Prep Genrl Canning Jars

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
DH went to a larger town this morning and I asked him to get 2 cases of canning jars. He bought what they had, it was 4 cases of 4 blue jars at 9.96 each. "They" told him this was all they had and didn't know if or when if they would get anything else.

After I gasped, but did not fuss I loaded them up in my van and went to the nearest walmart. I had no problem returning them and even tho their stores were low I did manage to get 4 cases of 12 for about $11.00 a case.

And lo and behold they had a small chest freezer. I grabbed it up. AT least three people stopped me and asked where I found it. I did feel sorry for them but its catch as catch can. I would have prefered a small up right but beggars can't be choosers.

I also stopped at another local store and they had two cases of quart canning jars left at 15 a case, I bought both of them. This is a great old fashioned hardware and other goods store that has been in Natchitoches of over 100 years. They have any kind of plumbing thing you would ever need and their prices are always good plus they are so friendly.

So I ended up with 6 new cases of regular mouth quart jars. I can get a lot of stuff put away in a hurry. I already have a couple of unopened cases of wide mouth jars but I only use them when the regular mouth ones won't work. Case in point I ordered three jars of butter buds for seasoning. I only wanted to leave one on the shelf and the other two I vacuumed sealed but they would only fit in the wide mouth jars. Same with my extra of my particular brand of baking powder without aluminum. I keep my working jar of bp in the freezer cause I don't bake very often.

I do have a wagon load of jars but they all have to be soaked and washed and since I do not have an electric dishwasher, it takes awhile to get some washed.

God is good all the time.

Judy
 

summerthyme

Administrator
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Good job! I've got a basement full of the things (not an exaggeration! LOL!). I hear about it from the menfolk sometimes (rarely from hubby, though- he pulls too many jars of soup and fruit and stew off the shelves to be dumb enough to bitch!), but IMHO, they're worth their weight in gold.

I do wish I had more wide mouth pints, in case I ever need to can up the contents of the freezers, but I CAN do meat in regular mouth jars- pints or quarts- it's just much easier to wash out wide mouth jars after using them for meat.

Summerthyme
 

nomifyle

TB Fanatic
Good job! I've got a basement full of the things (not an exaggeration! LOL!). I hear about it from the menfolk sometimes (rarely from hubby, though- he pulls too many jars of soup and fruit and stew off the shelves to be dumb enough to bitch!), but IMHO, they're worth their weight in gold.

I do wish I had more wide mouth pints, in case I ever need to can up the contents of the freezers, but I CAN do meat in regular mouth jars- pints or quarts- it's just much easier to wash out wide mouth jars after using them for meat.

Summerthyme

Years ago before I moved to the woods I would buy canning jars when I found them on sale. I asked on here years ago about home many jar lids to keep on hand and I think someone (possibly you dear lady) that 300 was a good number to have on hand. so I've had that many and more, but alas, they have not always been stored well. They still look good, but I think some of them are the major problem I've had with vacuum sealing. Just in case, I just ordered 200 on ebay at about 28 cents each, awhile back I'd also ordered a good supply of rings.

The jars I've had stashed were last stored in a crappy leaky shed and basically only kind of dirty on the out side. In addition to all of those cases of different sizes, DH had a ton of canning jars, some in cases but were mostly used, they canned a lot.

Since I have so many dry goods that need to be vacuum sealed, its so much easier to use the new new jars. This morning I did a whole case of nuts that had been in the freezer and there are probably more. Now I have dried plums, cherries and fig pieces to seal up. And since DH freed up the top shelves in my pantry I have a good amount of space to store all these jar'd goods.

The new freezer is going to be used to free up the three refrigerator freezers that are bulging and stuff falls out when we open the doors.

Judy
 

ginnie6

Veteran Member
the new shelves dh built in the kitchen will hold about 300 jars......it's full. The shelves in the laundry room will hold more....they are not full. I need more jars lol. Yes I too have heard the bitching over the years about how many jars I have. Surprisingly that only happens when they're empty! :lkick:
 

oops

Veteran Member
Between the ones I got from mom and 3 aunts, a couple elderly neighbors n mine...I figger we’re good on jars for a while...just wish I’d put more rings back...these new ones just don’t hold up like the old ones did...sigh
 

AlaskaSue

North to the Future
I have a lifetime (maybe two) supply of jars. But keep an eye on prices around here. We were at $26 / doz quarts in March, down to the normal $18/doz now. Lids are my big thing - I have a good supply of the normal and tattler reusable. Folks don't sell much around here when it comes to finding used jars or other canning supplies at yard sales. But like I said, I keep an eye out. :)
 

LilRose8

Veteran Member
I have at least 8 cases of jars but since moving to a different house, there is a glass top stove and I am worried about using my All American canner on it. I used to can chicken any time it went on sale, as well as beef stew and many other convenience foods. I miss it sigh...
 

