Seeking Kerr jars - I much prefer these to the Ball jars. The flat sides make it easier to attach labels.
I have looked around, but can't locate any. Wondering if any of you have spotted Kerr jars?
Thanks.

Jyoti

The Walmart on Touhy in Skokie/niles was loaded with canning jars on Friday. I am sure if it was Ball or Kerr though. Since Jarden bought out all the canning/home preservation companies, most of the jars are the same now.

Jyoti, as I was putting up jam yesterday I noticed that some of my jars had a Kerr label: I think those were the ones I bought singly at Michael's crafts in Niles, since each had a price label on it. Can't confirm - and, from experience, they won't be terribly helpful if you call to ask them (I remember having to talk to three people just to find out if they had canning jars at all.) But if you're headed to Fresh Farms, it's right across Touhy.

PKramer wrote:The Walmart on Touhy in Skokie/niles was loaded with canning jars on Friday. I am sure if it was Ball or Kerr though. Since Jarden bought out all the canning/home preservation companies, most of the jars are the same now.

The lack of competition is really driving the cost of canning up.

Regards,

I just found jars at both Meijers in Crystal Lake and Farm & Fleet (We were in Wisconsin but there are some in Illinois I don't know where.) Each had both Ball and Ball Mason Jars. It seemed the Ball Mason Jars had the wide mouth the Ball Jars did not. I did not look at price since I wanted the wide mouth and just took those.
Paulette

I have jars (thanks Strack Van Til) but am looking to get the other tools and canning rack tonight or tomorrow. Any suggestions on a reasonably priced place to grab them? I'm hoping for downtown or anywhere on my bike commute home to Logan Square.

I purchased some Ball Freezer Jam Pectin earlier this summer from either Meijers or Farm & Fleet in Wisconsin. I really like it but am having trouble finding it in the Northern Suburbs, does any one know where I can get more.
Paulette

No canning supplies at my neighborhood Domininck's or Home Depot.

Other suggestions for an Old Towner?

Hardware stores - like Ace, True Value, etc. YMMV by location, but that's where I go most often. Googling your general area, I came up with these who I'd call and ask:

Tipre True Value Hardward and Finishing Touches
229 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 664-5339

or maybe

Wahler Brothers Company True Value Hardware
2551 N Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 248-1349

or

Potash Bros Ace Hardware
110 W Germania Pl
Chicago, IL 60610
312.943.7155

Mhays wrote:Hardware stores - like Ace, True Value, etc. YMMV by location, but that's where I go most often. Googling your general area, I came up with these who I'd call and ask:

Tipre True Value Hardward and Finishing Touches
229 W. North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 664-5339

or maybe

Wahler Brothers Company True Value Hardware
2551 N Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 248-1349

or

Potash Bros Ace Hardware
110 W Germania Pl
Chicago, IL 60610
312.943.7155

That was really sweet of you. Thanks.

I'm brand spanking new to this. We had neighbors who canned & gardened so we didn't when I was a kid.

If you still need and strike out at anything local, I'll be in NWI tomorrow afternoon and would be happy to pick up whatever you're looking for at the Meier's in Highland--they had a good supply 2 weeks ago when I was there. Just let me know--probably back in the city around 7:00ish and could drop them off.

Edited to add: Also, I have a brand new pressure canner thingy that I'm scared to use I read and reread the directions but I'm just afraid of blowing my house up--if you want to borrow and can figure it out, I'd gladly trade you use of equipment in exchange for a tutorial!! That goes for anyone on here reading this...

pairs4life wrote:No canning supplies at my neighborhood Domininck's or Home Depot.

Other suggestions for an Old Towner?

Canning supplies usually show up in stores in summer, as that's when preserving season begins. I've bought supplies at an Ace, Jewel, Dominick's, & Menard's, but -- my most reliable source of canning supplies is Strack & Van Til. The canning supplies section is in one of the early aisles that runs horizontally across the store, where the seasonal items are. (The replacement lids are also embedded in the aisles, I think near where pectin is sold. Always ask.) During canning season last year, I had a hard time finding replacement lids for *regular* mouthed pint jars. Called everywhere. Guess who had them? Jewel. But it was in the seasonal section. I seriously doubt Jewel or Dominick's or even Menard's has any supplies now, but Strack & Van Til might.

Strack & Van Til
2627 N. Elston
Chicago, IL
(773) 252-6400

HI,

pairs4life needed two jars, which I am giving her tomorrow.

Pressure canning is much safer now than a generation ago. Those rubber nipples in the lid are designed to blow out if the pressure is too high.

Are you canning with it or cooking? If canning, I am hoping to arrange a class on this over the summer.

Regards,

Cathy-
I would be delighted to take your class when you decide to have one!

Although I grew up on a farm, and canning was very much a necessity, I regret having never paid attention and now I'm wishing I had.
I canned some beautiful tomatoes last year witht the help of a dear friend, but I'm wanting to can a lot more this season, and I know that every fruit/ veg is specific in its needs.

Please let me know when you might have a class that I can attend!

B

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

pairs4life needed two jars, which I am giving her tomorrow.

