It used to be that Weck jars were precious things, hard to come by outside of Germany. Then people started discovering how pretty and useful they are. Suddenly, stores from Crate & Barrel to Williams-Sonoma and beyond began stocking them.
No explanation is needed when it comes to storing dry goods in Weck jars, but when it comes to the actual act of canning in them, newcomers sometimes need a little help. A couple years ago, I wrote a step-by-step guide to using Weck jars, and while I have no intention of reinventing that particular wheel today, I do want to pluck out a few of the most commonly asked questions about canning in Weck jars and highlight them here so that they’re easy to access.
How do you tell if Weck jars are sealed? You can tell that Weck jars are sealed because the little tab on the rubber seal will point downwards. You can also test your seal in much the same way that you do with Ball jars. Once the jars are cool, remove the clips and grasp the lid of the jar. Lift off the counter an inch or two. If the seal holds fast, you’re golden. If it starts to lose its seal or breaks the suction entirely, that’s a jar that needs to be refrigerated.
Can you reuse the rubber seal? In all printed materials available in the US, they don’t recommend that you use the rubber seal for Weck jars more than once. However, I’ve been told the instructions printed in other countries tell you that it is reusable until it is stretched out or begins to lose its elasticity. Because I don’t like to take chances, I replace the rubber seal with each use.
Can you pressure can in Weck jars? I have not tried it personally, but I was told that it can be done, provided you add a third clip to the lid, in order to help prevent siphoning during processing.
Is it possible to buy replacement clips? It is! You can actually easily buy replacement clips, rubber rings and even lids for Weck jars. MightyNest, sponsor of today’s giveaway sells all the replacement parts in their canning section.
Because Weck jars are quite a bit more expensive than traditional mason jars, I tend to save them for my favorite preserves. These are the recipes that I like so much that I tend to either keep them all for myself or share them with only those people who are truly deserving.
Plum jam is one of my most beloved preserves, because its flavor reminds me of the rummy jam my mom used to make with the fruit from our backyard trees, in Southern California, when I was very young.
For this jam, I combined 5 cups of chopped plums (a mixture of yellow and red) with 2 1/2 cups of sugar. Once the juices started to run, I cooked the fruit and sugar over high heat until the fruit broke down and the syrup thickened enough to hang off the spatula in little pink windows. A squeeze of lemon juice went in at the end for balance. Processed for ten minutes in an array of Weck jars, this is one preserve I’ll be rationing this winter, to ensure it lasts until plum season returns.
If you’ve been contemplating adding some Weck jars to your kitchen, you’re going to love today’s giveaway. It’s provided by MightyNest, an online shop and community hub designed to help people find a world of products (everything from kitchenware to personal care) that are healthy and non-toxic. Here’s what MightyNest has put together for this giveaway:
20 quart canning pot with a rack designed to hold 7 quarts
6 1-liter asparagus jars
6 1/2 liter tulip jars
6 160ml mold jars
Weck jar lifter (these are great, because they don’t catch on the clips the same way that jar lifters designed for Ball jars can).
MightyNest is also hosting a giveaway of my book over on their blog this week. If you’ve not yet gotten your copy, make sure to click over to enter!
If you’re interested in entering this giveaway, here’s how to do it.
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me what one change you’d like to make to your kitchenware to make it healthier. If you’re stumped for ideas, head over to MightyNest and browse their many lovely kitchen items. You’ll be chomping at the bit for something new in no time (I want everything they sell).
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm east coast time on Friday, August 24. Winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Saturday, August 25, 2012.
- Giveaway is open to US residents.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog, I cannot accept submissions via email.
Disclosure: MightyNest provided the jars, canner and jar lifter for this giveaway at no cost to me. I have not been compensated for my time or this post. My opinions remain mine entirely.
Founded by two parents, MightyNest is an online store, resource center, and community dedicated to helping parents create healthy, safe homes. Our mission is to give families the ability to research, get advice, and buy natural, non-toxic products all in one place. From kitchenware to skin care, MightyNest’s safety experts have built the web’s broadest selection of products that are free from known toxic ingredients such as BPA, PVC, Phthalates, Lead, Melamine, Formaldehyde, Parabens, and more.
MightyNest is a place where people feel motivated and welcomed, not discouraged or judged; somewhere people are empowered to make changes in their lives, whether large or small. For the growing number of parents seeking high quality, healthy and safe alternatives to everyday products for their family, MightyNest is their most trusted resource.
I need a new skillet, without any icky coating on it. I, like many, am working to get rid of my plastics and use more glass.
