Canning Basics... Part 2

It's finally time for part 2 of canning basics.  I got busy, sorry.  ;-)

Today we're going to go over the different types of jars out there.

I use Ball Canning Jars.  It's a brand that has been around forever and I know that they make a quality product.  Ball makes jars in a variety of sizes and shapes. 

The ones I use the most are:

• The 8 ounce jam jars.  I usually get the quilted ones.  They're fancy looking and the easiest to find in my area.
• The 8 ounce Collection Elite jars.  These jars are great if you're planning on giving them as gifts.  I like to use them for hot pepper jelly at Christmas time.  It seems like everyone uses pepper jam at that time of year for dips.
• The 1 pint Regular Mouth jar.  It's the perfect jar to use for sauces and for preserving whole fruits (like pears).

Ball has many different jars so take some time to check out your options but make sure you know what your recipe recommends.  Different jars require different processing requirements.

The Ball jars are the basic 2 part lid jars.  There is a lid and a band that goes around the lid and jar.  There is another type of jar, one that I have no experience with.

Weck Jars differ from Ball jars mainly because they lack the metal lid and band that seal the jars.  I think they are beautiful jars but since I have never used them I would suggest reading Weck's FAQ to make sure that you know what to do and to expect with them.

(picture from the WeckJars.com website)