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ailidespain

substituting jar size

AiliDeSpain
10 years ago

Hi all. I just made some jam using a recipe that called for half pint jars which i used but have since run out of. I want to make more but want to use pint jars. Do I need to increase the processing time? If so how much? Original recipe calls for 15 minutes which I already add ten minutes to for altitude.
Thanks in advance!

Comments (9)

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    I can all my jams/jellies in pints. I am not certified, but I usually add another 5 minutes for the pints instead of 1/2 pints. I did just look thru some of my books and found recipes for pints and 1/2 pints, and the timing is different from product to product. Some say 5 min (sea level) for pints and 10 for 1/2 pints and others are 15 min for 1/2 pints.

    what are you making? that will make a difference according my book.

  • AiliDeSpain
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I am making cherry plum jam.

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    Sounds wonderful. I just looked up Plum Jam in NCHFP's site, they say process for same amount of time, whether pints or 1/2 pints. Same with cherry jam, 15 minutes for above 6,000', 10 minutes for 1001-5999 and only 5 for less than 1000.

  • AiliDeSpain
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Awesome, thank you!

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    I've save the NCHFP site to my bookmark, advise you to also.
    http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can7_jam_jelly.html

    I also signed up and passed their canning course, it's a basic course and free. I still learned a few things that have changed since I first learned to can. And other things that I never tried. I've only been pressuring canning for less than 10 years, water-bathed before that.

  • AiliDeSpain
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is my first year and I'm starting with BWB.

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    Definitely take the course, it will reassure you on the basics. I'm recommend it to everyone, beginners and professionals.

    I learned with BWB, back when you could do everything in it, but also lots of people got sick from doing things unsafely.

  • digdirt2
    10 years ago

    Ok the general rule is that you can never increase the jar size over that called for in the recipe. You can always go to smaller jars and process them for the larger jar time, but you not go to larger jars as no processing time has been computed for that size.

    That said, with highly acidic foods, such as most jams and jellies, some choose to ignore that guideline because the primary safety is provided by the acid level pH not the processing time. There are exceptions as there are some low acid fruits and of course it is never done when working with low-acid vegetables and such.

    So technically no increasing the jar size. Instead you are supposed to buy the jars called for or use a recipe that provides a pint jar processing time. But in actual practice it is done but at your own risk since molds are the primary safety issue.

    In this particular case only (given your altitude) I would start off with sterilized pint jars (not normally required) to provide an extra safety margin and process for the time called for in the recipe. No additional adjustment for altitude is required. 15 min, is sufficient since both cherry and plum jams call for only 10 mins for pints at your altitude.

    Dave

  • myfamilysfarm
    10 years ago

    I gave the information from the NCHFP's website from today. they state pints OR 1/2 pints, same amount of time.

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