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 tend to store most things in glass, but the little plastic I still use bugs me! I’d love to find a better way to store cheeses and leafy greens. And… I never knew Weck made a specific jar lifter. That is excellent!
I need more glass refrigerator storage jars so I can completely rid myself of plastic bags!
i would love to win that thanks
I’m working on using reusable containers more for my sack lunches.
I’m hoping to get rid of all plastic storage containers!
Like everyone else, I would love to replace all plastic containers with glass! Thanks for this awesome giveaway:-)
To make my kitchen healthier, I’d like to get rid of all the plastic- especially the plastic leftover containers.
I want those TULIP jars! They are too cute and I know just the jam that I want in them. As for how to make my kitchen healthier, I’ve getting rid of all of the boxed, pre-made stuff and cooking from scratch. Besides being cheaper, it’s a lot of fun!
We are trying to steer away from throwaways. No more paper plates or plastic utensils. I’m sure they have all sorts of coatings on them.
I’d love to get rid of my plastic cooking utensils. Mightynest’s bamboo set is just the thing.
What a great giveaway! I’d LOVE to win this one! I knew immediately how I’d like to make my kitchenware healthier, but I went to Might Nest’s website anyway. Looks like a great site to do some shopping. The change I’d like to make is getting rid of more plastic (all those storage containers and plastic drinking cups!) and switching as many of my pots and pans and cooking utensils to nonreactive materials – either stainless steel or ceramic, and more wooden or bamboo spoons.
I am almost free of plastic storage containers, but I haven’t yet found a good replacement for some of the sandwich containers. I would love to phase them out sometime soon.
I have slowly been converting my kitchen for the last 2 years. I now cook in cast iron or aluminum and avoid non-stick cookware. No plastic for storage or drinking. My last hold out is the canning. I have pined over Weck jars for years and never bought any because they are so beautiful I just wouldn’t be able to give them away!
Wow, I would love to win this. I’ve been wanting to try Weck jars for a long time. Using glass instead of plastic/non-stick/etc is my kitchen priority. I try to use glass for everything!
I would love to get rid of all plastics in the kitchen. This giveaway would be amazing to win. Fingers Crossed!
I would phase out the non-stick teflon pans in favor of ceramic…
I’ve been phasing out our plastic food storage for glass, so I’d love to finally get all the way plastic-free. And I still have a couple of non-stick baking pans that need to be swapped out.
I would like to replace my non-stick skillet and griddle pan with cast iron versions of the same. I’ve been looking at all the new “green” pans and have just decided to go with the KISS principle and make mine cast iron. Besides, I have a great cherry tomato and link sausage recipe that calls for a cast iron skillet that I really want to try.
I would like to switch over from mason jars to Weck jars, and I also would love a food dehydrator.
I would love to have a chest freezer so I could buy local, organic, grass-fed beef in bulk and store it safely for my family to enjoy.
i love this giveaway. i had started this project long ago and am pretty much there…the thing i would change is my family being more relaxed about plastics!!
This is the one change I’d really like to make! I would love to add some Weck jars to our stash and start using them for items that I know touch the lid while processing. What an amazing giveaway!
I would get rid of the plastic leftover dishes and use more glass.
I would like to eliminate the microwave and all plastic from my kitchen!
Wow, AWESOME giveaway!! The biggest change I’d like to make in my kitchen to make it healthier is to work on changing plastic storage containers to glass or metal.
I would like to swap our my plastic tupperware for more microwave friendly glass containers.
I’m hoping to completely eliminate plastic from my food prep and storage, glass is just so much nicer.
I’d like a chest freezer so I could buy local organic produce and grass-fed meat in bulk.
I’m looking to ditch the plastic. And get more classy glass jars.
Swap out plastic containers for glass ones.
We still have some plastic storage containers to phase out and particularly plastic lunch boxes.
I am trying to cut down on plastic bags by using reusable bags and containers for lunches.
I would love some more glass storage containers!
I would like to switch out all my plastic storage containers with glass. I’m about halfway through this project but I’ve got a long way to go!
I’d get rid of my non-stick pans for cast iron.
I would like to phase out all of plastic food storage containers and only use glass.
