Recently, after panting after them for years, I finally broke down and ordered a dozen Weck jars*. For those of you not in the know, they are a brand of canning jar that is produced in Germany and is quite popular across Europe. Instead of using a disposable lid with the sealing compound embedded in it (like our familiar Ball and Kerr jars), these jars depend on a rubber ring for their sealing power.
They are much like the bailing wire canning jars that were once quite popular across this country (I wrote about canning in those jars here, if you care to give a gander). One of their primary benefits is the fact that because the lid is made from glass, the only thing that’s in contact with your food is glass (just like the Tattler reusable lids, there’s no BPA-imbued surface to worry about when you use these suckers). They also feel a bit less wasteful than the Ball/Kerr jars, because the only piece you end up throwing away is the rubber ring, not an entire lid. The primary downside of Weck jars is that they are expensive. I have hopes that if enough people start buying them, they’ll become more accessible and affordable here.
The Weck jars are made up of four components. The first is the rubber ring, which is the analog to the sealing compound in American lids. And just like our lids, these rings need to be submerged in boiling water for a few minutes before use in order to soften up. Keep them in the hot water until the moment you’re ready to use them to maximize their sealing abilities. These rings should also be given a once over before use, to ensure that they don’t have any cracks or tears. Another way these rings are like conventional lids is that they can only be used once.
Next comes the flat, glass lid. Prior to use, make sure to give them a careful inspection, to ensure that the lid is free from chips, particularly on the edge that comes in contact with the rubber ring. Even the smallest chip can prevent a quality seal. Keep in mind that if you’re planning on processing something in these jars that will be in the boiling water bath canner for less than ten minutes, these lids need to be sterilized along with your jars.
I have found that the best way to assemble these jars is to caress the rubber ring onto the lid and then place the lid on the jar. Before you settle it into place, make sure to wipe those rims. It’s just good canning practice.
Now come the clips. All Weck jars come with two stainless steel clips. They do the work that our screw-on bands typically perform, holding the lid in place so that air can escape during processing and cooling, but no air or liquid can get in. I believe the best way to attach a clip is to hook it over the lid and then firmly (but carefully) push down. There should be a satisfying click when the clip is in place and there should be no wiggle or movement. I have found that it often requires just a hair more pressure than feels appropriate. Take it slowly and make sure to hold onto the jar (wrap a towel or pot holder around it so you don’t burn yourself) so that you don’t slosh the product on to your counter.
Once you have the clips in place, quickly check the status of the ring. It should still be flat and even between the top of the jar and the bottom of the lid. On one occasion, I have had the ring wrinkle up while I was finessing the clips onto the jars. Had I not caught it before the jar went into the canner, I could have compromised my potential seal.
Now that your jars are filled and the rubber rings, lids and clips are in place, it’s time to process. This step is just like all other boiling water bath canning. The only caution I have to offer here is to take care with your jar lifter placement when working with Weck jars. I once nearly tipping several jars over while maneuvering in and out of the pot because my lifter caught on the clips. They hold tightly enough that you shouldn’t be able to dislodge one with the lifter, but it is something to be aware of.
Once the jars are finished processing, let them cool fully. Once they are totally cool to the touch, you can remove the clips and check your seals. There are two easy ways to ensure you’ve got a good seal. The first is to grab onto the jar holding onto just the lid and lift the jar just a bit (I will never be a hand model). If it holds, it’s good.
The other way to check the seals is to take a look at the tab. It should be pointing down, like it’s sticking its tongue out at you. Also note that Weck jars should be stored with the clips off when it’s on your pantry shelf. This is for the same reason that we store Ball and Kerr jars without their rings. If something happens to grow inside the jar, the off-gassing will break the seal and you’ll know right away that the product is compromised.
When it comes time to open a Weck jar, it’s incredibly easy. Just grab hold of the tab and gently pull it, until you hear air rushing in and the seal breaks. Do this slowly, so that you don’t run the risk of popping the lid off the jar with too much vigor. While the jar lives in the fridge, you can use the clips to hold the lid in place, or you can invest in some of the snap-on plastic lids that Weck makes as well.
