How to Seal and Freeze Jars - FoodSaver Canada (2024)
Anyone who has left a can of soda in the freezer a little too long knows that sealing and freezing a closed container of liquid can be a big no-no. What many don't know is that it's still doable with the right technique.
If you want to seal and save a smoothie or a jar of chicken broth for a really long time, you might consider using a Ball® and Kerr® Mason jar along with yourFoodSaver® Wide-Mouth Jar Sealer and 2-In-1 Vacuum Sealing System. If you want to use this handy technique in the kitchen, just follow these tips.
Pick a Straight Shoulder Jar Ball® makes mason jars specifically for freezing. They're made with a straight shoulder. That means there's no curve around the neck of the jar, which makes it easier for them to stand up to low temperatures and expanding liquids.
Freezer-safe masonjars like these don't curve in toward the lid.
However, the jars design isn't all you should consider.
Don't Completely Fill the Jar To freeze your soups and stews safely, it's important to leave a little space at the top by the lid. It's recommended that you fill the jar enough so that there's at least one inch of space between the liquid and the top.
Cool Those Contents Don't just move a piping hot chili in a jar into the freezer. Glass can crack if the temperature changes very quickly. That's the same reason you wouldn't put a casserole lid in a sink filled with water right after it's been in the oven.
Cool the jar and its contents gradually by moving it to the fridge first.
Let that steamy soup or chili cool in the jar before moving it to the freezer.
Freeze First After lowering the temperature, move the jar to the freezer, but keep the lid off. Even though your mason jars are freezer-safe, glass can still become very fragile when cold. You'll want to wait until the liquid is frozen solid before taking the jar back out and vacuum sealing. Doing this after will protect the substances from freezer burn. Plus, it's a cinch to do.
Be Careful When Thawing When you're ready to savor that fresh food later on, you'll have to take a little extra care. Remember, glass can crack when the temperature changes dramatically, and this goes both ways. Don't heat up that frozen jar too quickly. Instead, move your smoothies or the like to the freezer the night beforehand so it can safely warm up.
To freeze your soups and stews safely, it's important to leave a little space at the top by the lid. It's recommended that you fill the jar enough so that there's at least one inch of space between the liquid and the top.
Even though your mason jars are freezer-safe, glass can still become very fragile when cold. You'll want to wait until the liquid is frozen solid before taking the jar back out and vacuum sealing. Doing this after will protect the substances from freezer burn. Plus, it's a cinch to do.
Examine rim of the mason jar for cracks or scratches. Any gaps can prevent jars from vacuuming properly. Check metal lid of mason jar to see if it is bent. Make sure Accessory Hose is securely in Accessory Port on appliance and on Jar Sealer.
Add enough water to cover the jars by 2 inches, and bring the water to a boil. Boil the jars for 10 minutes; remove from the water with a jar lifter, and allow the jars to stand on the towels for 24 hours. When the jars are cool, check for a slight indentation in the lid, which indicates a vacuum seal.
Fill to the widest point of the jar, and leave a space at the top to allow the contents to expand; Cool the food completely before putting the jar in the freezer; If possible, chill the contents first.
The reason you need to leave space at the top is that when food freezes, it expands. Another major reason for frozen jars breaking (aside from rapid temp changes) is the lack of space for the liquid to expand.
If too much headspace is allowed, the food at the top is likely to discolor. Also, the jar may not seal properly because there will not be enough processing time to drive all air out of the jar.
Vacuum sealer manufacturers recommend that you do not package raw onions, fresh mushrooms or fresh garlic due to botulinum concerns. Some foods do not seal well, such as bakery foods and liquid products.
If the food has been well sealed so no air gets in, and most all air has been removed, most foods will last 2–3 years (including meats). That's mostly for “freshness and quality” since frozen foods will stay safe as long as they stay frozen.
The potential disadvantages of vacuum packaging include: Managing external gases – Importing the gases needed for product preservation – like nitrogen and carbon dioxide, for example - can be costly and notoriously tricky to use.
Take the jar that did not seal during processing, remove the lid, and increase the headspace to 1 ½ inches. This will allow for food and/or liquid expansion when freezing. The canning lid may be reused when freezing. Foods in single unsealed jars can be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within a few days.
Yes!You can use a mason jars to seal up liquids if you prefer this method. Vacuum sealing liquids in a mason jar does not have any other benefit when compared to a chamber sealer pouch. Chamber pouches on the other hand do.
Vacuum sealing isolates oxygen from food while canning is heat sterilized to kill microorganisms. Dry canning is better for storing dry goods like flour and pasta, while vacuum sealing is better for preserving produce like fresh meat and vegetables.
Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Freezer-safe mason
