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!
Strawberry rhubarb jam! At least I will, once the strawberries show up in Wisconsin.
carrot soup! thanks for the great giveaway!
Kumquat Marmalade! It’s the only thing I really know how to make.
I’d love to try these with a gorgeous marmalade… I’d even spring for kumquats!
citrus marmalade!!!!
man, if I had those bad boys i’d can some marmalade with home grown citrus!
What lovely jars! I had been ogling these jars for some time and then a canning buddy gave me a little assortment of sizes for my birthday – what a sweetheart! When I first received them, I was sort of chicken to can with them (go figure) so I just used them to store other homemade items – hummus, goat cheese – since they look so nice on the table. But as soon as our Meyer lemons were ripe I canned up some lemon curd…it looks absolutly beautiful in the Weck jars – what a difference a glass lid makes! I just broke down and ordered some of the tall asparagus jars in anticipation of the spring harvest! Thank you for the new source for ordering Weck – although the new Weck website is easy to order from, you are absolutely right about the shipping costs! Yikes!
Why, that mouthwatering creamsicle jelly, of course!
I’d make strawberry jam from our wonderful local Oregon strawberries.
I’d make me some beautiful Strawberry Jam!
I’d be making some beautiful strawberry jam!
So exciting! I’ve been meaning to try canning marmalade again, and those jars would be perfect. Can’t wait to make an order.
I would love to give these a try along with my new Tattler lids. And aren’t these adorable! I’d probably can some kind of jam or jelly once I get a hold of some fruit. These just seem to pretty for most of what I can and are too little for any major batches. I could also do my zucchini relish as that is another item we eat in smaller amounts and is pretty in the jar!
Thanks,
Heather
I would fill them up with some delicious vanilla pear jam. mmm.
Some hot pepper jelly for my mom.
I’ve been dying to can something in those gorgeous jars! I think I’d start out with strawberry jam. Mmmm.
I’d really like to try making your Pear Vanilla Jam. I also think the jars are so great looking!
Jam made from whatever is the first, lovely fruit I can get hold of this spring. Spring is bound to come, even here to Minnesota…
Strawberry vanilla jam! The strawberries are almost ready here!
I just got my Blue Chair Jam cookbook in the mail, and I am desperate to try strawberry-blood orange marmalade with rosemary. It’s nearly strawberry season here, and our baby boy is finally big enough to pick a few of his own this year. We can’t wait! Last year, he was just a tiny little peanut when we dragged him out to the U-Pick farm and made our first batch of Karen Solomon’s fantastic strawberry jam. It made such great presents all year round.
Would love to make Micaela’s pear jam..she gave me a jar last year and I have been pining for it since..good luck to the one who win’s these great little jars..
Lemon Curd! I have been wanting to try if for ages and it would look so pretty in these jars!
Apple butter I think. As I tend to give that away as presents and the jars are so pretty. But then again I could keep the jars for myself and make some nice strawberry jam. I can’t wait to go strawberry picking again, if only spring would hurry up.
i would totally just copy your last post with the creamsicle jelly in the weck jars. that jelly sounds so delicious and i love a good reason to split a vanilla bean.
I love to can! that creamsicle jam or strawberry vanilla jam both seem really intriguing to me right now
I love these! Jam, jam, jam, jam, and more jam.
I would make jelly out of some the the juice I canned last summer, They jelly would be used before the juice in my house.
I’d wait for just picked raspberries and make plain old raspberry jam!
I’ve been canning for a long time, but for 3 years a big (unopened!) box of Weck jars I got at the thrift store has been sitting in my basement because I’ve been intimidated by them! This year I will definitely give it a try! I have a huge rhubarb and our neighbors share sour cherries from their tree, so I’m thinking I’d make sour Cherry + Rhubarb + Brandy jam. Thanks!
I love the look of weck jars! If I had some, I would fill them up with Rhubarb Vanilla Jam.
Definitely that Creamsicle Jelly!
These would be so fun to try! They look fantastic! When we moved, I had to leave all of my canning jars, and this would be so great to win!
We have found a great berry to use for jelly, so that is what I would like to make first. I also love to use canning jars to store my food in. Works really well.
Hey Marisa, I would love to try those! And the first thing I would can in them is strawberry jam from local, fresh strawberries (I have to wait until June though!).
I would love to can either tomato sauce or diced tomatoes that are home grown!
Those Weck jars look so cute! But if they’re expensive I feel like I would be a bit more stingy about giving them away. Or maybe can one or two Ball jars in each big batch for giving away. Anyway, I’m really looking forward to canning some cherry jam. I missed cherry season last year (it’s pretty short in Northern California and it happens much earlier than I expected) and only got a few jars of cherry products so I’m really excited to try a cherry vanilla jam recipe that I found.
I canned tomatoes for the first time last summer! I wanted to get Weck jars at the time but wasn’t able to, so I would love to win this giveaway! The first thing I would can would be preserves from the berries that will be showing up at the market soon!
I would make……so many things, I’m not sure what would be first! Thanks for the tip for acquiring through Kauffman Merc…
Thank you! I would like to can vanilla meyer lemon marmalade!
Thank you soooo much for this post! I just started canning a couple years ago, and have always loved Weck jars but could never find a confident source of how to actually can in these gorgeous jars. If I were to be the lucky winner of a set of these I would fill them with a batch of blood orange rhubarb jam!
I am teaching some friends how to do jellies/pickles…INCLUDING my adorable husband whom thought cucumbers were automatically pickles! LOL 🙂
I would love love to use these jars in the making 🙂
I would can lemon marmalade in those. We have so many lemons right now and I think some beautiful jars would motivate me to do something with the fruit!
Bread and Butter Pickles!! Mmmmm….
The first thing I’d like to can w/ the weck jars is Strawberry jam. We’re running low in our larder – going to have to use the frozen berries from this summer.
Thanks so much for this post. I already love Weck jars but didn’t know where to get new rubber rings. Finally, I can make more stuff in my tulip jars. I just bought everything needed to make Carrot Marmalade.
Pineapple and blood orange preserves!
Thank you so much for this post. I am new to canning and new to your blog (thanks to my friend at Coeur de La). I saw these in one of your posts and thought they were so neat looking but now think they are so more than just looks. I have the site and newsletter sign-up site up on separate tabs as we speak.
I already have a list of firsts for these jars if I were to win – the creamsicle jelly, the pear vanilla jam, homemade lemon curd… The list goes on and on. I may just have to get started before I find out who wins!
My daughter Merissa wants to can peaches with Weck Jars. I want to try to can garlic dill pickles. We can’t agree. I’ve wanted these jars because I believe they are better for the environment. We’ve only canned once & would love to get started on the best. I like using the ball jars for decorating & drinking out of.
They’re so pretty I’d want to can tasty treats to give as gifts, but I don’t think I would be able to give them away.
And no extra shipping charges to Alaska, that immediately endears me to them. “May take a little extra time to ship to Alaska”, that I can deal with. Thanks for sharing what appears to be an awesome company. Lots of good things on their site! 🙂
I’d probably make my classic jalapeno jelly. These look like so much fun to use!