Canning jars: size and usefulness? Glass or metal lids?

[Ellp]

I hope this is the right place to post this...

I've seen lots of the 1L (large) canning jars on our local Craigslist and I was wondering if I shouldn't pick some up. However, I don't know what I'd use them for.

Currently I can jams, fruit spreads, some veggie pickles but I'm the only one who eats them so I do the 2C. jars which last me a while. I did tomatoes last year but still have lots left. (I did 100lbs by myself, so I'm not really keen on canning anymore of that anytime soon). I don't have a pressure canner so I can't do soups etc.

If you can and do use the big jars, what do you use them for?

Also, someone is selling off their jars with the glass lids that you only need to get the rubber gaskets for. Should I get those over the newer metal 2 piece type?

[cristeen]

Personally, I would love the glass lidded jars - they don't have any BPA in them.

As for the larger jars - mostly I use them for storing stuff around the house. I have probably a dozen of them in the fridge right now, and half a dozen in the freezer. I do occasionally do pickles in them - like asparagus pickles, or the type of thing you might put on an antipasti platter or take to a potluck. But for a family of 3, the quart jars are a bit of overkill right now. Once the little is a bit bigger and eating more, that'll probably change.

Oh, I would totally do tomatoes in them - a quart of tomatoes is about perfect for a pot of spaghetti sauce when you're having company, a big pot of chili or even a pot of soup.

[fierrbugg]

Originally Posted by cristeen

Oh, I would totally do tomatoes in them - a quart of tomatoes is about perfect for a pot of spaghetti sauce when you're having company, a big pot of chili or even a pot of soup.

I use the bigger jars to store dry goods - anything that comes in a bag or box, something that isn't pest proof should my pantry ever get attacked. I especially like them for baking ingredients or even homemade baking mixes. I have some w/ glass lids and like them for beans and such because we don't tend to have a ton of those around and it's dry enough out here that moisture isn't a problem just in case. We also use the super big old pickle jar sized jars for dh's sun tea - he has always complained the ones you can buy at the store w/ the spout always end up leaking. hth

[Ellp]

So I saw some at the thrift shop here. Glass lids but metal screw caps that were fairly worn and they didn't come with rubber gaskets so I'd have to buy those. Is a $1 each a fair price for the 4C (it looks like) Ball jars?

[lunarlady]

I use the large (quart size) jars for the following items: Pasta sauce, soups, black beans, apple juice, large pickles, and peaches. Those are items that when we use them, they go fast!

Personally, I've not used the glass lid jars. How do they work? How can you tell if they are correctly sealed? I would certianly use them to store dried goods in (like rice, flour, etc.) as they would be great for that. $1 each is not that great for the Ball jars with the metal lids, but is a tiny bit cheeper than regular price. I want to say that I usually buy mine on sale 8 for $10 (Which is what, $1.25 each?). But I've never seen the glass lidded jars, so that might make them rare. I buy many canning jars of Craig's list or at garage sales. Usually for 10c to 25c each. That's a good deal.

[HeatherAtHome]

I would use glass lidded and larger jars for dry good storage. I've read that you shouldn't use the glass lid jars for canning because you never know if they're sealed properly.

[Ellp]

Originally Posted by lunarlady

I use the large (quart size) jars for the following items: Pasta sauce, soups, black beans, apple juice, large pickles, and peaches. Those are items that when we use them, they go fast!

I'm just curious about the apple juice... Do you have a juicer? And do you process the juice the same way as you would any other fruit?

Also, for those of you who use the glass lids, there is a person on our local Craigslist who is selling just the glass lids with a few gaskets and metal bands. Do you know if the lids, bands and gaskets will work with jars that were meant to be used with metal 2 piece lids (the jars you can easily get nowadays)?

[Catherine12]

I use quart jars for pickles. They can accommodate longer spears. Also, we go through the pickles pretty fast, I think a smaller size would last about two minutes...

One recommendation I have for quart sized jars is to GET WIDE MOUTH ONES. The narrower-topped ones are a pain, both when you are canning and when you are trying to get stuff out of the jar for eating.