The durable, portable lunch container is the last stand for plastic in my kitchen, and it needs to go! Time to switch to glass or stainless.
I like the idea of getting rid of plastic food storage, but I haven’t wanted to move to glass (I drop way too much stuff). I’m liking the idea of stainless containers tho. Haven’t seen those before.
I’d like to use less plastic bags and more glass jars for storing leftovers and taking for lunch. Thanks!
I am slowly collecting clear glass food storage containers. When I can easily see what I have, I have less food waste.
Like other responders, I would like to get the plastic and BPA out of my life as much as possible. I love items that I can reuse again and again, and the Ball and Mason jars in my house attest to this! Having a good sized garden and growing many of my own fruits and vegetables also helps me have a healthier diet. I also know where my food came from and what’s it in when I can, freeze, or dry it myself.
I’ve slowly been turning over my plastic storage into glass storage. It has been a slow process, but I hope to finish it up this yr.
I’d love to get more cutting boards. I want one of those sets where you have one for each type of food (poultry, fish, meat, vegetables) to reduce cross contamination. Today’s my birthday! Maybe that will be bring me extra luck with the drawing this week. 🙂
To make our kitchen healthier, I’d like to store grains and beans in the freezer for long-term freshness, replace plastic with glass, and freeze more vegetables. The Weck jars are lovely!
To make my kitchen healthier I am looking for alternatives to the disposable canning lids. I’ve considered tattler lids, but am really interested in these wreck jars!
i am trying to phase out canning lids containing bpa, who knew this stuff was so bad!?
I’d like to replace a lot of my plastic storage containers with exclusively glass and/or stainless steel. I’m picky about my plastic, but still, I feel like I use too much.
Ditch the gross cleaners for homemade/better quality cleaning products!
oh, I’d like to replace all my old worn out aluminum bakeware with glass! and bamboo cutting boards would be cool too.
Swoon at the giveaway! wow.
My switch would be to continue to get away from plastics and switch to glass and/or stainless. Have bookmarked Mighty Nest because WOW they have the goods to do just that.
Thanks to you and them for such a fabulous giveaway!
I’d like to move all of my “tupperware” over to glass or ceramics. Since I take my lunch everyday I need quite a few and only have a couple!
I’d like to master cooking in cast iron. I’m still struggling with making my fry pans “non stick”, but I’m getting there. This is an AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL giveaway – thank you!!
I would like to use glass containers for leftovers, and tattler reusable lids for canning.
I only just started reading your blog, and I attended your talk last week in Phoenixville. I blush to admit that it had never occurred to me that the standard metal lids I had been using since learning about canning at my mother’s knee contained BPA. I’d really like to try these lovely glass jars and lids.
In our kitchen we do quite a bit of meat curing, smoking, & preserving along with veg & fruit preserving. So I think the one thing I’d want to change is designating certain cutting boards, knives, utensils to use with meat only.
Not only for health reasons (meat things touching only other meat things–no cross contamintaion) but it’s amazing how dull knives can get when you’re using them to de-skin pork belly. Hands down the next time you go to use that knife you’ll try to cut into the tender skin of tomato and it will be absolutely useless (and frustrating).
I need to cut down on my use of plastic ziplocks for storage.
I never knew these even existed, but I love them. Now I can get rid of the plastic containers for good!
My son is starting school this fall and he needs to bring a lunch. I want to find good options for bringing those lunches besides plastic and paper bags. Something that will make lunch fun to eat.
I would eliminate all BPA plastics. I’ve tried, but I, sure there are some still lurking. Also working right now to change my diet and add more fruits and veg, eliminating red meat.
I’d like to get a pressure canner so I can start canning some veggies (not pickled) and some meats. I think this will be healthier for me and my family. I also agree with other comments – I’d like to get rid of all my plastic tupperware and switch to glass.
I’m putting the Lunchbot containers on my wish list!
I’d love to figure out a real solution to minimize plastic use. It’s easy to buy more glass or stainless food storage containers for my personal use, but not so easy to figure out what to do with all the plastic containers that are used for the local butter, yogurt and cheese we like to support (good quality reusable ones, but still plastic). They don’t accept them back for re-use, I have hundreds of them around the kitchen, the only way to stop them coming is to switch back to the nationally sourced butter/mozzarella/goat cheese etc. At least where I live they are accepted for recycling, but I’d love to figure out a way to not use them in the first place.
Sorry, too many comments to read. I thought I’d make some Weck notes for those who are serious about canning with them. The jar lifter you have will not work unless you grasp the jar EXACTLY right. Even the “mold” jars you can manage to break the seal on them when you lift as the flat run of your gripper will squeeze the rubber just wrong.
