| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 10:12:08 AM
Girls, have any of you used the Weck canning jar? I looked at their website and they have a large variety of shapes and sizes available. They are really different and kind of cute. The small potbelly decor jar is what I am considering to use for my jelly.
Being is what it is. Jean Paul Sartre |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| realme52 |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 5:19:19 PM
You are very welcome, MeadowLark!
What I forgot to mention is that Weck seemed to have a much wider variety of jar sizes/shapes. There used to be some that held a whole liter (1.76pt), others twice that, and some that were very high and slender, (almost like those canisters that they have now to store spaghetti). Those were used to can asperagus (standing upright,hehe) because it was an achievement to have VERY long stalks of them of even thickness! And then there were some that were very wide and shallow, just like a bowl, used for fish (like pickled herring ???) and other stuff. Oh, the memories....
From this hour on I ordain myself loss'd of limits and immaginary lines. Walt Whitman |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 3:27:26 PM
Thanks for your post Klara! This is just what I wanted to know about using the Weck jars! I don't claim to be knowledgeable on them and your opinion is excellent info! First hand knowledge is always valuable. From what I am reading about them...the more they are appealing to me. It always helps to get varied opinions. I wish the electric canners were less expensive...but we do pay for quality! Your family's use of the Weck jars throughout several generations is really interesting! My ancestory is German on both sides! I know my grandmothers were so proud of their put up foods! Thank you for sharing this!
Being is what it is. Jean Paul Sartre |
| realme52 |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 3:03:45 PM
When I grew up in Germany, there was just no other system but Weck. Actually, the very common German expression for "putting up" food by water canning was "Einwecken". That's like if you would say "Balling up" or "Kerring up"
The rubber ring is not really very different from the method used in the USA: it is the same as the rubber seal on the metal lids, except it is much thicker (and should, just like the Ball or Kerr lids, not be reused). And you used a metal clap to hold the glass lid to the ring and the jar until the vacuum was complete (I don't know if they still do that but I assume they do.)
I can not replace research, but let me tell you that my whole family has always used the Weck system for decades. My mom has photographs of great-grandmothers standing proudly infront of basement walls covered with shelves full of canned food, before and through WW II. That way of food preservation saved quite a few people's lives. And I don't recall anyone even knowing what botulism was. When they took a jar of the shelf to use it, they would simly pull at the little tab that is part of the rubber ring and when it slipped out easily, they would discard the contents of the jar. I have watched all the women in my family do this little "ritual" for more that 20 years and I remember it was a real exciting event when one jar actually had to be thrown out! It practically never happened.
But, like I said, I'm not the resaerch.
From this hour on I ordain myself loss'd of limits and immaginary lines. Walt Whitman |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 2:13:52 PM
Arlene, My old electric kenmore stove looks pretty good! JEEEEPPPPEEERS!!!!
Being is what it is. Jean Paul Sartre |
| lareyna |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 2:10:43 PM
Well Meadowlark I found a price finally and I think I will have to keep waiting for the water to boil at least this year,,,,,,,,,,wow $200 |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 1:20:22 PM
Lareyna, I was drooling over their canning systems too! My electric stove takes forever to heat up a big container of water. Not sure if I want to invest in that right now but it is mighty tempting considering how many grapes and jars of jelly I am canning. 
Being is what it is. Jean Paul Sartre |
| lareyna |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 12:23:44 PM
I looked up the jars also and they are very cute, will have to research the safety thing also, but what I REALLY want to research is the electric canner,,,,,,,,looks good to me as my stove takes FOREVER to heat my water, anybody used one??? |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 10:41:24 AM
Clare, I googled Weck and from the little bit of info I am gleaning I am glad I asked about this system...Weck comes from Germany, established in 1900, and most Europeans use the jar and rubber seal vacume method. American food safety resources have issues with it. May have to do more research on it...Don't want to sacrifice food safety for cuteness of the jars. Maybe there are some more experienced canners here than I that know about these things! I sure would not want to can meat using these. http://www.weckcanning.com/about_2.htm
Being is what it is. Jean Paul Sartre |
| Clare |
Posted - Aug 18 2005 : 10:18:36 AM
Meadowlark, would you copy and paste their web address, please? I'd like to check it out! 
**** Love is the great work - though every heart is first an apprentice. - Hafiz
Set a high value on spontaneous kindness. - Samuel Johnson****
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