal lid.

Perfect!

I have a lot of rusting jar rings, had a hard time getting one off today so I went to this thread. But now of course I want to talk about something else! John, you wrote: "And I'm also thankful to the "Evil Empire' which I figure saves me 2K a year and that's important to this old GM retiree on a meager pension." How much money are you spending that you could 'save' $2K a year by shopping there?!? As a fellow thrifty retired person, I wonder why you need to buy that much clothing, shoes, food, appliances, hardware, whatever. Have you considered freecycle, thrift stores, rummage sales, Aldi or other discount grocery stores, etc.? I have gotten clothing, shoes, some appliances, canning supplies, etc. all FREE via freecycle. I would humbly suggest that you could save more money by NOT shopping at Walmart. About the only things besides food that I buy new at stores are socks, underwear, and hardware. Okay, vacuum food storage bags and canning lids sometimes.

I try not to lecture people too often here about the evils of Walmart, but do you realize most of their manufactured goods are made in China under sweatshop conditions? They are ripping off taxpayers by not providing affordable health care to their employees, and so your tax dollars pay for their health care (they are the number 1 company in my state and many others for # of employees on public health assistance.) As a GM retiree you may be aware of their illegal anti-union practices. Many other problems with them, but that is enough for now . . . I don't understand how nice people like y'all can shop there. They really are evil.

Marcia

Marcia, here they have driven nearly everyone else out of business, they are the only grocery store left in a neighboring town so if you don't want to drive a long way, you shop for groceries at WalMart.

That's not my beef about them, though. I have an aunt that works for them and they treat her like absolute Carp, her pay is horrible, her benefits suck and they make her work hours she doesn't get paid for. She's a widow in her 60s and "retired" from a small local factory but can't live on Social Security. The factory did not offer much of a retirement benefit. Anyway I hate Walmart and only go there when I absolutely can't get something somewhere else. It's a personal thing with me, so I always refer to them as the Evil Empire.

Anyway, I've gotten the plastic lids there, when I go to buy my King Arthur Flour (my favorite which I can't buy anywhere else) or just to buy lunch for my Aunt.

Gina, just email me, I'll be glad to send you some of each! You'll get lots and lots of recipes here too.

Annie

Two years ago I was taken to task (on gardenweb) for using shredded cypress as a mulch and now this. However, I will bite my tongue so as to not further disrupt this usually tranquil forum. Free Enterprise!! COLOR="white">

Can't find the plastic rings & lids locally. Does anyone have a mail order source?

anon

I'm biting my tongue as well. Let's remember there's a separate forum for "hot topics." I'm just here to talk about canning. Anyway, John, I ordered a small canning rack from "kitchen crafts" through Amazon. I'm going to check there also.

Here's a picture from Ace Hardware to show what they look like. Most any site that sells jars and rings will carry these. If you have a store where you normally buy canning supplies, you might ask if they can get some of these too.

One thing to remember. These only come as wide and narrow-mouth caps and are purely for storage once the jar is opened. So unless you fill your refrigerator with opened jars of canned goods, a box of each size is probably enough. They do make nice "toppers" for gift-giving also.

As Ken mentioned, these caps are not airtight. As I've learned, if your pickles tip over in the fridge, they will leak. It is helpful to leave the original flat on and just screw the plastic cap over that.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Wide-Mouth Storage Caps

John,
We switched from the cypress to pine straw a while back only to find out that when they take the pine straw it does bad things to the forest too - can't remember what. I received a box of the wide mouth plastic lids from a lady on freecycle. I already had a box, so I would be happy to send you some if that size would work for you.
Melly

Led Zep,
As far as things produced in China, its also everywhere else in the world where they get cheap labor too. I wouldn't just blame a giant like Walmart, as most anything we buy from anywhere is probably originating from some under developed country with nearly slave labor. Take a look at all the telephone customer service support thats being farmed out of the country. Companies like Dell use people in India to do their tech support. Just wish they could speak english a little better.