The weck jar lifter is on backorder…. till Sept. (I’ve managed a work-around with tongs, lifter and a silicone hotpad)
Next up is that your wide mouth funnel will not fit in the 250mL size tulip size so your small “jam” jar will not be fillable except with a large spoon. I have two different brands of wide-mouth funnels and this is true of both of them.
I’ve canned meat in the tulip jars, used the 3rd clip, those babies vented more than I ever saw any of my kerr/ball jars and so the lime/orange/cumin flavor was significantly lower level than I expected. The meat turned out well, just don’t be surprised if things play out a bit more differently than you’re used to.
Lastly if you have a huge graniteware canner with the rack that allows you to lift stuff out, none of the weck jars fit or balance within that rack well – at ALL. I’ve been using the silicone trivets in the bottom to allow me to can in my large canner. I would love a rack that would allow me to use the various sizes of weck all together. They do have more of a range of shape/size than ball/kerr – which is a positive as I now can portion sizes which keeps my husband from forgetting what is in the fridge and leaving it to go bad. More work up front but well worth it for our life and situation. (not for everyone)
That said, I’ve trialled both the weck jars and the tattler lids this summer. I’ve had, except lifter mistakes, a zero seal failure rate with the weck jars. The tattler lids however run 1-4 jars of failure per load. Yes, I’ve followed their original directions and their updated directions. It may be my rings are a bit older… but… as far as work is concerned, the weck jars win, hands down.
Now, if I can get a lifter, fix the canner stacking and the funnel issue…..
see, now you can laugh at me 😀
I’m trying to use my ziploc bags more than once by encouraging my kids to bring them home from school instead of throwing them in the trash so I can rinse them out. I’m also trying not to buy any new bakeware that does not have a lid with it, so I can avoid having to transfer it to another dish for refrigerating leftovers.
I would like to use less plastic (bag, water bottle, grocery, shopping, storage).
I have a toddler who starts back school for the first time next week. We haven’t had to pack lunches before, so our goal is going to be the waste free lunch. We already have a bpa and pvc free reusable bag, thermos made of stainless steel, lunch bots reusable tins, but we still need reusable bags. The world of packing preschool lunches seems to be a challenging one, but at least I know we’ll be green!
I would like to have a grain mill so that I can grind my own fresh grains for homemade bread, pasta, etc. Additive free, fresh, locally sourced food!
I’d like to rely less on plastic bags for food storage in the fridge. It’s hard to convert the hubby to other storage options!
I’d like to use more stainless steel as storage containers. We have the “nesting trio” for our daughter’s snacks and love it – unbreakable and no leaching issues!
I already started -I’m using a wicker-wrapped glass bottle to store water that I drink at my desk at work during the day. I fill it once at the water cooler and I’m set for the day. No plastic bottles for me.
Thanks for this contest and for a great website!
I want the glass microwave popcorn popper! I love popcorn and I try to be more healthy by air popping it in brown paper bags, but you can only use them once or twice before they start to burn, the plastic microwave air poppers make me nervous.
I’d like to get rid of all my plastic containers and use glass only. Unfortunately, in some instances plastic just works better. Also, I have purchased quite a bit of Anchor and Pyrex storage containers and neither are as good as they used to be. They chip very easily. I have bowls that are probably 25 years old by now and have never (knock wood) gotten a chip. But several of my brand new containers already have chips and 2 have completely broken. So sadly I’ll have to keep some plastic or I’ll go broke.
I’d love a good steamer, so I don’t feel the urge to pan fry things all the time!
I’d love to try out ceramic pots and pans! I have one last teflon coated non-stick pan in my kitchen that gets quite a bit of use because it is easier to clean (and pick up!) than my massive cast iron skillets. I didn’t even know that ceramic pans existed until I visited MightyNest. I’m now dying to replace my one last yucky, teflon coated pan with a safe and healthy non-stick option!
I want to transition from plastic leftover and lunch containers to glass.
I would like to get rid of my plastic storage containers and replace them with glass.
I’d love a small convection oven – my oven doesn’t get food very crispy, so I end up using more oil than I’d like!
I’m working on transferring my kitchen to all-glass–but my husband isn’t really on board yet. Even though I’ve been saving jars after use to hold leftovers in, we don’t have enough containers to hold pieces of meat or carry a sandwich in–which is what he’s really looking for 🙂
My GOODNESS, what a crazy-awesome giveaway!
I would like to switch more of our storage containers to glass- it’s hard to do entirely for packing kids lunches, but otherwise I’d like to move to glass entirely.