Pressure canning is much safer now than a generation ago. Those rubber nipples in the lid are designed to blow out if the pressure is too high.

Are you canning with it or cooking? If canning, I am hoping to arrange a class on this over the summer.

Regards,

Definitely canning! I would very much appreciate this class--I know that it's something that I just need to better understand but I think that seeing someone actually do it will be a lot more meaningful than trying to figure it out from the equipment instructions or the internet!

I would be happy to host this--I have a very large island directly in front of my stove so it would probably work well for demo purposes...just let me know when you can do it.

thanks Cathy!

boudreaulicious wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

pairs4life needed two jars, which I am giving her tomorrow.

Pressure canning is much safer now than a generation ago. Those rubber nipples in the lid are designed to blow out if the pressure is too high.

Are you canning with it or cooking? If canning, I am hoping to arrange a class on this over the summer.

Regards,

Definitely canning! I would very much appreciate this class--I know that it's something that I just need to better understand but I think that seeing someone actually do it will be a lot more meaningful than trying to figure it out from the equipment instructions or the internet!

I would be happy to host this--I have a very large island directly in front of my stove so it would probably work well for demo purposes...just let me know when you can do it.

thanks Cathy!

Dear Cathy- You already know I'm intrigued with a class as well. How many students do you want, looks like you've got 3 without even trying.

Can I can something mundane like not-too-sweet ketchup? That just struck my fancy.

I love, love, love my pressure cooker/canner. It's really as easy as reading the manual, C2 is right - if anybody could blow something up, it would be me, and thus far ours has remained entirely intact.

Pairs - if you're thinking of getting started, I'd recommend doing a keyword search for recipes here and here. And there's the LTH canning thread here. (there are others, but that's the big one.)

I just started canning in the last couple of years, myself - have managed to put up enough tomato puree and tomato sauce to last me from tomato season to tomato season, as well as the odd fruit here and there, and some carrot pickles. I think I'm starting to work my way into the break-even point financially...

Mhays wrote:I love, love, love my pressure cooker/canner. It's really as easy as reading the manual, C2 is right - if anybody could blow something up, it would be me, and thus far ours has remained entirely intact.

Pairs - if you're thinking of getting started, I'd recommend doing a keyword search for recipes here and here. And there's the LTH canning thread here. (there are others, but that's the big one.)

I just started canning in the last couple of years, myself - have managed to put up enough tomato puree and tomato sauce to last me from tomato season to tomato season, as well as the odd fruit here and there, and some carrot pickles. I think I'm starting to work my way into the break-even point financially...

I've got a pressure cooker

HI,

I am hoping to arrange this class in at a culinary school. My preference would be hands-on rather than a watch someone do it.

Regards,

perfect! BYOC (Bring your own canner?)

pairs4life wrote:I've got a pressure cooker

Mine is this one - you'll see it's a bit deeper than your average pressure cooker, and it comes with a little rack for balancing the jars so they don't touch the bottom. I (Cathy?) think that the depth only matters for the medium and larger jars - I think you need to be able to immerse them fully on the rack and have 2 inches of water over the top of the lids (not an expert, please verify this elsewhere.) It may be possible to do the little jelly-jars or even the 4oz jars in a regular pressure cooker. I'm finding, with our small family, that I use pint size for tomato sauce, but I really like the 4oz size for jellies and the 8oz for things like applesauce and tomato puree. YMMV

However, the extra depth does not prevent the pressure cooker from being used as an ordinary pressure cooker, so I make soups and stews and such in it as well.

HI,

For pressure canning, you need the water to go up two inches on the jars.

For waterbath canning, ideally you want two inches over the top of the jars. If I did two inches over a quart jar on my waterbath canning pot, I will be dealing with water spilling out over the edges. If I think I need to add water, I heat up the water in a pot to a boil before pouring it in.

For pressure cooking, there are lines on the pot's wall for maximum amount of food and liquid. I have used my pressure canner for making a large quantity of pot roast.

I have a pressure canner you rarely see: double decker capable of holding 14 quarts. I have only used it a few times because my ventilation hood is too low.

Regards,

Cathy, I would LOVE to attend a hands-on canning class.

PLEASE let us know where and when you can get one together.

K

Just an FYI, Marx Ace Hardware on Clark st. in Edgewater (across the street from Gethsemane) has a great selection of canning jars and other equipment.

Marx Ace Hardware
5820 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 561-3323

The South Loop Target (Clark & Roosevelt) has a small selection of Ball canning supplies in the kitchen wares section - jars, lids, some tools, and a couple of all-in-one starter kits.

I'd like to get some Weck jars. Any sources that are local?

Weck is located in Crystal Lake. I'm certain you could drive there and pick up their beautiful jars.

Jyoti

Ace on Ashland Ave. has a fairly large supply of lids, jars, seals, etc.

Ace Hardware
1013 N. Ashland
Chicago IL
773-486-1271

Was at Mariano's yesterday ( new grocery store in Arlington Heights) and they had fancier Ball Jars in 4 ounce and pint sizes. These were squat jars and while I have sen them online, have not found them anywhere eleemosynary locally. Unfortunately, they were not cheap.