John, There is no such thing as a plastic lid, just a whole screw on plastic cover. The original metal lids that are used in canning serve quite well as the leak proof seal once a jar has been opened. The use of the all plastic cover goes over the metal lid and helps to hold it in place. Many hardware stores sell the plastic lids in both sizes, and I even see them at some supermarkets when they also have canning jars. On line, you can find them at Kitchen Krafts and many other retailers who sell all the other Ball products.

Yesterday, I was at a 'super' Walmart and was amazed at all the food items they sell. Interesting to note, they also had two kinds of powdered pectin as well as two kinds of liquid pectin. There are only a few 'super' Walmarts out there, and the nearest one from me is 60 miles away. Sometimes its worth a trip especially if you plan that trip to include many other things, like I did.

Melly, pine straw? is that the needles? If so, they have a chemical in them that can damage garden soil. Here, not much grows under the pine trees and whatever does is usually another pine tree. A good mulch is just pure straw.

Thanks for the replies. There is an Ace hdwe not 10 min from my supercenter that I will check tomorrow. If they screw on over the regular lid then that is exactly what I want. The rings are a pain once they have done their initial purpose.

Melly,

Thanks for the offer, but I want a bunch of them!

Ken,
Yes, in the south we have always called pine needles in bulk, pine straw. We used it on the flower beds around the house. Mainly because termites do not want to eat it. You have to be careful what you use near the foundation.
Melly

About the only thing that seems to grow well under the pine trees is red raspberries, when I planted some under the pine trees. At first, their foliage was puny and yellowing. After a couple of doses of copper sulfate in that same area in the last few years, the raspberies have done much better. Next to the pine is my compost pile, so its mostly bare ground there.

If you don't see the Ball plastic covers at Ace, try a True Value store, or ask the manager to order them for you. Nice thing about the plastic ones is they are reusable for quite a long time, so any that are given with gift jars, be sure to tell them to save the glass and plastic.

Wasted all morning looking for them and will ebay or amazon. Not in a hurry so no problem.

Here is a link that might be useful: Click on Retailers (left menu)

In my neck of the woods (major metro suburb of Los Angeles), seems people don't do much in the way of home arts. It's hard to find this stuff anywhere nearby.

I ordered 2 different sizes of Ball plastic covers from Kitchen Krafts through my Amazon account. They were real quick with the canning rack, so I'm giving them more of my business.

Here are a few sources on line for canning lids, and even the Kerr lids (for those who prefer them instead of Ball).

http://www.thegreathardwarestore.com/index.php?cPath=15_1503_150302

Reusable canning lids:
http://canninglids.com/index2.html

More sources:
http://www.canningpantry.com/canning-jar-caps.html

http://www.goodmans.net/get_list_603.htm

To each his own, but I remember some previous discussions of the Tattler lids. A user is basically just reverting to rubber rings and a plastic flat as opposed to the old glass tops on bail jars.

I do feel their advertising is misleading. They say the lids are "FDA Approved" which I assume refers to the plastic being food-safe. It doesn't mean the design itself is.

European jars like Weck are essentially the same. I personally don't have a problem with using them for high-acid items, but I'm not sure it's the way to go with green beans and such. Just my 2c.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Weck Jars

I agree, about Tattler, but even for that, the rubber ring would be the only part that would get worn and need replacing. The metal lids on Ball jars can go bad after a single use, and not just for the seal area, but even if there was a tiny scratch on the inner surface. Not sure how well a Tattler would hold up to the heat proccesing, or if it has a way to visually indicate a vacuum seal. Never the less, it would still be a decent way to cover a product if it was corrosive and caused a lot of rust on metallic parts.

You are right; I hadn't thought of the possibility of "aftermarket" use. They might provide a more leakproof seal once the product is opened.

As we've seen on the Forum, everyone finds his/her own way to resolve some of these dilemmas.

Carol

I also use the white plastic lids on 1/2 gallon jars for dry storage items like beans, rice, pasta, dried herbs.
Also for temporary things like iced tea (I'm the only one at our house that really drinks it so I make only 1/2 gallon at a time). I keep a batch of pickle brine in the fridge all summer so I can put up just a pint or two of dill pickles.

Now add all the open jars of canned goods....pickles, jam, relish, salsa, etc.

You MAY need more than one box.......... :+)
Deanna