I really, really want one of those soft, foamy kitchen mats for near my stove. I have been spending hours on my feet canning and I am hoping it will help make it more comfortable. Although tired feet and a sore back are alright if it means beautiful canned goods!
Thanks for your awesome blog!
I would ditch the rest of my kitchen appliances that have non-stick surfaces. I don’t often use them, but I can’t bear to let go of my pizzelle maker, waffle iron and panini press!
I’d like to get rid of plastic ware all together and replace it with glass storage options. It’s hard to do when the plastic is made so freely available (I’m looking at you Chinese take out). And most of the glass options I see come with some form of plastic lid.
Changes I’d like to make to my kitchenware healthier ? Oh – I’d love to have more glass storage containers ! Aside from wanting to use less plastic, I like that a person can microwave in glass without worrying that something will leach from the container to the food. It behaves better in the dishwasher, too – doesn’t fly around or turn over, dries quickly, doesn’t stain. And I like the heft of glass. Leftovers in glass are a good meal remembered; leftovers in plastic – meh.
This post has reminded me that it’s time to make more pretty preserves in the Weck jars I already have. My tried & true recipe just seems to taste better when served from one of the pretty tulip jars.
I would love to get rid of all plastic in my household. I love the stainless containers for my daughter’s lunch. This canning set would be amazing!!!
I guess the last thing to go to make the kitchen healthier would be the plastic stuff. I’ve already tossed the nonstick pots and pans and changed to stainless and cast iron.
I LOVE those Weck canning jars! So pretty.
LOL how you keep them for yourself and BF.
I want to get rid of all plastic in my kitchen. I’ve already started by buying smarter, which isn’t always easy. I’ve also been reaching out to companies that use less and letting them know how much I appreciate them. A small thing, but I feel good about it.
This will be my first year to can. My mom did it when I was little. I’m excited to learn. Need any help I can find.
Hmm, my one kitchenware update that I would love right now would be a new 18/10 Stainless pan, 12 inch. I’m a military spouse and that one pan didn’t come out on the other side the last time we moved. (mysteries of life) We bought a crappy $20 walmart pan that’s shedding teflon like it’s the end of the world, but I want to move up to a stainless or cast iron pan next. We’re in the middle of a new PCS, so the crappy pan is staying behind.
I am an avid canner and crafter and I was all over the movers to pack my hard won jars of jams, pickles, and preserves carefully. We wound up with 4 huge boxes and I hope that they all come out on the other side intact. I would love those Weck jars and put them to *very* good use in a hurry.
Side Note: I bought the Tattler lids to avoid BPA and save money (long term) and while I’ve definitely had more seal failures and siphoning, I would still purchase them for the reuse you get. I’ve only had one jar of cherry jam that just refused to seal over and over.
Here’s hoping for birthday luck!
To make my kitchen healthier I would love to get a powerful juicer! I tend to buy a lot of smoothies and other fruit juices and I know it would be healthier if I could make my own! I also really liked the bamboo cutlery on the MightyNest to pack for my lunch or picnics. Thanks for the chance to win, I’d love the chance to try out those beautiful jars!
I am really looking to get all the non stick pans out of my kitchen. It looks like they have some good choices over there, thanks for the links & the giveaway!
I’m making an concerted effort to kill all the plastic in my kitchen and move to glass storage, wooden utensils, buying in bulk and filling my own jars, etc.
thanks for this giveaway … I’m a long-time lurker, and love your recipes.
I have started to change my kitchen over to glass containers, stainless steel pans, wooden spoons…I would like to buy some of the safe sippy cups and lunch things for my kids this year. I would also like to try some of the weck canning jars because I have heard the aluminum canning tops can be bad for you. 🙂
Awesome giveaway! Like many others, I would like to oust BPA from my kitchen!
I would like to shop in bulk more often and store healthy grains like quinoa and also nuts in reusable containers to eliminate a lot of the cardboard and excess packaging in my pantry.
Trying to get rid of as much plastic as possible.
Woah, that is a really nice canning set! To make my kitchen healthier, I’d like to replace more of my storage containers with BPA-free and glass containers. We are slowly switching over, but still have a few questionable relics…
I would love to get rid of all my plastic nalgene water bottles and replace them with glass water bottles. That would make me feel much healthier – I hate drinking out of plastic!
I want to get rid of all non-stick and aluminium pots/pans and utensils!
I’d like to purge my kitchen of every bit of plastic — lids, utensils, etc. — that it holds. It’s already pretty green, but I want to go greener!