We are working hard to replace all of our plastic. The storage containers have been conquered, but we have yet to replace the baggies. That’s our current goal.
excellent giveaway! i’d really like to redo our leftovers storage – tupperware for glass.
No plastic! It drives me bonkers when I am letting plastic leach into my foods just because I can’t afford more glass!
Last year I made a new year’s promise to eliminate 90% of my plastic use. I switched to glass but found that the jars often broke in my bag, creating a mess. I’d love to switch to stainless steel lunch containers!
Maybe a bigger non-stick pan? Better to make some dishes with less oil.
Already changed from plastic to glass jars for storage, now I’d love to get rid of all my non-stick cookware and replace them with 18/10 stainless steel. I found a couple of them at thrift stores and just love them.
Those Weck Jars are beautiful. I’d love to invest in a nice cast iron skillet. Very versatile.
I am slowly transitioning my tupperware over to all glass and I am trying to cut out aluminum foil.
I’d like to get rid of the rest of the plastic storage in my kitchen.
The microwave corn popper would help!
I’d like to get rid of my plastic cutting board.
End using any type of plastic products ie ziplocs etc…I’m getting there 🙂
I need to continue removing the plastic from my kitchen. And invest a nice cast iron dutch oven…
I would like new cutting boards. Big cutting boards.
Make the switch from plastic containers to glass.
man, i am drooling over all of those jars. right now i am trying to get rid of all of the plastic we have in the kitchen. my husband now has glass containers he takes to work and i’ve gotten my daughter some reusable baggies. next i’m tackling all of our leftover containers and storage containers. also, completely in love with the double walled travel mug mighty nest has.. i think i may have buy myself one 🙂
I would like to get all ceramic and cast iron enamel pans.
We are turning our front yard into an edible garden. Meeting with the landscape architect tonight!
I like to change out all the plastic for glass! Thanks for sharing always great info.
We just moved into a new house with room for a freezer in the garage. I would love to be able to have a freezer to store homemade butter and other things I’ve been wanted to do, but didn’t have the room for!
I need to replace my stained plastic cutting boards. I’ve heard there’s a tool for scraping them down but I haven’t found it yet.
I would love to switch over to glass storage containers and recycle my plastic containers. Adding to my barely beginner stash of canning storage is a must as well.
I would say continuing the reduce the amount of plastic in the kitchen or to increase the amount of canning that I do.
I would love to can fresh fruits and vegetables. I had not heard of these Weck jars, they look fabulous!
Adding a large chest freezer to the shed to store larger quantities of freshly frozen produce (but first, need to get power to the shed).
I’m trying, and its a slow process, of eliminating all plastic and disposable material from my kitchen. Its been a fun process so far with weekly trips to local goodwill’s and thrift stores.
I’ve been updating my food storage from plastic to glass but haven’t found a container large enough for big batches of chicken stock. I like MightyNest’s Glass Baking Dishes from Anchor. The Weck jars are beautiful.
My goal is to get rid of all the plastic in my kitchen. It will be a process that may take some time, but some Weck jars will definitely help me on my way! We are planning a big garden next summer, so I’d also love to learn how to can and preserve food.
Getting rid of plastic containers for storing leftovers is my next challenge. I’m going to bring some pint mason jars out of the basement today.
We are working our way to reducing (and eventually eliminating) our plastic consumption in the kitchen. Glass jars for the freezer instead of freezing in plastic containers and bags is our next step. Of course, Weck jars are so lovely, I’m not sure I could put those in the freezer! Another long term plan is to phase out the non-stick pans and go for something more durable. Little by little!
If I could change things in my kitchen to make it healthier, I would switch out all my plastic, and aluminum for glass and stainless steel. I have always wanted to learn how to can and preserve but since I have no relatives that do it, I would have to buy everything myself and then teach myself how to do it. I CAN do that, but it would be lot easier if I won this giveaway!
Get rid of all the plastic and move to glass!!
Plastic, plastic, plastic! would love to replace all of it with glass.
I’m better than I thought- green cleaners, cloth napkins. I’d love to break my addiction to those round plastic deli containers- they’re just so useful! I’d love to one day store everything in glass or parchment.