For information on how to pressure can in Weck jars, read this post!
I just got these amazing apples and I want to try apple butter for the first time!
thanks for the tutorial – I’ve been fearful of investing in weck without knowing fully what I’m getting into. ::sigh of relief::
the *first* thing I’d put-up in them would be a honey tangerine chai-spice marmalade (vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper) … it’s also nearly strawberry season here in texas, and lately the guava at the grocery have looked particularly yummy!
I want one of those tall asparagus jars! And some wee tiny mustard jars. And some pretty juice jars. And…
Wowzer! They’re just beyond adorable. I’d do citrus– anything citrus. We’re going through blood oranges and grapefruit like there’s no tomorrow.
I love love love love LOVE Weck jars! My favorite size are the teensy little tulip jars, which I use to make individual-sized servings of homemade yogurt. And the plastic lids are a must! I use my Weck jars for storage (goodbye Ziploc bags and Tupperware), as well as for canning.
I have lots of carrots that are about ready to be pulled, so I think some pickled dilly carrots are next on my canning to-do list.
Thanks for this giveaway!!
the first thing i would can would be rhubarb jam… spring is right around the corner!
Strawberry jam, we eat it too fast, it would look beautiful in those beautiful jars!!
I’ve been coveting some Weck jars for so long now! Shipping was the main reason I hadn’t ordered any yet. If I had them right now, I’d use them to can my mixed citrus marmalade. It would be so pretty!
I’d love to try some of these jars out for cherry butter (I give it as a gift). They’re lovely!
I would LOVE to can some jewel-like rhubarb preserves in these beauties. I have been lusting after Weck jars for a while but they seem so expensive.
Boy with all these strawberry stories going around, I think I’d can some balsamic-strawberry jam. Yum…
Oh, they are so gorgeous! I would love to make some raspberry jam, wouldn’t the red be sweet in them?
Oh my goodness. This is a canner’s dream-giveaway! Have loved Weck jars from afar for years. 🙂
I too have considered these time and time again only to be deterred by the price. As for what I’d make, I would have said jam, but I don’t have an jam worthy fruit handy. I do have some very pretty beets, so I’d probably pickle those. They’re awesome on salads. Great giveaway!
They’re gorgeous and more eco friendly. Love it! I want! I’d probably put a very gorgeous citrus marmalade in there.
I would can strawberry preserves as that is the first cannable food ready in our garden!
wow, so cool! I would like to can strawberry jam first, can’t wait for spring.
Or maybe some vanilla syrup to make it through the last nasty bit of weather.
I think the first thing I would make would be a 3 citrus marmalade (with a vanilla bean, of course!) made the old fashioned way without pectin. My grandparents (whom I dearly loved) were the only people I know personally that ate marmalade, so it would feel like a triple vintage experience! It was my grandma that inspired me to learn how to can, though I’m just delving into it now. I also have a weakness for cool jars- a “jar fettish”, hubby calls it. 🙂 You should see my pantry! 🙂 Thanks for blogging- the pics make the process so much less intimidating…
I would use these jars to make Cranberry Grapefruit Jam – a recipe I’ve been saving for wintertime but haven’t gotten around to making.
These would be so great to have for my homemade jams for a business i’m starting!
The first thing I will can with the Weck jars. To be honest I don’t know. It depends what will be in season. Nothing is right now. I do know it will be a beautiful jam or jelly to show off the jars.
I would beg my husband to make pickle relish – lots and lots of dicing, but it’s oh so good!
I was so excited to see this post! I ran across these jars at a garage sale but didn’t buy them because I didn’t know anything about them and was afraid I couldn’t get replacement parts (some did not have lids and seals). If I won those jars I think I would have to use them for dandelion jelly sweetened with honey because I don’t think I could wait until our berries come into season in order to try them out! Thank you for this post and I am so excited to try the Weck technique. I just love the way they look and think its great that the lids are reusable and you don’t have to worry about rust.
If I had these, I’d be filling them with rhubarb-raspberry jam!
