Using commercial jelly jars for canning

I have read that you can re-fill and water bath jelly or jam in jars from commercial companies like Welch’s. Is this safe? I haven’t tried this but it would be a good free source of jars if possible.
 
Judith Almand
Brandon, Florida

Commercial jelly jars aren’t recommended for re-canning your own jelly/jam as the lids are one piece and the sealing compound isn’t meant for multiple uses. That said, I do know people who re-use empty commercial jelly/jam jars to water bath their own jellies and jams. But I really can’t recommend it. — Jackie

Mustard bean pickles

I was looking at your recipe of Mustard Bean Pickles. It calls for salt, but has no amount and doesn’t say what to do with it. I would guess salt the water when you par-boil, but canning has no room for guessing. Would appreciate clarification.

Betty Anderson
Berryville, Arkansas

Yes, you’re right. The salt is added to the water in which the beans are boiled, not the pickling syrup. Sorry for the error by omission. — Jackie

7 COMMENTS

  2. TY Hanza,
    I was having, and still am I think, amnesia when it comes to the correct name for the can opener. It poked a hole into cans on one side, and opened a pop bottle on the other. We used to use one to gently pry the lid enough for it to lose suction, when we couldn’t get it to twist off. In my minds eye I can ‘see’ what a John Wayne opener looks like, and it isn’t the one I used to use.
    TY again, really appreciate your feedback.
    gen

  3. @gen Says:

    A John Wayne can opener (P-38) doesn’t bend the lid. It cuts the lid of cans leaving a VERY jagged edge that can really cut you if you aren’t careful. The lids are cut almost all the way around, and then bent up to get to the food. When you were done eating, you bent the lid back down into the can before you threw it away.

    I’ve carried one on me for years, and have them as part of my emergency supplies. I’ve never had an electrical opener.

    They were issued along with C-ration cans in the years before the MRE.

    http://www.georgia-outfitters.com/page52.shtml

    In Germany as part of ground defense forces training we went to the rifle range where we spent the day. This was in 1967. The day was cold, and poured rain all day leaving us soaked to the skin, and cold.

    At the mid day meal we were able to get under cover in a large shed where we sat on a concrete floor. The C-rats had no heaters so we ate them cold. I had 2 cans of ham and lima beans; that was it except for water to drink. Considering the conditions, I thought it was one of the best meals I had ever had up to that time. Then we went back out on the range for more training.

    I’m a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer.

  4. Hi there, here in Australia, we recycle a lot of our commercial jars and bottles for home preserving. The single use lids are available in all sizes and quantities. They are cheap as chips and you can purchase as few as ten or hundreds.

    Do some searches and see if you can find suppliers in the US. I see no reason why they would not be widely available.

    I reuse many, many commercial jars and always with a fresh lid.

    I especially like the sauce bottles with the inch wide opening as they are easier to pour out of than a jar.

    The glass V8 Juice bottles are fantastic for tomato juice and puree.

    I hope this helps.

  5. I use those extra commercial jars & their tops for the excess. I’ve been canning over 20 years and have yet to find a recipe where I’m not either over a bit or short a full jar. That goes in the non-approved jars because I know I’m going to use it right away anyway, sealed or not. I’ve also never had one not seal.

  6. I reused baby food jars as jelly jars and never had a problem, but it isn’t an approved method. Please be sure not to use any lid that you had to use the type of jar opener that could have put a slight bend to the lid, like a pop bottle/John Wayne style opener. I also used the water bath method time for 1/2 pint jars for jams and jellies.

  7. Hi, Judith. I know the “rule of thumb” is not to reuse those jelly/salsa jars but actually I have done just that for about 4 years now. I only use them for jelly, jam, salsa and relish. I have used the same lids multiple times and have not had even one failure. Again, it sure could happen and I would not want to loose something expensive or rare or that I totally depended on as Jackie and Will do, due to a weak lid. It is a good source of free jars as almost every family purchases them. Ask friends and family to save all their jars for you. It is amazing how many good canning jars you will glean from their provision. Marilyn in SW Missouri

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