We could do with replaced cutting boards, on the health end. Otherwise – eat less carbs. Or just eat less in general. : )
Looking forward to getting a chest freezer so I can buy more of my pastured meats in bulk. I will also be able to store more veggies, fruits, and soups. 🙂
My next step towards a healthier kitchen (after learning to can, which I am doing right now) will be to purchase a decent blender to make my morning smoothies at home, so I can round them out with better ingredients!
Wow, what an amazing giveaway! I would like to replace the plastic storage containers in my freezer with glass, or at least something authoritatively BPA-free–right now I’m mostly using standard take-out pint containers, which are serviceable, but still obvs plastic & thus a bit problematic.
We’ve eliminated most of our plastic food containers but I’d like to find some better (i.e. leakproof!) wooden bento boxes for my kid’s school lunch.
What a beautiful giveaway! I have multiple nonstick cooking pans that are past their prime and need to be replaced, they have various dents and scratches and it’s time for an update. I’ve been thinking about going all cast-iron, but that seems like a big commitment!
I’d like to eliminate zip lock bags and replace them with cloth bags for lunch and snacks and glass jars for freezer and fridge storage.
I see what you mean about coveting everything on their website… but I have to admit, the stainless steel food containers really caught my eye… I love having leftovers for lunch, and I would love to throw out all my cheapo plastic storage containers!
I am also slowly replacing my old non-stick cookware with better options.
Such a great giveaway! I’m swooning over all those weck jars! I would like to eliminate plastic food storage containers.
We have made changes little by little, but I would like to get rid of any remaining plastic kitchen utensils, and any remaining plastic storage containers.
I would love to switch all my kitchen cutting boards to non-toxic materials. Currently, I have a few plastic boards I received 10 years ago as a wedding gift, and one awesome butcher block board I use just for bread because I am gluten-free, but my family is not.
I want to get rid of plastics and use all glass and stainless steel. I also want to can more of my own foods and getting rid of the BPA lined Mason lids would be great!
I’d like to replace all our paper napkins and paper towels with reusable ones.
I’d love to add these jars to my home! I love to can fruit from my fruit trees and I have heard Great things about Weck! I am having a baby in December and having these around to help keep foods for baby food would be a Godsend! What a great giveaway! Good luck to all!
I am working on getting rid of plastic storage containers and replacing them with glass.
What a wonderful prize! I am headed over to look at Mighty Nest’s site.
I have several old Calphalon pans that we cook in, and the black finish is wearing off the insides. I need to begin replacing them, one by one ( a little at a time for budgetary reasons).
I would weed out all the plastic storage containers and replace those with glass containers.
I’d like to eliminate the use of all paper napkins/ paper towels and plastic bags. I’m close but limited storage space in my tiny studio apartment has prevented me from having as many glass storage containers as I would like!
I’d like to replace my teflon/nonstick cookware with nicer enamel or ceramic pots are pans. It’s a slow process so far1
I would love to replace all nonstick pots and pans with something safer. Also, get rid of the plastic kids plates and cups for something safer.
I’d love to get rid of all my pots and pans and just start over with good quality stuff. I’d also love to be able t completely wean myself from prepackaged foods and cook everything from scratch. If I could get up the guts to use my pressure canner, that would help tremendously but I’m still nervous about that!
I would love to buy a chest freezer so I can start buying organic local meat. We simply don’t have room in our little tiny freezer to do that at all, so I’m stuck with supermarket cuts for the time being!
I want to replace disposable bags with re-usable ones. I do try to wash and re-use the big ones. But I have all the materials to make re-useable ones. I just need to take and hour or two and make them for myself!!
KK
I just want more glass storage. Pyrex, mason jars…it’s all good.
I’d get a new refrigerator with the freezer on the bottom. Our current fridge has the freezer on top. My tall husband puts everything on the top shelf and blocks our view of the food on the lower shelves. We’d snack healthier if we could see the lower shelves more easily.
More cast iron cookware. And, would love to have more acreage in the freezer for preserving summer goodness and pies.
I would like to use something other than my non-stick frying pan! It just makes pancakes so much easier though.
Start using ceramic pans instead of the teflon ones. I bought a ceramic one and am sold – now I need to replace my others 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win! I never even heard of Weck before I started reading your blog.
I’d like to replace my leftovers containers from plastic to glass. Also, I’d like to get a good cutting board.
Thanks for the chance to win! 🙂