Preparedness Hints

Jars and Lids Continued

At higher elevations, boil 1

The gasket compound in older

Do not re tighten lids after

additional minute for each

unused lids may fail to seal on

processing jars. As jars cool,

additional 1,000 ft. elevation.

jars. Buy only the quantity of

the contents in the jar contract,

Remove and drain hot sterilized lids you will use in a year. To pulling the self-sealing lid firmly

jars one at a time. Save the hot ensure a good seal, carefully against the jar to form a high

water for processing filled jars.

follow the manufacturer's

vacuum.

Fill jars with food, add lids, and directions in preparing lids for tighten screw bands.

use. Examine all metal lids

If rings are too loose,

carefully. Do not use old,

liquid may escape from

Empty jars used for vegetables, dented, or deformed lids, or lids jars during processing,

meats, and fruits to be

with gaps or other defects in

and seals may fail.

processed in a pressure canner the sealing gasket.

If rings are too tight, air

need not be pressurized. It is

cannot vent during

also unnecessary to pressurize

processing, and food will

jars for fruits, tomatoes, and

discolor during storage.

pickled or fermented foods that

Over tightening also may

will be processed 10 minutes or

cause lids to buckle and

longer in a boiling-water

jars to break, especially

canner.

with raw-packed,

After filling jars with food,

pressure-processed food.

Lid Selection,

release air bubbles by inserting

Preparation, and Use

a flat plastic (not metal) spatula Screw bands are not needed between the food and the jar.

The common self-sealing lid

on stored jars. They can be

Slowly turn the jar and move

consists of a flat metal lid held

removed easily after jars are

the spatula up and down to

in place by a metal screw band

cooled. When removed,

allow air bubbles to escape.

during processing. The flat lid is

washed, dried, and stored in a

Adjust the head space and then

crimped around its bottom edge

dry area, screw bands may be

clean the jar rim (sealing

to form a trough, which is filled

used many times. If left on

surface) with a dampened

with a colored gasket

stored jars, they become

paper towel. Place the lid,

compound. When jars are

difficult to remove, often rust,

gasket down, onto the cleaned

processed, the lid gasket

and may not work properly

jar-sealing surface. Uncleaned

softens and flows slightly to

again. If you choose to leave

jar-sealing surfaces may cause

cover the jar-sealing surface,

the rings on the bottles, you

seal failures.

yet allows air to escape from

may wish to loosen them after

the jar. The gasket then forms

the bottles have cooled. During

Then fit the metal screw band

an airtight seal as the jar cools.

storage they seem to get even

over the flat lid. Follow the

Gaskets in unused lids work

tighter. Loosening them after

manufacturer's guidelines

well for at least 5 years from

they have cooled will prevent

enclosed with or on the box for

date of manufacture.

this problem.

tightening the jar lids properly.

Personal and Family Preparedness

Vision: Each family uses principles of provident living in their daily lives.

Mission: "Increase awareness and practice of home production and storage.