Topic: Kilner Jars

[redrichwen]

Yesterday made a delicious batch of marrow and ginger jam, but the kilner jars that i bought specially for this purpose, do not seem to be watertight!
I sterilised them in a steam steriliser and put the jam in whilst jam and jars were still hot. But whilst i was looking at them this morning and turning them over, the syrup starting leaking out from under the seal.
Can anyone advise if i have done something wreong, or are these jars only mean't for dry storage.

[Baccy Man]

It sounds like the seals are defective if they are not watertight they are not airtight either so the jars would be no good for dry storage either.

Some preserving jars like the ones ikea sell for example come with plastic seals rather than rubber ones these seals either don't work at all or will fail after 1 or 2 uses. If that is the case then get yourself some replacement rubber seals & that should resolve the problem.

[tim]

Unheard of!

Were they the tin lid type, or rubber ring seal?

[redrichwen]

Tim - They are the clip shut type with rubber ring seals.

I'm quite annoyed, as i only bought them yesterday, and they bear the Kilner name, so thought they would be top quality!

I think i'll take them back for a refund.

[Barnowl]

Just in passing the original Kilner jars were  screwtop, not the clip down type.

[Duke Ellington]

Those be old sterilising/bottling kilner jars Barnowl !!

Duke

[tim]

I'm out of date - didn't know that Kilner did clip top preservers.

But, whatever the make, I would have thought it more like mis-positioning of the ring than a structural fault.

Never met the problem so, sadly, can't help.

[Barnowl]

I know  :)  but pretty sure that the clip top shouldn't be called Kilner because they never made them. You can get the modern equivalents of a Kilner from the Kilner website (or Wares, who distinguish between clip top and Kilner).

http://www.kilnerjarsuk.co.uk/

Click on 'Brand New Leifheit Jars' in the panel on the left.

[Duke Ellington]

Yes alot of people call them kilner jars its like some of us call all makes of vacuum cleaners Hoovers !! ;D

I think redrichwen  has been using these:~

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/F/product/3813_3814

Duke

[redrichwen]

Duke - You are right, they are the same as the ones i am using - although mine had the name Kilner on them, but i guess that may be used as a generic name rather than a manufacturer brand name, as on closer examination the makers are Rayware.

I'm going to have another go, need to process the jam again, as it didn't really set well, so adding some pectin. I'll sterilise everything again, and see if a seal is formed this time.

If not, it's back to using the old jam jars that i've been saving up. :(

[Barnowl]

..................as on closer examination the makers are Rayware.

Rayware rings a bell - from my memory of the program on Kilners / Jeremy Clarkson, I think Rayware may have bought the right to use the name.

Better luck this time redrichwen

[redrichwen]

It worked this time!
The jam has set and this time i used 2 recycled jam jars and 1 of the 'kilner' types. It seems to have sealed, with no leaks evident.  :)

Perhaps it just the trials and tribulations of being a novice jam maker.

[Buster54]

Trouble with them type of jars is you can never get a proper tight seal as the metal clips  spring back slightly when it is locked in position,I just use old jam/pickle jars straight out of a warm oven filling them with just of the boil ingredients  lid straight on then sit back and listen to the lids popping as they vacuum seal as they cool

[Duke Ellington]

Buster ~I have never had a problem using those jars !! But you have to seal the jar when the jam and bottle is at its hottest then you will get a good seal.

Duke

[tim]

Still can't see how jam can leak out of a clipped up clip jar.

As to vacuums, not always necessary - we cool our Marmalade before bottling so that the fruit doesn't all rise to the top.

When I said tin lid or rubber seal I meant, of course, tin lid or glass lid (with separate seal).

[Buster54]

What I am saying is that there is more pressure on the lid and seal when the clip is just over half way down but when the clip is fully down I have seen that pressure released slightly,and if you have a mis shaped lid or poor rubber ring thats when you get your probs(well my experiences anyway)

[Kea]

In NZ we have metal rings in two different sizes for different sized jars and you get new metal seals bit like a jam jar lid without the sides. You put the lids on the hot bottles and screw the rings down and take the rings off to use on the next lot when the jars have cooled.
I haven't seen these here but wish I had some. I did a lot of preserving using this method. The Kilner jars with the glass lids look decorative but I don't want to use them they're much too cumbersome.

Also with Jam we just used special cellophane circles which seal forming a vacuum causing the cellophane to suck in.

Found a picture http://www.preservefruit.co.nz/jars.html

and also a UK site where you can buy something similar! http://www.justpreserving.co.uk/index.php

It seems you can get the cellophane things as well with wax circles...what additional benefit is the wax? 

[Jeannine]

Kea, what you are describing are the same as the US ones which I am used to , rings and caps, The rings are re usable but the caps have to be replaced every time you  can.

When I came to back to the UK I brough quite a few with me but when I wanted more I simply couldn't find them, and when I found the ones available here I was horrified at the cost. I was used to paying about £4 for a dozen with the caps  and lids.

In the Us they are called Mason jars.

I found that Bertolli made a spaghetti sauce that they packed in genuine Mason jars so I bought that when it was on sale which made it much cheaper than the jars here and they were compastible with the rings and caps in the US.

I found job lots of rings on US e bay and have an online supplier for the caps.

The cost is cheap and they are the right kind of canning jar. I now have dozens of them.

If you tap in Mason jars you will see them online, the jars are too expensive to shipo because of the weight but they are the same as the the  Bertolli jars.

They are made by several companies in the US.. Bernanbdin, Bell, you can see the caps ands rings on there.

This has been an answer to my problem, and I am so happy. They go through a pressure canner etc.

I am not comfortable with the rubber ring and clip system as it can go wrong and as I do pressure cook when canning if doing veggies or fish I need that confidence.

 Have a look, it might be what you need.

I will put a picture on later.

XX Jeannine

[Kea]

Yes on the NZ site it said one of the types of rings fits the US mason jars. I used to have dozens of rings but sold them when I left NZ (and the jars). Thanks for telling me about the Bertolli jars that's very useful. I may be able to buy the rings from NZ they would be cheaper than the US. NZ has ebay as well.

Which sauce is it exactly and size jar?

My son has grown gerkins!

[Jeannine]

I will put a picture of one on tomorrow if I can, and I may have some spare rings XX Jeannine