Ball Jars Clean Break

7 years ago

I had two glass Ball jars of stock in the refrigerator. I decided to reheat them, to prolong their "shelf life".

The stock is jellied when cold so it won't pour out from the jar into a pot. So I placed the jars in a pot full of hot tap water, with their plastic screw lids on very loosely to allow expansion, then simmered that pot on the range for about 40 min. When I lifted jar #1 from the water bath, all the stock emptied into the pot of water from the bottom of the jar, which was missing. The same thing happened when I lifted jar #2. I fished the jar bottoms from the water and stock. Each is cleanly separated from the rest of the jar, and fits back on so precisely is hard to see they are now separate pieces.

I'm now boiling the pot that is full of water and stock. I figure I can reduce it to a stock concentration, although I may take it further to something even more concentrated and pour it into a ice cube tray. Then I'll strain it in case any glass is present, although I'm pretty sure it would be at most microscopic. The breaks were so perfect and clean.

Why did this happen?

P.S.: I keep this stock to drink. I have a theory that drinking a glass of broth or stock is good for you. And (sssh) it goes well with vodka. Ice cubes would be easy to dose into a glass, then microwave to liquid, add a little celery salt, and there is your Bullshot.

Featured Answer

lindac92

7 years ago

Sitting a glass jar on the bottom of a pot, even full of water....90% chance the glass will break. Do you really need an explanation of un equal expansion,...yadda....coefficient of...yadda...?

Let's just say, always put a rack or at least several thickness of folded towel in the bottom of the pot before you heat glass over direct heat.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

Chessie
7 years ago
http://nwedible.com/help-why-do-my-canning-jars-keep-breaking-reader-question/
Related Discussions
Ball Wide-Mouth Pint-and-a-Half Jars
Q
Comments (25)
Gene, I am way up in Corona and there are "farmers markets" in my area. I have sleep issues an am usually up all night. Most farmers markets are early in the morning. Try to find yourself a small store owner who will sell you produce by the case. I used to have a small market that they would do that for me whenever I asked. Damn, they have gone out of business however. Other folks advertise that they want fruits and vegetable from home trees and plots on Craigslist. I do NOT know if they are successful. I just asked a neighbor lady who had a small apple tree what happens to the apples. She told me that the tree used to produce 200 pounds of apples a year but that now as she is older, she just rakes them up and throws them away. Come Sept. this year, she told me to come over and pick them all - it will reduce her raking job. Keep an eye out for opportunities like this. Tell everyone that you can. I have folks that stop by and just give me food that they either have too much of or not enough time or freezer space to keep for themselves. My food is resting on jars of strawberry sauce that I made from a 10PM night time delivery and I am fermenting cabbage also a result of another delivery. I have 2 crocks of pickles fermenting that another chap dropped by with. Some folks across the country have worked out deals with their local fruit stands that they will by jars and lids from them in exchange for all their old produce (stacked in crates out back at night). What a deal. I have asked here but they all go into the garbage. Keep your ears and eyes alert. Hope this helps a little. Jim in So Calif
...See More
What happens if jar breaks in canner?
Q
Comments (10)
As Linda Lou said, just finish the process as though there wasn't a problem. When time is up, take out the unbroken jars and lift out the broken jar top and carefully pour the contents of the canner into a colander in the sink. Usually, the bottom of the jar breaks off in one piece. Carefully fish out the glass and empty contents into a plastic bag and the trash. After the remainder jars are cool, you can carefully rinse them off but don't disturb the rings for 24 hours. I like to keep my canner on with water at about the same temp. as the newly filled jars. I test it using a thermometer to about 140., if I'm canning unblanched green beans. 180 if I'm jaring hot chile sauce. If the canner water got too hot, I dip some out and add cold until the temp. is where I want it. Last week, I had my first shock breakage in about 30 years. I was canning blackberries. What a sticky mess. With canning season just starting, I'll be more vigilant.
...See More
Ball jars in the freezer
Q
Comments (20)
dear canology, interesting moniker, since this reply is about the study of plastics, and it doesn't look good ! first,excuse me for injecting some heaviness into a fairly lighthearted post. i'll agree that plastic containers are more convenient. but that is not the whole picture. there are several or more studies that point in a frightening direction. i won't be surprised if it's learned that the obesity epidemic is caused not just by diet and lack of exercise, but by what our parents and grandparents used in daily life. there's no hiding from all the "un-natural" thousands of compounds made, but i choose not to put my food in them, or microwave or cook with them . of course, how glass is made is probably not the same as 100 years ago. but that's digging too deeply even for me ! here's one paper to refer to. plastic or glass ? your choice. Mohan Manikkam, Rebecca Tracey, Carlos Guerrero-Bosagna, Michael K. Skinner. Plastics Derived Endocrine Disruptors (BPA, DEHP and DBP) Induce Epigenetic Transgenerational Inheritance of Obesity, Reproductive Disease and Sperm Epimutations. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (1): e55387 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055387
...See More
cleaning canning jars
Q
Comments (20)
I read that if you can alot you should throw out your jars after about 10 years? We can A LOT! and we have lots of jars that are easily 20 years old and some even older as we tend to keep the home canned goods within the family so jar return isn't much of a problem. No telling how many cycles they have been through but we haven't had a problem with using them. Can't recall the last one lost to breakage, just rim chips. If you aren't familiar with it, Barkeepers Friend is a very mild scouring abrasive made specifically for cleaning glass - thus the name I think. It also works on ceramics and fiberglass without scratching. Corning, Luminarc, Mikasa, and several other glassware brands all approve for use on their products. Dave
...See More
Chessie
7 years ago
" Do you really need an explanation of un equal expansion,...yadda....coefficient of...yadda...?"