Bensam

Deceased
I have at least 8 cases of jars but since moving to a different house, there is a glass top stove and I am worried about using my All American canner on it. I used to can chicken any time it went on sale, as well as beef stew and many other convenience foods. I miss it sigh...
i have an All American canner and I use it on a Kenmore glass top stove with no problems so far. I plan to never own another glass top range if I can help it when this one dies. Might have to though as that what seems to be trending now a days.
 

ReneeT

Veteran Member
A lovely co-worker was asking me about canning jars the other day - she was my jar connection, but bought them at auction to sell the rarer ones, and sold me the others for a pittance. She wanted to know how many she should keep for herself; and what other equipment she should keep. When I told her that I keep around 1200 jars (mostly pints since we are a small family) in rotation, I thought she was going to pass out... Think one supper meal, let's say chicken and noodles, green beans, carrots, peach cobbler for dessert - that is one jar of broth, one jar of chicken, one of green beans, one of carrots, and one of peaches - for one meal. My grandsons can go through 2 pints of peaches easily in a day. Applesauce muffins for snacks, another jar. Yet another jar - this one of home canned soup for Hubby to carry in his lunch. Daughter snags a box and fills it with this and that to take home with her - 12 jars. Cases of vacuum sealed basics like rice, assorted beans, tapioca, dry milk, etc... doesn't take long to fill 'em up.
 

LilRose8

Veteran Member
i have an All American canner and I use it on a Kenmore glass top stove with no problems so far. I plan to never own another glass top range if I can help it when this one dies. Might have to though as that what seems to be trending now a days.
I am right there with you! I have been looking at stoves since this one is about to give up the ghost. I would love to have gas again but to have a propane line brought into the house would require jack hammering the slab foundation so an electric coil is what I will end up with. I have discovered that you can get a heavy duty coil to use when you can!
 

20Gauge

TB Fanatic
I was reading a story the other day that had a group trapped in a walmart. They decided to do some canning. They reported they canned 400 overnight. Funny thing is I have never ever seen walmart in the modern times have more than 6-8 cases of jars
 

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
Rose.. you *can* get heavy canning coils for electric stoves, but we found that even with them, we ended up replacing the stove wiring harnesses every two years or so... just too much heat reflected by the "too large" kettles over the extended cooking and canning periods.

If you can, I'd suggest buying a 2 burner propane camping stove (similar to a turkey fryer, but less BTUs) and setting it up outside. It needs to be on a solid base of some kind, but even a 4x4' sheet of plywood set on level lawn will work.

Summerthyme
 

hiwall

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I am right there with you! I have been looking at stoves since this one is about to give up the ghost. I would love to have gas again but to have a propane line brought into the house would require jack hammering the slab foundation so an electric coil is what I will end up with. I have discovered that you can get a heavy duty coil to use when you can!
In this state it is legal to run gas lines up and down walls and through the attic. Tank outside with line run underground to the house. Then line runs up and into wall where it turns and goes up inside the wall to the attic. From the attic the line can be run down any wall to feed any gas appliance.
 

Grouchy Granny

Deceased
I've been trying to get rid of jelly jars and only keep the pints and quarts. We just don't eat much jelly for me to make it anymore (1 type 2 diabetic and I just can't handle sugar). GKid might eat a jar or 2 a year, so no sense in it.

Got rid of 8 cases last year and found about 15 more that need to go away. Going to put them on NextDoor which is how I got rid of the others. These go from the 1/4 c to the 1/2 pint and I just don't need them.

Been picking up lids and rims as I see them fairly cheap - otherwise have about 500 or so quarts and about the same in pints.
 

LilRose8

Veteran Member
Rose.. you *can* get heavy canning coils for electric stoves, but we found that even with them, we ended up replacing the stove wiring harnesses every two years or so... just too much heat reflected by the "too large" kettles over the extended cooking and canning periods.

If you can, I'd suggest buying a 2 burner propane camping stove (similar to a turkey fryer, but less BTUs) and setting it up outside. It needs to be on a solid base of some kind, but even a 4x4' sheet of plywood set on level lawn will work.

Summerthyme
I do have that camping stove and thank you for the suggestion!
 

LilRose8

Veteran Member
In this state it is legal to run gas lines up and down walls and through the attic. Tank outside with line run underground to the house. Then line runs up and into wall where it turns and goes up inside the wall to the attic. From the attic the line can be run down any wall to feed any gas appliance.
interesting....I was told by the appliance place about having to jack hammer. I guess it is worth checking if that is true.
 

Illini Warrior

Illini Warrior
propane cooktops salvaged from RVs are sometimes available cheap in the area - not that much of a market for them >> mount them up on a piece of plywood and they can stay portable for some temp duty like canning outdoors ....
 
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