Looks like a good supply for this winter.

Well done! Now we have you addicted to canning just like the rest of us. :)

Be sure to remove the rings before storing them and if you have to stack them put a spacer in between like a sheet of cardboard so they don't have direct contact with the lid below and the weight is evenly distributed.

Dave

thanks Dave and MyFamilysFarm! Thanks for advice about storing and stacking them Dave! I never would have thought of that.
Why do I need to remove the rings?
The raspberry and strawberry have set beautifully. Just waiting for the peach ones to set.

Ring bands are always removed on all foods once the jars are cooled so the area under the band can be washed and dried well. You'll find that instruction in the step-by-step instructions for both BWB and PC processing.

Not only can they rust in place making it impossible to open the jars but humidity and any food particles trapped under the ring causes molds and bacteria to develop and that can break the seal. Plus should any problems develop within the jar it needs to be able to pop the seal rather than break the jar.

Dave

Yay! Looks good! Now I want to go take pics of my stash. Just a note--I also on the label include the date made (month/year) or put that info on the lid, which I also mark with an X to show that it's been processed so that I don't reuse a lid. The first year I jammed, I thought--"hey, I'll remember when I did these..." Right. 12 recipes later...you can figure what happened.

I also keep a piece of paper with just the ingredients in each batch of jam in the box where I store the jam/labeling stuff. That way, if I want to gift, I can easily make a tag with ingredients without having to try and remember which batch I made with which recipe, then try to find the recipe, which may or may not have made it into my recipe program where they belong. I like being able to list the ingredients, and especially since I generally add some sort of liqueur to my jams, I want people to be aware of that.

What a lovely collection of jams for the winter. They will taste so much better than store bought. Glad you've joined the rest of us canning addicts.

Madonna

Thanks Madonna! :-)

Thanks BallonFlower for the advice! Those are great ideas that sound very helpful!

Dave, that makes sense on the removal of the rings. However, once you open a jar and refridgerate it, do you put the ring back on? just the lid sitting on top seems so easy to get bumped and knocked off.

Yeah we all keep a few spare rings in a kitchen drawer for that purpose. Or you can buy the plastic lids made to use on the jars after opening.

Dave

I love the plastic lids you can buy for fridge storage. Just a note about them though--they are not liquid proof and will leak if tipped. I don't mind that for jams and such, but when making/transporting vinegars, I have to be careful not to tip.

Small peanut jar lids, mayo lids, and old Classico spaghetti jar lids will fit and are leak proof. Again, for jams it doesn't matter.

I take rings off 24 hours after processing and look for any sticky stuff, wash if necessary, but then I put the rings back on when I put labels on for sale and haven't had a problem. But then I don't store items for sale for more than a year. If they haven't sold by then, they go into my personal stock and I usually take the rings off b/c I need to reuse them on other jars.

I bought some Ball lids for the wide mouth jars though and use those for freezer and fridge storage.

I agree about keeping the rings on for sale, just too much of a chance to bump and break the seal. I don't sell anything that the seal is broken, but the ring keeps from spilling.

I won't keep on for long tho, since I have several jars that I can't open due to the rings rusting into place.

I haven't had any (for sale, I did have 1 jar of jam in basement) lose the seal, thank goodness, but I have broken the set on no-pectin added jellies with constant back and forth to market and/or heat this summer. The grape jelly from last year was a pretty weak set anyway. Hope the grapes this year are higher in pectin but this year I have apples to add.

thanks everyone for the great discussion! I will be taking the rings off my jam jars today. I'd hate to have them rust and not be able to open the jars. :(
You guys are all so great for helping new people to learn about canning!

Dave, this is the first I've read about stacking with cardboard. Can you tell me what the potential problem is with stacking directly on top of each other, I've been doing that for quite a few years now not knowing that it could be a problem.

Can you tell me what the potential problem is with stacking directly on top of each other

The weight of the jar on top can break the seal on the bottom jar. Just as when we stack jars in the canner there needs to be a rack in between them.

We had some past discussions about it with pictures posted of how many do it using cardboard or thin plywood. I just cut a piece of cardboard to the same depth of the shelf. I'll see if i can find those pics for you if they are sill on the server.

Dave

Yea!!!! Clapped hands and cheering here for a beee you tee full assortment of jams. You will be hooked now, for sure. I ditto the advice to date those jars. It's essential when you start canning big-time so you can keep your stock rotated and use the oldest first. I also use plain (bought in bulk) lids so that other pertinent info is handy. Whether something is processed sugarless (diabetic husband), if sugared the carbohydrate count so he doesn't need to keep looking it up, and with my applesauces (since we have a small orchard and various varieties) what variety it is since the taste varies with what kind of apple you use. If I'm canning big runs of something repetitive, I will give them batch numbers. If I see a loose lid or find any other problem down the line, it gives me a head's up to take care inspecting any other jars of that batch, or know if it's more watery, or salty, etc.

Thanks, Dave. That makes a lot of sense. Guess I've been really lucky that I never stacked jars in a canner and haven't lost any jars on my shelves. But I'll be sure to correct that now that I know. Would love to see your set-up. Lots more jars and lots more shelf space than my little house and garden provides, I'm sure.

Thanks calliope for the good advice. Thanks everyone else for the comments and info. :-)

dolivo, those are beautiful, and I'm sure they'll taste as good as they look.

I will echo the advice of writing the dates on the jars when labeling. I've actually had jars that I didn't write anything on, thinking I'd certainly know what it was. Nope, I didn't, LOL, and learned my lesson.

I take the rings off for storage but if I'm taking a jar somewhere or giving it as a gift, I always put a ring back on, so it doesn't leak in transportation and the recipient has a way to easily store any amounts not consumed immediately.

Sometimes I even get the jars back, but friends have found that the jars are handy for storing straight pins, buttons, pens and pencils on the table. They've been used for flower vases and drinking glasses and storage for that last handful of M&Ms and candle holders. I'm always buying those 8 ounce jelly jars...

Like ajsmama, I reuse jars that are compatible with the rings and lids. It used to be "not recommended" but the NCFHFP has changed course and now says that recycled jars are fine if the lids fit and they are used in a boiling water bath. As I found out the hard way, recycled jars have more breakage in the pressure canner but they work fine in the BWB.

Annie

thanks for the nice words Annie! :-)

So..... just so I understand this correctly....Once you use a Ball Jar or Kerr Jar in a pressure canner, it's not recommended to reuse the jar again in a pressure canner?

hi dolivo - beautiful jams!

What they are saying is that the NCHFP is now approving the use of recycled commercial glass jars (i.e. from purchased spaghetti sauce) for BWB canning only. These jars are theoretically intended for one use only, and may not be as sturdy as purpose made home canning jars. BWB canning is easier on the jars than pressure canning.

Any Ball or Kerr jar should give you many years of both pressure and BWB canning.

Oh, beautiful job!! A little hint... unexpected company, no dessert? Vanilla ice cream topped with some Spiced Peach jam. Your guests will think they've died and gone to heaven... ;^)

Good work!
Edie

Thanks seasyde for the info on the jars!

Thanks edie for the great dessert hint! That sounds heavenly!

Wouldn't the jar companies just love it if we had to buy new jars every time? It wouldn't be worth canning.

I've used 'mayonnaise' jars for years, but they DO break easier. For the longest time, I used them for pressure or BWB.