Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: whitehifi on August 21, 2013, 18:55
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Hello,
As a former resident of Canada I was able to purchase all of the canning equipment and vessels at a reasonable price. I have looked a few times on the internet for supplies in the UK, but have found everything to be rather expensive. I don't know if this is because it's not a common practice anymore, or there are fewer suppliers, and therefor highest costs.
I will take any suggestions for suppliers/stores that sell jars and lids at a reasonable price, and I would prefer jars something like the Canadian brand http://www.bernardin.ca/pages/jars/28.php (http://www.bernardin.ca/pages/jars/28.php).
Thanks for any input you can offer me,
Craig
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Hope you find your supplies, whitehifi, as it seems the jars and lids we use here aren't that common in the UK from what I've checked out. Pressure canners, if you're into them, are even harder to find and you might have to get one through amazon. Even in Ontario I have a hard time finding certain items like large pressure canners. At one time, many stores carried them, but no longer. Parts I needed had to be ordered online from a store in Virginia.
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I think you'll find your initial outlay might be expensive, as you say, it is not really done in the UK, except by an enthusiastic few. Hopefully one of these will be along to let you know where you can get replacement Mason jar lids.
Here in Bulgaria bottling everything in sight is still very much a way of life in rural areas. But they don't use anything as 'posh' as Mason jars. The markets are full of used pickle jars and jam jars, many of which look as if they come from the catering trade. They then have lids sold by twenty five (screw top) or fifty (clamp top) You soon find out if your batch of whatever has not been done right, the clamp lids blow off! This has happened to one batch of lutinitza I made and obviously got wrong. Thank goodness they were in the cellar!!!!! :lol:
Good luck with your search.
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are Kilner jars similar to your mason jars?
http://www.kilnerjar.co.uk/range/show/screwtop/
wares of knutsford are well established
http://www.waresofknutsford.co.uk/jars/kilner-mason-and-leifheit-jars/
but the Kilner jars can often be bought on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-kilner-jars-ideal-for-bottling-fruit-etc-/181197236316#ht_169wt_958
I've not used this supplier but prices seem reasonable
http://www.thecarvedangel.com/Kilner%20Jars
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Thank you to all that have replied. I will be sure to check out all the products you have put forth, and once I figure out what I want I will post my success(or failure) to this forum.
Craig :)
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I use the kilner jars and they are expensive! I'm expecting it to get less so though as it's a lot of outlay at the beginning but should just have to replace the seals for a few years after this. :D
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are Kilner jars similar to your mason jars?
http://www.kilnerjar.co.uk/range/show/screwtop/
I'm just in the process of trying to source mason jars and I keep thinking that these are what I would have called Kilner jars as the clip tops only ever used to exist on beer bottles, although I do have some modern clip top Kilner jars now. When I was a kid, the Kilner jars at home had the screw top lids.
My only query remaining really, is the thread direction, size, angle etc.. :unsure:
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You can still get screw top kilner jars. They are the ones where the lid comes in 2 parts. The flat lid is held in place by the screw top ring while the contents are sealed and the lid button bit plinks in. Not explaining it well! Hopefully the link will help!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kilner-Screw-Tight-Round-Preserving/dp/B005YLM9AY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382554140&sr=8-2&keywords=kilner+preserving+jars
These are the ones I mainly use although have also got some Weck ones which come in some lovely shapes.
They are all a bit pricy when starting out but once reused a couple of times should be fine!
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You can still get screw top kilner jars. They are the ones where the lid comes in 2 parts.
I've seen that during my research thanks, Kate. We're in the market for a good wet and dry spice grinder at the moment - like the look of the Revel - and read that most blenders especially older ones will fit a mason jar.
http://www.thekitchn.com/good-question-a-4-14454
If it was going to work, buying one or a few 250 ml mason/kilner jars would be more cost effective than buying another appliance. :)
This is why, whilst I've decided a kilner jar is the right thing, I'm not sure about threads perhaps being different. When I'm out and about at the weekend I'll see what I can find in a shop.
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If it was going to work, buying one or a few 250 ml mason/kilner jars would be more cost effective than buying another appliance. :)
This is why, whilst I've decided a kilner jar is the right thing, I'm not sure about threads perhaps being different. When I'm out and about at the weekend I'll see what I can find in a shop.
Result. :) 3 x 250 ml screw top Kilner jars purchased - blender collar taken into shop to check thread ;) - shelf price £1.49, charged £1.27 each. :D
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Interesting on those Kilner jars. Over here the general name is mason jars, and if I have to pay full price of more than $11 per dozen, then I won't. Lately we've been buying many dozens cheaply at various charity type shops. Don't know if you can find them in the UK at charity shops but always worth a try or suggestion.
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Don't know if you can find them in the UK at charity shops but always worth a try or suggestion.
I found them new for that price, albeit with metal pop rather than glass lids. :)
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We don't bother with glass tops here - they break far too easily - so everyone sticks with the metal 2 piece lids.
Lately I've bought and been using reusable 'plastic' lids. They're a bit different to use but once mastered, they do a fantastic job. Even the rings are reusable many times. TATTLERS (http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/)