Canning Jars Q & A – What Size Canning Jars Should I Use When Home Canning?

Q. What Size Canning Jars Should I Use When Home Canning?

A. It depends on what recipe you are canning and your family’s needs.

The first thing to take into consideration is how bulky the food is that you are canning. Condiments, jams, jellies, and cut up fruits and vegetables can be canned in regular mouth jars. However, you will want to use wide mouth jars for foods such as pickles and whole or halved fruits and vegetables. The wide mouth of the canning jars will make it easier to remove that kind of food from the jars.

The second thing you will want to think about is how much of the recipe you will want open at one time. Most likely your family would be unable to consume a quart of jelly before it would go bad in the refrigerator so, it is best to use 4 oz and 8 oz jars for jams and jellies. Specialty items such as special sauces, ketchups, and relishes also work well in the little 4 and 8 oz jars.

When you are canning fruits and vegetables just think whether you will be using a pint or a quart at a time and then can them in the appropriate jars. You may want to split a recipe between pint and quart jars. This will allow you to choose how much of a certain food to have open at one time. This is especially helpful for time when you have company over and will be using more of a certain type of canned food.

Finally, if you are thinking of giving some of your home preserved foods as gifts, you may also choose to use smaller jars. This way you can give a variety of your canned goods as a gift.

And if you would like more information about canning and canning supplies please visit our website at http://www.jrkfamilyoutdoors.com/canning You can receive 18 free videos that answer many questions about home canning just by signing up for our newsletter.