SHOP PRODUCTS
Houzz Logo Print
joycesyi

Questions about canning with mason jars

Stella Song
5 years ago

Hi dear friends from Houzz,


I'm very new to canning and I have some questions about using the Mason Ball Jars. Hope you don't mind my naive on some of the silly questions because I really don't kown the answer and no one has ever shows me step by step..


1. Once I opened the previously successfully canned ready jars, for example a new jar of jam, should I still put back the 2 piece lids on or should I change to a new 1 piece plastic lid? How long should I finish the contents after I opened the lid for the 1st time? How do you deal with the lids during the consuming period of that jar (Do you always open and close the jar with the original 2 pieces everytime you eat that jam or at what time do you change the lids or even transfer the jam into other jars??)


2. I heard the flat lids must not be used for 2nd time for preserving foods because the rim is not the original shape anymore. But If I don't use it for preserving, for example, I put some unfinished yogurt into the small mason jar and want to finish it tomorrow so I want to use the used 2-piece lids as a regular lid, can I? Is it true that once you used the 2-piece lids, it doesn't seal as good as those 1 piece lid? Or it's still better than the 1 piece lid but just not good to preserving?


2. I want to make some smoothie ahead of time, for example one week's quantity(7 jars). And I purchased some Ball 8oz freezer-safe wide mouth jars. I made a big batch of smoothie in my Vitamix and pour them into 7 jars. My question is, must I pour them into each jar until the top almost reach the ring area of the jar or I can pour as much as I want (for example half jar)? I know for preserving you must fill as much as you need to keep the air away. But does "making smoothie" also means preserving?? Also, if I want to keep the smoothie in the fridge(not freezer) for 3 days, is it better to use the 2 piece lids or it's the same no matter I use 2 pieces or 1 piece lid to keep it as fresh as I can. Becasue I don't know whether this is so called preseving as well?? or 2 pieces is only used in air-tight preserving? Otherwise if no need for air-tight, 2 pieces is the same as 1 piece or still performs better?


Hope you can share your opinions with me towards how to use these ball jars.. I have read tons of topics on how to preserve but none of them talks how to use the jar and the lids correctly after you opened the preserve contents or how to use properly for regular food storage in the fridge/freezer/room temperature if not for preserving purpose. Thanks you so much in advance!!!



Comments (14)