[Dans]

Hi

I'm about to have a go at jam for Christmas, small raspberry bushes did us proud with 6+lbs of fruit and they are still going. I've only ever made apple sauce and hawberry sauce before and for those I used sterilised homepride jars that have the popp-y lids. I've just used 30 jars of honey for a spiced mead and was hoping to reuse these jars for honey but lids don't have the pop-y button that I used to make sure the seal had taken on the sauces I made. I looked at replacement lids but the ones being sold don't seem to have the pop-y button either.

Short question, can you make jam in lids that don't have the pop-y button, and if so how do you know that the seal has taken.

Dans

[Bionic]

Dans, I often make jam, marmalade and chutney and have never used pop-y buttons. I just use the wax discs with the clear film and elastic bands that come in packs. I've never had a problem. If you are packaging them up though you might want to put another lid on top just to make sure it doesn't come out.

[HesterF]

I just reuse old jars and lids (from all sorts of sources) and have never had a problem. I did buy some special pop-y lid things in Switzerland and although you're not supposed to reuse them, I've noticed they do still click shut when put on hot second time of use (and beyond). I used to use wax discs too but my jams don't hang around for that long so I've given up with them. I am, however, storing my jam from this year in the fridge (we have a 'spare' big fridge in an outhouse) but that's partly because I have nowhere better to store it and partly because the strawberry didn't set well so I wasn't entirely convinced it would keep.

H