Since we have a freezer half full of nearly year-old hamburger, and Will just took in two steers to butcher, I’ve been canning like crazy. No more putting it off for me! So far, I’ve put up 36 quarts of chili. But I’ve got a little warning for you. I learned something in the process. I had nearly run out of quart jars so at WalMart, I saw Anchor Hocking quarts, with lids and rings for more than a dollar cheaper than Kerr jars. Being cheap, and have used “alternative” brands for years, I bought two dozen jars.

Okay, fast forward. Two jars’ rings let loose during processing, blowing chili everywhere! One in one batch, one in the second. Not good! Will checked the rings and found that if jiggled a bit loose, they would pop right off! So I threw away ALL of the shiny gold new rings and finished the batches with old Kerr rings. Yep, all sealed fine. Surprise! I figured Anchor Hocking had been around for decades and the jars would be okay; but I didn’t think about rings. Lesson learned! Just a warning to all you who can. Don’t use the rings that come with Anchor Hocking jars!

I have to correct a statement in the last blog; we did not buy a battery from DB Electrical, but a starter. Love the company!

We had one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen the other evening. I grabbed my camera and tore off around the house, trying to find where I could get a shot. Nearly killed myself, dashing under the deck! But I did get a few good photos and it was all worth it.

I bought a used rocker-recliner from Goodwill years ago but it was getting pretty shaky. So over the weekend, Will took it apart and re-glued and added a few screws to it to strengthen it further. Now it’s in great shape. It’s amazing what a good man, some glue and screws can do!


— Jackie

6 COMMENTS

  1. I have had the same problem from Walmart jars. I have also had problems with the lids buckling when pressure canned. I use the stretched cheapo rims for waterbathing only and use the good ones for pressure canning. Very frustrating when you can your products then the lid buckles, even when I leave the rim a tad looser, then the buckled lid ones have come un done when jars from the same batch are fine.

  2. All,

    The rings came loose during processing. Before this, I canned dozens of quarts of apple slices and tomato sauce using them. No problems. BUT under pressure for 90 minutes, they did fail. No chance of injury as it happened inside the canner. But what a mess!

  3. Miss Jackie, What an awesome sunset!!!!!! brings out the artist in me! I’m sure you could do a great painting for some future book, or just to hang on the wall in your lovely home…..Rick

  4. Hi Jackie, your good husband is a gem. He is a “jack of all trades”. You must tell your readers how you met Will. Thank you for the beautiful sunset. I’m very shocked Anchor Hocking lids were a fail. Glad everyone is ok.

  5. Jackie, thanks for sharing your experience with the Anchor Hocking jars. I hope no one was hurt. Rather than throw the rings out, hang onto them for a bit and contact Anchor Hocking about this. Sounds like the rings are deficient and will cause problems for anyone using them. Not only is this a safety concern with blowouts but the lids may have formed a false seal if the rings were not holding them properly. Ask the company to reimburse you for a portion of the cost of the jars since you had to use other rings. If not, maybe they can send you replacement jars and at least you will have more jars. Could be a defective batch by whoever manufactures their rings for them. (Anchor Hocking may want the other rings back.)

    I had an experience once with a batch of small canning jars. None of them sealed. Upon closer investigation, I discovered two very small but deep cuts inside the jar just at and below the lip of the jar, etched right into the glass. Apparently, these were caused by some part of the machinery during the manufacture of the jars and were a definite defect. No questions, no squabbles on replacement. Closeup photos were very helpful.

  6. I have not noticed the rings coming loose on the Anchor Hocking jars but my husband tends to put them on very tightly. I don’t like that they feel so thin.
    The sunset is gorgeous!! Ours are not nearly that pretty here.
    We canned 50lbs of jalapenos into Cowboy Candy before Christmas. My husband gives it to all of his friends so we are going to need to can more soon. My coworker was thrilled he got a quart jar this year.

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