If you want to do proper conserves then you really need a good set of vacola jars. Otherwise you can just reuse ordinary jars - jam jars, sauces (kantong, leggos pasta sauces etc). You can use the lids that come with them, but for years and years my nan only ever used parafin wax to seal them and then covered with plastic held in place with a rubber band.
Yep, you can use any jar that has a metal lid that seals properly... ideally with a seal indicator. You can't use jars that have plastic lids. Remember to boil them first for at least 10 minutes. Drip dry them upturned on clean cake racks on the cleaned sink, DON'T use a tea towel on the inside of the jars. Better for a tiny bit of boiled water to be inside as you pour in the boiling jam than germs introduced by fingers or a tea-towel. This is how I do it anyhow. I love the sight of rows of cooling jarred jams etc.
ETA: invest in a good set of metal tongs... long ones... to get the jars out of the boiling water... use a clean oven mit to transfer them to the racks. Try to pour in the jam using a sterilised metal funnel as soon as possible. ETA: alternatively (especially if you are short on water) you can wash the jars in warm soapy water, rinse, then sterilise in a hot (200'C) oven for 10 minutes.
Last edited by Bathsheba; October 27th, 2009 at 07:04 PM.
Lids only have a 2 or 3 uses in them. You can buy more, even the ones with the seal indicator, it is just a matter of working out the sizing. Have received the odd jar from family that was bad due to old lids, so I am a bit cautious about them now.
Bath I found that too when reusing jars, especially using the oven method - the seal part dries out too much. That's why nan always used the wax to seal hers because she kept the same jars for years. I remember when we were kids we would always load up on jams, chutneys and pickles when visiting them and then we would take all the jars back with us next time we visited LOL.
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