Canning without proper lids - Possible?

15 years ago

So, since I'm new to these forums, I've thought up a strange question to ask you all.

Here's the situation.

I've never canned before. I've been living in China, studying Chinese for the last 2 years. I've been cooking small batches of food here and there, to whet my appetite for the good old motherland's fare. I've been surviving by doing insane things like cooking tomato sauce in small batches, spending 4 hours of work for a meals enjoyment. But I'm tired of that. I wanted to go to greater, more amazing pastures of food consumption and preservation. So I started cooking big batches of stuff, and suddenly realized how small my freezer really was.

So, I want to put my newly purchased pressure cooker to good use. Pressure canning low acid foods like tomato sauce sounds great. I've found the jars. I've got the food (I just bought 10 pounds of really good Tomatoes for $1.50). I've even got the time and the willpower.

I don't have the lids. Well, actually, I have "lids" but what I don't have is the sealing compound. Chinese, apparently, don't like home canning or preserving of any kind. In truth, I can't think of single home-made Chinese dish that you even could can. The cooking is generally all fresh-stirfry-serve.

So, now I have two ideas on replacing the lids, but I thought that before I went and canned a lot of tomato sauce that might kill me later, I'd ask you fine folks.

Idea one: Store bought big manufacture jars for preserved peaches. Wax (lots of?) or pectin solution on the rim.

This probably won't work because the wax or pectin solution would melt out the sides during the long pressure bath.

Idea two:

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=7118914760&ali_refid=a3_420435_1006:1102662421:6:%C3%DC%B7%E2%B9%DE:1fa420a3bf7d52e9a1dd57b39fc95f4f&ali_trackid=1_1fa420a3bf7d52e9a1dd57b39fc95f4f

Glass lid metal swing clamp jars from the Chinese version of E-bay. These guys also have a plastic ring that fits on the inside rim and could(?) create a seal. I think these resemble the old Lightening jars that we used in the states up until 1960s. But, I'm not sure exactly how you would use them...

Anyways, thanks for reading my way too long-winded message and thank you especially if you can give me any advice.

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Comments (6)

2ajsmama
15 years ago
What kind of jars do you have? Maybe you can get someone to send you some lids and rings (shipping won't be as $ as jars would be).

You don't even need to pressure can (you have a cooker, not a canner, right?) tomato sauce. Use an approved recipe and it will be acidic enough to BWB, all you need is a rack (you can probably find a bamboo steamer to fit down in) or even a towel to put in the bottom of your pot, and a pot deep enough to have water covering your jars (on the rack) by an inch or 2 without boiling over. And a timer, you can use tongs but a jar lifter is easier.

Maybe the experts can chime in - if Jim can get the jars in the hot (not boiling yet) water w/o tongs, since you are supposed to leave the jars in for 5 minutes after turning off the heat anyway, can he leave them in til the water is cool enough to reach in bare-handed?

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP tomato recipes
readinglady
15 years ago
Those Bormioli jars should be fine for high-acid product. They should be made in Italy (assuming those at your link are not a knock-off) and replacement gaskets are available, both Italian originals and Chinese copies.

What you would have to decide is how much you're willing to invest and whether you plan to ship the empties back home if/when you return. For a few jars or small batches it should not be a problem.

Can you obtain or have someone send to you citric acid? Perhaps a local pharmacy could obtain it. You need something to acidify those tomatoes and given where you are that's the easiest option. If mailed, make sure it's sent in the original sealed container. Obviously, white powder might elicit suspicion in customs.

The pressure cooker will work if it's large enough to accomodate 4 1-quart jars. That's the size limit for a pressure canner as opposed to a cooker. With the citric acid it would not be an issue as boiling water bath would be an option.

Carol
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myfamilysfarm
15 years ago
For replacement for citric acid, use lemon juice. I've always used lemon juice with no ill effects. Also, IF you could get the jars, try the tattler lids. They are more expensive, but they are reusable.
readinglady
15 years ago
The Bormioli lids, being glass, are also re-usable, so buying the tattler lids would be a double expense. The tattlers also require a rubber gasket, as the Bormioli do, so with this particular jar there's no advantage.

Carol
myfamilysfarm
15 years ago
sorry, I had not heard of the bormioli lids before. Sounds like the old glass canning jars with the bale? Am I right? I never have used them, except to store dry beans and such.
readinglady
15 years ago
Yes, the Bormioli jars are very similar to the old bail jars, but the clamp is a little different. I think, too, the seal is a little tighter than on some of the old jars due to greater precision.

Carol