LOL! Exactly. I thought it was common knowledge to not do it, but clearly it isn't - so I provided the science. :-)
John Liu
Original Author
7 years ago
The stock + water is now just stock again. If I strain it through coffee filters, do you think any worries about errant glass will be addressed?
bragu_DSM 5
7 years ago
depends upon if it is to be consumed by others other than you. I would not risk it with others, but I would probably risk it (skimming the top and using only the top part) if it is particularly excellent und un re-creatable ... but that is just me
lindac92
7 years ago
Put it through a coffee filter and drink up.....anything that goes through the filter will be so small it won't hurt you....after all you eat blue berries and their seeds don't you? and don't worry about those tiny seeds.
leahikesgardenspdx
7 years ago
I agree with Lindac92, think of going to the beach on a windy day, or having a picnic there!
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
7 years ago
I would avoid using the stock.

Broken glass can produce the sharpest edge known to men. As a matter of fact, Obsidian glass surgical knives are being used today to produce the cleanest cuts.

Microscopic glass particles, like asbestos, can have bad health effects. Microscopic glass particle may pass through filters, and may not sink to the bottom of liquids due to molecular Brownian motion.

I agree stock drinking is good for health.

dcarch
John Liu
Original Author
7 years ago
You and SWMBO must think alike because she dumped it all down the drain when I wasn't looking :-)
annie1992
7 years ago
Well, it's too late now, but for the record, I agree with SWMBO, I'd have dumped it. It was two jars of stock, definitely not risking the consumption of glass particles, no matter how tiny.

I do feel for you, though, having been the unwilling participant in my own "thermal shock" experiences. I get about one a year and it's always something messy. Last year it was Chase's chile sauce, the year before it was sweet and sour chicken. Ugh, what a mess in a big canning pot of water, plus especially the chile sauce is a precious commodity here.

My condolences on the stock.

Annie

Ball Jars Clean Break

lindac92

Comments (10)

Chessie

Related Discussions

Chessie

John Liu
Original Author

bragu_DSM 5

lindac92

leahikesgardenspdx

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

John Liu
Original Author

annie1992

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Ball Jars Clean Break

Comments (10)

Related Discussions

John LiuOriginal Author

John LiuOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

John Liu
Original Author

John Liu
Original Author