All Things Prepping, Simple Living, Back to the Basics [Survival Today, an on going thread]

CottonBall

[CottonBall]

This is an ongoing thread – meaning come back to chat, post information, or ask questions any time. Hopefully the thread won’t stagnate and I’ll do better at posting weekly (or bi-weekly) topics than I have in the past. (anyone willing to post a topic now and then we'll be highly praised and appreciated).

We are in for some bumpy rides, and prepping can only help. If for peace of mind, if nothing else. We have a wonderful gardening thread and a current-events survival/prepping thread, and hopefully this one can piggyback off of those, maybe having a longer discussion about certain topics or … whatever. It's your thread, do what you like with it! (civilly, of course)

Here are granny’s threads, if anyone wants to peruse them:

nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #1

nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #2

nw_arizona_granny’s Thread #3

[cherry]

I love the classico jars once I realized that I could use them for canning...I like the size...I like the look of them....but I don’t buy much tomato sauce since I can a lot of tomatoes but when they are on sale, I think its worth having some of it around....

here’s a question....on many videos from Russia or other easter Europeon countries, they can their stuff using just a one piece lid and then use a contraption to tighten it.....anyone know what that is called or where one could get one?

[cherry]

it works....at least mine did but I had to use a lot of vanilla beans and I used rum and boubon for mine...made two quart size jars....don't use metal rings on top...corrosive....

the advice of one internet blog, you must wait 18months for a really rich vanilla which I have done....now I just have to bake more....

[Iron Munro]

No, Ive never seen anything about the Russian style jar and lid system you mentioned.

I did a Google search and these are the only references I came up with and they don’t provide much info.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canning/comments/gbdxph/comment/fpeo5ra/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Canning/comments/52ejqq/how_to_use_sovietstyle_canning_equipment/

There is a photo at the first link.

If that what you are referring to it appears to be a jar top that is crimped on the jar which would be consistent with your mention
that some sort of tool is used with the Russian style lids.

It does sound interesting though.

[Ellendra]

The O-rings from that first batch I haven’t been using. The ones I use for pickles and jams are from newer batches.

The old ones still stink. I should just melt them down into a doorstop or something.

[cherry]

apparently that method of crimping on a lid is used quite a bit over there....don’t know if its “kosher” my American standards.

[Cold Heart]

Absolutely agree with your premise. However, years ago, Christmas time, in a rural residential neighborhood, with no Yugo's, the power went out for many days. Except for my house, the Christmas lights were on because of Honda.

Next year, another storm, power out, lights were on throughout the land.

[CottonBall]

“The old ones still stink. I should just melt them down into a doorstop or something.”

I would send them back to tattler, at the very least they should replace them.

[CottonBall]

“apparently that method of crimping on a lid is used quite a bit over there....don’t know if its “kosher” my American standards.”

That technique sounds a lot like Taylor lids. The lids go on fairly loose so pressure can be released, then instead of the lid being pulled down as it cools like the ball lids, you tighten them really tight after they’re out of the canner for just a couple of minutes.

They’re not FDA approved, or is it usda. Anyway not approved here, but they are used in Europe I hear, and are approved there.

[CottonBall]

Good point IM. Instead of looking back on what I could have gotten, I should buy now. Well, that’s actually what I’m doing lol! Buying all the expensive things anyway. But more jars, more lids, and accessories for the canners, I definitely need to do more of that. Thanks for the gentle push.

[CottonBall]

“It does no harm to let them sit in there for a while after, either. When I can soups they’ll continue to boil in the jars for an hour or so after I pull them out of the canner”

That’s a long time to continue to boil!

I just had someone tell me sometimes they leave the jars in the canner overnight. And they are just fine in the morning. That’ll work good with the regular metal lids. I’m thinking I need to buy some more, I do like using the metal lids too.

[Lurker]

“That’s a long time to continue to boil!”

Pressure canning raises the temperature inside the jars to about 260 degrees or so IIRC. That’s a lot of energy to lose. It takes a while.

L

[cherry]

I’ve recently learned that pressure canning is rare in other countries.....even Australia...people use water bath canning....this Russian style looks interesting but I wish I knew the science behind it...

[Ellendra]

They were bought almost 20 years ago. I should have sent them back then. I kept meaning to but didn’t. Pretty sure it’s past the return-by date by now.

The newer ones don’t even look the same.

[CottonBall]

“Pretty sure it’s past the return-by date by now.”

LOL

In

Sounds like they jumped the gun on thinking their research was done

Now I’m wondering if i should give their disposable lids more time in the field. They are a good buy if they work. The lids are disposable but use the same ring as the reusable lids. So I basically get a free ring with each lid and can use it again and again.

[CottonBall]

Here is a pie crust recipe using shortening powder. I made one today using margarine powder, just because I have more of that.

I've made this before a few times, thinking it might save some calories. Plus I have all this powder that I need to use up so I can replace it. It's been expired several years. Anyway I don't think it does much with the calories, only saves a little. But it's a much easier pie crust to make. It's not flaky like one with layers of real fat would be, but it's not bad.

the notes on the card aren't mine, they just came with the recipe.

[CottonBall]

I picked up some Ball canning Lids at Walmart yesterday. I noticed they also have them online at the same price. I’m not sure if it’s a sale but it seems to be a little cheaper than I thought they originally were.

Regular mouth Lids were $4 and wide mouth lids were $5. Regular mouth canning bands with lids was $7. I thought that one was probably a good deal so I got several boxes.

[Iron Munro]

Thanks for the heads up on the canning lids at Walmart.

We use brand name and generic lids and they all seem to work well.
Lids seem to still work okay even after being stored for years.
We always check lids for defects and give them a hot water soak before sealing them on the jars.
We have accumulated so many of the screw-on bands for regular jars that now we usually buy just the flat lids.

I see Walmart also has bulk deals on no-name generic lids (no bands)

100 regular mouth lids @ $14.99

100 wide mouth lids @ $18.99

Amazon also has 100 regular mouth lids @ $14.99

But 100 wide mouth lids at Amazon are $22.99

This place (Temu) sells Chinese merchandise: https://www.temu.com/

They have 150 regular mouth lids for $19.88 and free shipping

We haven’t bought lids from Temu but some of the other lids we bought locally are Chinese made and work OK.
We did buy a different item from Temu and it was as advertised and shipped pretty fast.

Once in a while we have found close-out deals on marked down canning jars and lids at local stores at the end of canning season
when they are clearing the shelf space for Thanksgiving and Christmas merchandise.

[Iron Munro]

FROM THE UNFORSEEN CONSEQUENCES FILE

Legalizing “Medicinal” Marijuana

There are radio and TV ads advertising places that offer prescriptions for “medicinal marijuana” over the telephone - no actual Dr. visit required.

Now some of the large tomato and pepper growers in our area have stopped growing vegetables and converted their farmland to growing legal marijuana.

Supposedly the profits from growing marijuana are much higher than vegetable crops.

Farms that used to offer good deals on You-Pick vegetables after they completed picking for the commercial market are now gone.

We once had many farms to choose from where we could pick bushels of peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables for canning at low prices but now there are very few.

Supply is down and prices are up.

[CottonBall]

Thanks for listing all the inexpensive options for canning lids. I’ll have to get some and experiment. My problem is I leave things on the Shelf much longer than recommended, so I’m wondering if the cheaper Lids would last as long. The Ball and Kerr it seem to do well up to 5 years at least.

[CottonBall]

There are so many things happening to decimate our food supply, this doesn’t bode well for our future.

Thanks for the interesting article