I am slowly replacing all of my plastic storage containers with glass – a few each month!
One change I’d make with my kitchenware situation is to replace the remainder of our plastic food storage containers with glass.
Thank you for all of this wonderful information, AND for hosting all of these lovely giveaways! 🙂
One thing I would love to do with my kitchen to make it less toxic is to store food in all glass containers, instead of plastic. I’m slowly making the change-over, but some months are easier than others. ;);
I’ve made a lot of changes to my kitchenware in the last couple of years–no more plastic containers, glass storage, etc. I would like to continue my changes by replacing paper towels and zip lock bags. Love the glass straws!
I need to start collecting glassware for refrigerator storage.
I’ve been slowly been getting rid of the plastic for the last few years, but I’d really love to ditch all of the non-stick/teflon pots.
I would like to find some solution or replacement for ziplock bags.
Oh what a great giveaway! I’d love to replace my canning jars with jars that don’t have plastic/bpa lined lids but haven’t yet committed to make the hefty investment. This set would be a great start 🙂
Wow, what a great set – I am seriously coveting that stuff! Trying to eliminate plastic from my cookware and storage stuff. Learning to can is a project I’m just getting started on, and I would LOVE to win this.
The Glass Microwave Popcorn Popper would make a great change in my kitchen.
I would love to replace the remainder of my plastic ware with glass. I only with that size options for glass had more variety of sizes!!!
There really aren’t many changes left to make! Perhaps simply that I would like to add more Weck jars??? 😉
I’m shifting everything to glass – no more plastic. Love your book – have already made two batches of your strawberry vanilla jam. Yum!! 🙂
I’m in the process of switching from plastic to glass storage containers. Weck jars would help that process nicely.
a few years ago, i started canning to make our lives healthier; my next task is to reduce/eliminate plastic from our lives. it’s so hard to not be dependent on plastic!
I am trying to get rid of my plastic storage containers and switch over to glass…
Great giveaway! It’s a toss up between getting rid of my non stick pans and my plastic storage containers.
I love MightyNest – I also want one of everything they sell. Gotta love those Weck jars – but I really would love some aluminum containers to bring my lunch. Glass is lovely, but heavy.
I’d like to replace all my plastic bottles with glass water bottles and my reusable plastic coffee mugs with porcelain mugs. I’d also like to get some cast iron skillets instead of the regular non stick pans that I have.
I’d love to add one of their cast iron pans or a dutch oven to my kitchen tools. Thanks for the giveaway!
I would really like to get rid of most of my plastic storage containers and switch to all glass.
I’d love to replace my falling-apart tupperware with glass. Or replace the teflon pans left over from college with something healthier.
I’d get all new bamboo utensils!
I am with everyone else, trying to get the plastic out of my kitchen…
Thanks so much for telling us about MightyNest. I have slowly started to eliminate plastic containers in my kitchen, using canning jars and other glass containers. But those Weck jars are so beautiful and I have been coveting them, so this is a fanastic give-away! Also the selection of lunch items and kitchen cookware on the MightyNest website is very good.
Non-stick pans. I wish I could find a good alternative that works as well and lasts as long as a traditional non-stick pan.
We are in the process of getting rid of all the plastic – we switched to glass storage containers for leftovers to start…but so much more to go!!
I would love to make the switch to more re-usable solutions for my kids school lunches. It’s so easy to throw things into plastics bags, but I know that’s not the best option.
To make my kitchen earlier, I would like to replace my nonstick pans with cast-iron skillets and eliminate all plastic storage containers for glass ones.
I’ve seen the Weck jars only once in person – they are gorgeous!
I’d love to get rid of all of my plastic bowls….I’m almost there, but it’s like an addiction. Love the clear glass bowls on the MightyNest website…safe and easy to see what you are mixing. 🙂
it’s way past time for me to replace my wooden spoons and i would love to have a couple of to-go coffee cups that my local coffeeshop could use for my coffee.
I’d like to buy enough glass/metal storage containers that I can get rid of the plastic ones I’ve been using for years.
I would like to replace my plastic storage with glass. Love weck jars!
I’d really love to take my lunch to work in glass or stainless steel every day. I’m almost there, but I have a few stragglers left hanging around… including my favorite to-go dressing container.
I lust after Weck jars. In a big way.
Definitely convert all the plastic to glass or some other non-plastic alternative. And improve using our water bottles consistently (with six people in the house, not easy).
I’m brand new to canning so thanks for the chance at all the gear.
I’d love to get rid of the plastic; I’m almost there, but it seems like it multiplies in the back of my drawers!