Passata jars

[Tin Shed]

The inevitable has happened and I have run out of freezer space so need to start putting the passata into jars using the water bath method.
However the deepest pan I have got is only 6 ins, so I have to find preserving jars that are small enough.
I have looked on various websites, but the only give the volume of the jars, not the dimensions..........so I was wondering if anyone who has any Kilner type jars 500ml, Le parfait jars 500gm or 500ml screw top preserving jars could measure them and let me know how tall they are.
Many thanks in advance ;)

[Tin Shed]

[ceres]

My 0.5 litre Le Parfait jars are 4.25 inches tall.

[Sholls]

My 500ml 'clip top' Kilner jars (La Parfait style lid, but squarer body) are 4.25 inches tall, width and depth is 4.5 inches.

[Tin Shed]

Many thanks for your help.
I have such a good crop of tomatoes this year I want to preserve them all.
I spent ages on the internet looking up water or steam canners which can take taller jars, but they only seem to be sold in the States :(
I will get some of the smaller jars and try out the water bath method in my steamer - the largest saucepan I have!

[ceres]

Have you tried the oven method instead of water-bathing?  My plot neighbours who are tremendous cooks/preservers do it and say it works great.  I'm going to give it a try because I don't like messing around with hot jars in boiling water and I hate the kitchen getting like a sauna!

http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/bottling-canning/Bottling-Canning-Methods.php

[Tin Shed]

 I found that metheod in Hugh F-W Preserves book, but it only gave the times for whole tomatoes and not passata. It said fruit purees and pulp- water bath method, toms 10 mins but it was not applicable for the oven method.
So I presumed that it meant that the oven method was not to be used for passata - so I am getting a bit confused - not that yhat is difficult :D

[Baccy Man]

I spent ages on the internet looking up water or steam canners which can take taller jars, but they only seem to be sold in the States

Have you considered a professional pressure cooker?
http://www.fiera.co.uk/Category/professional-pressure-cookers.aspx

[Tin Shed]

Don't laugh, Baccy Man, but pressure cookers terrify me :D
I have found three different size preserving jars which are small enough for my largest pan so I will be having a go later.
I think I am going to have to buy the tallest stock pot that I can find that will fit passata jars. Have just phoned Seeds of Italy and spoke to a very helpful lady who measured their passata jars, and will go from there. Did also mention to her that perhaps 'someone' needs to import some of the water/steam canners from the States or elsewhere for those of us here trying to preserve our crops!
Haven't had time to make the passata yet as I have been too busy searching the internet ;D ;D

[Baccy Man]

A 23 Quart canner is essentially identical to a 22 litre pressure cooker more often than not the canners come with a dial gauge rather than a weight but thats about the only difference.
You can get a canner on Ebay from the USA, even with the high shipping costs it is usually still cheaper than buying a high capacity pressure cooker over here.
This 23 quart canner is £58.31 with roughly £45 shipping it would probably be delayed in transit until you pay the VAT & parcelforce ransom processing fee but even with those additional costs it would still wotk out cheaper than buying a 22 litre pressure cooker over here.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370262845725

IMO a pressure cooker/canner is considerably safer for preserving but if you just want a something to use for the water bath method then have a look at the Westfalia 15 litre Multi-purpose Pan which doubles up as a steam extraction juicer so you can produce pasteurised fruit juice with it too, please note that despite what their description says it is definitely not a pressure cooker. The preserving rack & thermometer need to be ordered as additional items. I have a pdf copy of the instruction book for it I can email you if you want further details on it.

[Tin Shed]

Thanks for all your assistance, everyone.
I am still deciding which route to go! I used the waterbath method last night and all three jars - clip and screw type appear to have sealed well.
However I am wondering whether it might be easier in the end to preserve them whole as according to the Hugh F-W preserves book you can the sterilize them using the oven method, although the book doesn't give you the recipe/method for preserving toms, only fruit!
Decisions, decisions ::)

[ceres]

The link I posted has details for whole tomatoes (and other fruit) using the oven method.

[Tin Shed]

Sorry, Ceres, so it has.
I think I was still thinking along the lines of passata and didn't read it properly.
I am now wondering whether preserving peeled toms using the oven method is going to be the easiest after all, especially as they will be used them in soups etc.
Has anyone any experience of using the oven bath method for toms?