Where do I find jam jars?

janb5

How about posting on your localy freecycle group? I am surepeoplewillbe gladto help. Howwas the jam by the way?

annie-c

I asked a similar question on another thread and was told you can use all sorts of jars, inc. coffee jars, as along as they are properly sterilised and as long as you put a wax seal on top that thoroughly covers the surface of the jam (in order to prevent mould). Apparently you can get the wax seals in pound shops (about 60 in a pack for a pound).

I have asked one or two people with large families to save me theirs too - in return for a pot of jam each!

freddie_2

Thanks everyone.
That site does seem to be the cheapest.

sheng719

annie-c wrote:

I asked a similar question on another thread and was told you can use all sorts of jars, inc. coffee jars, as along as they are properly sterilised and as long as you put a wax seal on top that thoroughly covers the surface of the jam (in order to prevent mould). Apparently you can get the wax seals in pound shops (about 60 in a pack for a pound).

I have asked one or two people with large families to save me theirs too - in return for a pot of jam each!

I agree with annie c...I do homemade jam and marmalades and make use of the old coffee, sauce and other wide opening jars to put my jam and marmalade in. I sterilise them first and do put wax paper to cover the surface of the jam...

purpleimp

Mods, please feel free to move or merge this if it's better placed elsewhere!

Can anyone help me and explain to me about jars and pots etc for filling with jam and jelly.

I have a plan but I'm not sure if it's going to work, I'm doing hampers for christmas and am making lemon curd and bramble jelly, now I was very short on jars so when I saw a selection of pots in one of our local charity shops I grabbed them, some are dowe eggberts jars which I know will work fine, but there are another couple of varieties that I bought too.

The first type were earthenware jars with cork lids, now obiously I wouldn't leave the cork bare, I thought that if I popped a circle of parchment on top of the contents and then sealed with clingfilm under the corks they would be ok, does this sound ok or am I talking nonsense?

The other type of pot I got and I bought 5 of these were proper table jam pots, I thought I'd be able to fill these and again use the paper disks and just pop them in the hampers, again does this sound ok or am I chancing it a bit?

If neither of the above are safe or workable or whatever, it means that my truffles are going to look really posh in these pots because they'll be fine for them!

Any sugestions yea? nea? I'd appreciate any suggestions from you lovely OS lot!

Imp

sheng719

why not start asking friends and relatives for old pour in sauce jars. Sterilise them and then fill them with jam or jellies. Cover the lid with some nice fabrics and put ribbons round the necks of the jars. This is how I do mine and I have saved myself some pennies from buying jars..

Linda32

I made chutney for the first time this year. I bought the jars new from Fenwicks. :eek: I've since found out that what you do (if your keeping the chutney for yourself is buy smart price jam, pour it down the sink, yes it pours apparently, you then have a jar for about 20p rather than 95p)

But anway, back to sterilising. When your ready to decant the jam or whatever into the jars, wash them out in really hot water, use a kettle and rubber gloves. The place in oven on your lowest mark, either electric or gas for 5 minutes or so.

The spoon the jam / chutney into the hot jars. You'll need a towel to hold the jars, unles you have aspestos hands.

If you put the jam into hot jars it dosn't crack the jar you see.

I think the rule of thumb us metal lids for vinegar type things and once you've used a jar for Jam it stays a Jam jar and once you've used a jar for chutney or vinegar type things it stays a chutney jar.

I asked lots of questions on here and else where and for jars with metal lids I don't think anyone "sealed" the jars with the wax disk.

Ted_Hutchinson

There are plenty of sources for recycling jam and chutney jars.
Providing they go through the dishwasher and pass the sniff test they should be fine. I've NEVER EVER bought anything with the idea of tipping it away just to retain the jar.
A trip the the bottle bank usually provides a stack of jam jars that folk have been too lazy to post through the holes.
A word with the neighbours soon restores stocks.
A plastic box by the gate with Wanted Empty Jam Jars will be full in next to no time.

If all else fails a Wanted add in the freebie paper will find people who have a stack of jars in the garage they've been keeping just for you.

Penelope_Penguin

Hi! If you don't have a lid to seal your jar, you need jam pot covers .

Once you've potted the jam, add the waxed disk. Then, while the jam is still hot, take a cover, wet it on one side (I use a pastry brush) then place wet side up on the jar, and secure with the elastic band. As the jam cools, it will form an airtight seal.

The WI recommend this method, as they don't approve of reusing lids!

When the jam is cool, you can make a decorative cover out of a circle of pretty fabric, cut with pinking shears, and attach to the top with a ribbon.

Penny. x

CoD_2

you can also get jam pot covers, John lewis even sell them for about a pound. use the waxed circle, then there are transparent covers, you dampen one side of these with water, put them on the top of the very hot or cold jar, then seal down with a rubber band. when it dries it'll be tight.

can then use lids if you want, but cork ones wouldn't work so well. i think you'd need more than a greaseproof lid to really keep the preserves bug proof!