Newbie help with preserving

[Vegi potager]

They will probably be fine.
I often use everyone's cast off jam jars ( anything really except pickle jars as the vinegar smell doesn't go)
eB@y May be cheaper?

I reuse the pickle jar for... pickles! and as VC suggests, I will put some cling film across the top before putting on the lid with vinegars. I reuse all the other jars and lids as well. for fancy gifts I might buy some pretty jars.

Ball make the 2 piece lid canning jars in the UK, purchased online or Hobbycraft/lakeland. You would reuse the ring and have a new flat lid part each time if you feel that way inclined. I only use the waterbath method for canning tomatoes in water.

Whatever jars you use they should be sterilised and everyone's suggestions here are valid. I put mine in the dishwasher to be clean after storage and then transfer to the oven (lids too) 140c for 10mins to dry out, usually longer as I am still cooking stuff. As soon as jam etc is ready it goes into the hot jars and the lids go on. (instruments for operations are steam sterilised at 137c for just under 4 minutes so we should all be safe!)

don't forget to post some of your successful recipes, you will find a thread here somewhere

[DannyK]

I've been using the same instant coffee jars for years for chutney. They have plastic lids, cardboard inserts binned. Cling film under the lid.

[Morphious]

I took the plunge and bought a couple of the books mentioned along g with the kilner cook book as most of my jars are kilner. It seems that everything you make in a kilner jar should be treated to a water bath for 30 minutes according to their book. What's the general consensus on here with regards to water bathing.

Thanks all.

[Scarlet]

Well I've water bathed tomatoes....but I wouldn't bother if my recipe contained naturally "preserving ingredients" sugar/ vinegar etc. Jams /chutneys/curds/pickles etc I don't think they need a water bath?

[Mark_Riga]

I've never used a water bath. and always use second hand jars of any reasonable size and shape - that have lids.
I fill the jars with boiling water to heat them up when the jam is nearly ready.
The first jar with about 30% cold water in first. Then, after about 2 minutes, pour that into the next jar and fill the first with boiling water from the kettle and cover the lids with boiling water in a bowl.
When the jam is ready, I transfer the cooler water into the next jar and the first jar's into the one just emptied and continue like this for all the jars. As the jam is at 105C I do this mainly so they don't crack as the jam will surely sterilise the jars. I then cover the top of the jam with disks of grease proof paper to more or less cover the surface before putting on the lids. I don't dry the jars but give them a little shake to get out most of the water.
With pickles, I put cling-film over the jar before putting on the lid to protect the lid.