bottling/canning

[Iceni]

Well I have filled two freezers so we are having a go at bottling our produce (300 peaches could not ALL be made into peach liqueur), and that is only one tree.

Being used to the old clip type jars with the rubber ring, we have now got Le Partait (Familia Wiss) jars with metal lids and metal rings underneath with a rubber seal (which has to be replaced each time it is used). Now I am confused. The top lid has a dip in the lid and the seal has a raised area which matches the dip exactly. I assumed that the raised area would go down to show a seal. Not so it seems, the test is to take off the top cap and lift the bottle by the fine metal lid - if you can pick the jar up it, it is sealed, if not - reprocess. You also cool the jars slowly - which is the opposite to 'grannies' method but I am sure that things have progressed since her day. Also my sterlizer says to only put the water 3/4 of the way up the tallest jar - not to cover with water + 2 inches.

OK, the peaches were the first attempt at this new method. I can lift the .75 litre jars by the thin metal seals and the top of the peaches is not going dark (which normally happens if they are not sealed).

To those of you who bottle and have used these jars - does this sound right - the testing for a seal that is. I don't really want to poison anyone.

Going to try haricot beans later - after the first rain a couple of weeks ago the whole lot came back to life and as all our neighbours are bottling like mad I thought I might as well join them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kittycat]

Hi, I've just put some peaches in the same type of jar; like yourself, I've only previously used the metal clip types.

The instructions I have in an ancient English cookbook, say to cover the jars totally with cold water, then after the 'cooking' time, remove from the water, tighten rings then leave to seal. After an hour or so, the sealing disc goes 'pop' and will appear concave. Leave overnight before removing the ring and testing the seal.

This book also says that this method is not to be used for preserving vegetables as it doesn't reach a high enough temperature. It goes on to give instructions for bottling beans & other veggies by pressure cooking.

Hope that helps, but personally, I think I'm going back to glass jars....!!