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’ve been transitioning to using glass instead of plastic tupperware – easy when you have so many jars lying around. But I would love to get a nice cast iron pan and a wide stainless steel pan for making jam!
I’d definitely use more glass and less plastic.
The one change I would make is DO MORE CANNING! 🙂 That would be the healthiest choice since you can limit what you put in the food that you eat, and you can put it up when it is at it’s most fresh and nutritious.
Moving out the plastic slowly but surely… fewer ziplocks, more glass.
LOVE those weck jars…
I’d love to replace any of the final non-stick pieces of my cookware with cast iron, ceramic and stainless pans/pots. Would love to switch to all weck jars to get rid of the BPA canning lids too!
I use jars a lot for storage, but I still have a lot of plastic that I’d like to phase out.
Zipper freezer and vacuum bags. I would love to replace them once and for all with something that preserves bushels of peas and beans in water, stacks so nicely, and takes up little space. It’s one thing I just can’t seem to find a good replacement for (without having to get another freezer to accommodate bulkier options).
If the numbers are anything to go by then I’m #626 to make a comment. Wow, a lot of activity here. I would get the Squeeze Cellulose Sponge Cloths, 3-pack to make my kitchen safer. They are thinner and easier to hold.
I drink a lot of water at home, but not when I’m on the go because I don’t like plastic water bottles. I would love to get those glass water bottles.
When I was young, my mother would make plum blackberry jelly. When I make it, the smell of the plums takes me right back to my mother’s kitchen. I have never seen Weck jars. They are beautiful and I love the variety of shapes.
I would like to remove all plastic storage from my kitchen and use the non-bpa canning lids.
We have switched from plastic to stainless steel water bottles, but I would like to do the same for all food storage – like storing leftovers and lunches in stainless steel and/or glass.
I’d love to replace my mainly-plastic coffeemaker with a Chemex or something similar, as plastic plus boiling water creeps me out even more than plastic for simple food storage.
I would continue to get rid of all the plastics in the house. I would make and can up something new for my family to eat and stick it in the pantry..My goal is to no longer eat any preservatatives found in so many of the grocery products.
Wow that’s a lot of Weck jars! You’re right, that link sent me to kitchen drool land :o) I would start with the glass lunch items, then move to the bamboo utensils. So very cool!
I would love to try the splatter screen! I HATE cleaning the grease off of the back of my stove after I make bacon!
I’d love to continue to move away from plastics with BPA to sustainable products produced with little toxic effect on the environment or my family. I’ve been slowly replacing older utensils and pans with those that are better for my health, eating more local, and putting up foods from my organic CSA so we can enjoy the summer bounty through the winter months.
I’m working on taking my own BPA free containers to the deli department and bringing reusable cloth bags for fruits and veggies purchased at the grocery.
I’d like to be able to switch from plastic to glass for leftover and everyday food storage.
My big changes would be to eliminate the last little bits of plastic from my storage containers (only a couple left!) and to make my canning BPA-free, finally.
What an amazing give-away! But oh, goodness, what a difficult question. I try to have only safe and healthy kitchenware, but I suppose something at least related to the kitchen that I have yet to find locally are bio-degradable trash bags.
After some health problems, my eyes were opened to finding products that would be less toxic in my home. I’ve recently begun switching from non stick to cast iron and elimintaing plastics and replacing with glass. A few years ago I replaced all of my dishware for a lead free set. I enjoy canning and always putup applesauce and albacore tuna each August. As time allows, I add other veggies and fruit to the pantry.
Even though it’s calphalon and it was a small fortune, I want to get rid of my nonstick cookware
Plastics!
I am trying very hard to remove all plastics and BPAs from our kitchen. I would love to start canning with Weck jars and get rid of the canning jars with BPA in the lids.
I would like to get away from using so many plastic products for storage.
I’ve been slowly replacing all of the plastic pieces with glass & metal. There are still some things that need to go like old measuring spoons & a few smaller containers that are just the right size for my packed lunches. I also should stop telling myself I’ll get around to sewing produce bags & just buy myself some to stop using the ones at the store.
Would love to get rid of my nonstick cookware and move to cast iron.
I still use some plastic (although it is bpa free). I would like to stop using plastic completely. I don’t heat food in it only store. I already use cast iron and stainless steel to cook in and only reheat things in glass.
I’d like to replace all my plastic food storage with glass or stainless steel items.
I need to get some cast iron into my life–I still have a few non-stick pans.
We’re slowly transitioning from plastic containers to glass, and I’d love to do more canning (especially in jars with glass lids!) to have a better idea of what’s in my food.
I would love to get rid of all the plastic in my kitchen and start storing all our food in glass containers.
I’ve been bitten by the canning bug thanks to your cookbook, and would love to can in Weck jars
Less plastic, more glass.
I LOVE this jars! And I think I need to make some plum jam this weekend…
I hadn’t checked out MightyNest yet-great site! That glass popcorn popper is fantastic. Thanks for the opportunity to win all these lovely Weck jars.
I’d like to start using a pressure cooker for more cooking, both to prep for canning and also for every day meals so I can keep more nutrients, brighter colors, and use less oil or long-cooking items like dried beans.
I would love to start puttingup pickled asparagus in the wide mouth Weck Jars!! I LOVE PICKLED ASPARAGUS but cannot afford to buy much of it!!
Like a lot of people here, I’d like to use less plastic. I now have glass containers and jars that I use, but I also still have some plastic ones that I end up using as well.
This is an amazing giveaway – and I’m excited to learn about MightyNest. For safety reasons, I’d love to trade out my rusted 40-year old graniteware canner. I’ll keep it for sentimental reasons, though! Also moving to all glass for storage (both shelf and refrigerator) and eliminating plastic from my life in steady steps.
I would like to replace some of my stock pots that are aluminum with stainless steel or cast iron. I’m headed that way, but not there yet!
I would love to replace all my non-stick cookware with cast iron skillets or stainless steel stockpots.
Since discovering your site a few weeks ago I’ve been canning with ancient jars I found in my great aunt’s basement. I will be buying some Weck jars in the near future, I love the look of them.
I’m also trying to rid the house of plastic food storage containers.
I’ve eliminated most of the plastic in my kitchen and switched to glass, with the exception of my mixing bowls. I’d like to switch to glass mixing bowls and ditch the plastic ones.
we’re pretty good with glass (glasslock and old kombucha bottles), and plastic bags (reusies has groupons!) but I know that there is still bpa in some of our old nalgenes and weird stuff on some old non-stick pans of ours. we still have to get the chemicals out!
I’d love to start putting up small batches of canned fruits and veggies not just for healthy reasons but for economic ones too! LOVE your blog – Portland misses you!
I would like to get away from using plastic to store food by adding more glass storage. Things like this would help. Besides that, they would be adorable for canning jam!
I’ve switched from plastic to glass for most of my food storage, from teflon to Pyrex for most of my bakeware and from teflon to cast iron for my frying pans but my stock pots, water bath canner and pressure canner are all aluminum and I would love to upgrade them to stainless steel.
I would love to start canning with weck jars and moving away from the standard canning jars with BPA in the lids.
I’d love to get rid of all my plastic storage containers and replace them with glass.
I am in the process of replacing plastic storage containers with glass & teflon pans with cast iron. I’d like to switch from chemical cleansers to’better for the environment’ things like baking soda & vinegar.