I’ve been dying to make either Pear-Cardamom jam, or your Pear-Vanilla jam. I need some more jam in my life!
As we just recently received 1.5 FEET of snow in MARCH here in Ithaca, I am pining away for the warmth days of spring and summer! I’d used those BEAUTIFUL Weck jars to make strawberry lemon jam (a big hit last year)!
I have a set of Weck jars and I admit I don’t use them as much as the bog standard Ball et als. They seem fussy to me and I tend to wait for something truly special to break them out. They are gorgeous though and perhaps I just need a few more jars to justify the extra fuss.
I’d love to use these for rhubarb chutney.
They ARE the perfect jars for yogurt! I have little ones that I make 1/2 cup servings in and they’re so cute and sturdy and wonderful. I will say that it’s much easier to use the plastic lids that you can buy for them (also bpa-free), but you can definitely use the glass lids too (it’s just slightly tricky to put the lids on while trying to keep them “sterile” since they won’t be boiled after sealing). I make 3 dozen jars about once a month and only have about 12 of the plastic lids, so do the rest in glass.
In fact, there was a post here about me using these to make fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt! https://foodinjars.com.s164546.gridserver.com/arugulapesto/2010/11/open-jars-homemade-fruit-on-the-bottom-yogurt/
Thank you for doing a post on how to use these jars! I also hope that they will become more popular and lower in price, as they make canning extra visually seductive with their glass lid! I’d put some green tomato jam with vanilla bean in there!
Meyer lemon marmalade! I just bought the Meyer lemons yesterday, and how beautiful would they look in Weck jars? I’ve been wanting some of those jars for a while now!
Ooh, I’ve been counting the days until I can make another batch of vanilla strawberry jam!
I would make Meyer lemon jelly with chunks of candied ginger floating in it.
I have been longing for some Weck jars, so now I think I will order some from the site you mentioned! I’d love to put a strawberry jam in these lovelies! T-minus 1 month for Texas…
I’d make strawberry jam! yum!
Oooh, jam. I’d like to use them for the first jam of the season, whatever the CSA sends my way.
Since strawberry jam is usually my first canning of the season, that’s probably what I would be using these jars for. They are beautiful.
I’d love to give these cute (and BPA-free) jars a try! I think the first think I’d can would be some type of strawberry jam/jelly in the spring!
I’m another that would do strawberry jam. I can’t wait for spring and canning season!
Dilly beans
or Jam?..strawberry!
nothing that looks gross or hairy
tomatoe chutney
sweet and spicey
in these jars
It all looks nicey!
Great-grandma’s green tomato mincemeat, for a present to my son – or jam with the very first strawberries. I do so lust after these jars, and hope the price comes down!
I would probably make onion pickles. I’m addicted to them and eat almost all of them myself. That way I can keep these lovely jars in-house.
strawberry jam!!!
I am going to try some new (to me) pickling experiments in the coming months and these would be perfect. I’m thinking either cocktail onions or pickled okra (my absolute favorite).
I have wanted to try these for some time; my friend Andrea in Germany told me about them but I never got around to ordering them. Thanks for the informative post! I have a question–do you sterilize the orange rubber ring too?
As for me, I’d love to make a whole series of jams–these jars are so lovely and would only be moreso filled with the many intense colors of concentrated fruit!
First, I love Kaufmann Mercantile. I’m so glad you are promoting them! Second, I think these Weck jars are begging for caramel pear butter with piloncillo. Thanks so much!
I just got my landlord to agree to let me put in a raised bed in the yard, so I will be putting up all sorts of pickles this year! I would definitely use them for my grandma’s bread and butter pickles, or pickled jalapenos.
I first saw these at the local charcuterie with liver pate inside. I’d like to put some orange marmalade in them.
I love Weck jars; my sister recently introduced them to me through a gift of chili sauce I received at Christmas. They look quite beautiful. I think I would want to put something pretty in them that would be gifty; maybe some mango salsa or a spring jam like strawberry rhubarb in (hopefully; I live in Calgary)a few more weeks.
I’m always open to trying new things!