In Gear: Hacking Mason Jars
Or, 'A New Twist on an Old Standby'
In 1858 John L. Mason of New York City received a patent for improvements on jars meant for food storage and preservation, including a continuous raised spiral or thread around the mouth of the jar.
This type of glass storage jar was inexpensive, more or less infinitely reusable, easy to clean, and imparted no off flavors, as was the case with metal containers. It became a favorite of home cooks, and Mason’s new jars could be easily sealed, unsealed and resealed with screw-on metal caps—a dramatic improvement over existing methods, which included the fussy and messy practice of using hot wax to seal lids and stoppers into place.
Mason sold his patent the following year and, before long, countless manufacturers were making screw-top canning jars based on his model. Commonly known today as Mason jars or Ball jars (after the most prolific manufacturer of jars of this type), these iconic vessels remain popular for their original purpose, canning, as well as myriad other uses.
Additional Uses for Mason Jars
Attractive and reminiscent of simpler times, they make for quick centerpieces when filled with simple bouquets, marbles, rocks, candles, etc.
For storing dry goods like flour, cocoa powder, and salt, they are often more practical and airtight than most canisters marketed for such purposes.
Used as rugged, no-fuss tumblers, the jars have an uncanny way of imparting extra refreshment to summertime beverages like lemonade and iced tea (for which they also make practical serving and storage vessels).
They’re often tightly sealed and used to confidently shake up simple salad dressings, sauces, and drinks.
I’ve seen them used, with perforated lids, as massive shakers for dry spice rubs and the like. (Mason came upon such an idea himself, patenting the first screw-top salt shaker in the same year that he applied for the screw-top patent.)
As noted in a previous post, some have suggested that their threads will fit nicely into a number of standard blender bases to create ad hoc blender pitchers in the size of your choosing.
I’ve even found them retrofitted on a number of occasions as folksy pendant lamp shades.
Looking Toward the Past—and Future
Of course, Mason jars, older ones at least, are also highly collectible, with some unique colored specimens or those with unique embossing fetching hundreds, occasionally thousands, of dollars.
In a time when we’re becoming ever more aware of the necessity to recycle, reduce, and reuse, and we’re learning of the threats posed by “food-safe” plastics, I can think of few objects of the kitchen more useful or comforting than the humble, time-tested Mason jar.
About the author: Amanda Clarke is a recovering restaurant pastry chef with a background in architecture. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she writes, tests, and develops recipes and works on freelance food-styling gigs between walkings and feedings of her two dogs and husband.
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28 Comments:
While I haven't yielded completely to the current "plastysteria," I am trying to reduce my use of the stuff, and can say, without almost complete confidence, that Mason Jars (especially the wee, it-must-be-cuter-if-it's-smaller variety) are nearly child-proof--not from the threat of opening, but of general destruction. My toddlers are currently brandishing these, as opposed to the plastic sippy-cups covered in licensed characters.
Retro, conscience-easing, toddler-proof Mason Jars. And I agree: everything tastes more like summer out of one of these babies.
We ate all of the strawberries we picked with every intention of actually canning--preserves will have go in the next round of MJs.
HappyHoarfrost at 11:25AM on 05/29/08
Last Christmas my son gave us soy candles from a small shop in Kentucky. They came in Mason Jars and smell wonderful. http://homemadesoycandles.com
TommyJr at 11:45AM on 05/29/08
I've been using Mason Jars for storage for years -- even found some half-gallon size. They're great!
IndyGal at 11:46AM on 05/29/08
I'm sure the food police will fuss at me for this, but they work surprisingly well as freezer containers for things like stock and soups. Just leave enough headroom and don't seal the container completely until after it's frozen.
jenilowrance at 12:58PM on 05/29/08
As I've grown suspicious of plastics, I've started using these to bring my lunch to work. I find they're much easier to clean than Gladware and less likely to leak.
MsLadyness at 2:19PM on 05/29/08
Thanks all for your comments.
Jenilowrance - I'm so with you on freezing. Some of my jars are even embossed with "for freezing --- fill here" lines. It's just important to be careful not to give frozen jars too much of a temperature shock during thawing to avoid possible breakage.
Amanda Clarke at 2:45PM on 05/29/08
I have almost completely phased out plastic from my kitchen and use glass jars of varying shapes and sizes for just about everything. Mason/Ball jars are great, but I also save glass jars and their lids when I finish something like jam, and run them through the dishwasher.
simon at 3:17PM on 05/29/08
I like to save the plastic Mason-size lids from plastic mayo jars. They often work to replace the metal lids which come (say on pasta sauce) and tend to get rusty after a couple of reuses. The plastic ones don't seal as well at the metal though.
Blue Iris at 3:38PM on 05/29/08
I admire a shelf full of different-sized empty mason jars as much as I'd admire a shelf of home preserves. Plastic can almost always stain or break or melt or...whatever. Glass is better in every way. Sometimes I serve cold soups at a buffet party by filling a quart-size jar, closing the top, and setting the jar in a shallow bowl filled with cracked ice. Great on all but the hottest days.
annien at 4:03PM on 05/29/08
@jenilowrance/Amanda Clarke - Ball jars makes a freezer jar now...though, as they are made of plastic, kinda defeats the purpose. Oh well, scratch that. :)
amanda0730 at 4:05PM on 05/29/08
I put tealight candles inside 'em for the porch when it's just slightly breezy outside. jar protects flame from being blown out.
stick fresh herbs with a bit of water to prolong life of cut herbs
as a hostess gift, i bring a big bouquet of herbs from garden - mason jar as my vase
grow sprouts inside jar - i bought some special perf plastic lids just for sprout growing.
Steamy Kitchen at 9:02AM on 05/30/08
Personally, I save my true mason jars for actual canning, and re-use commercial glass jars from sauces and condiments for dry-good storage. Since not all glass jars can be used safely for canning, I prefer not to jeopardize my supply by storing non-canned goods in my good canning jars.
EtherMaiden at 10:07AM on 05/30/08
Wow--you all have inspired me to move away from the GladWare.
I only have a couple of Mj's without the lids (gone where lost socks and the other earring goes). I like the look of flowers in them.
I know I've seen them in stores in my old hometown. But where should I look for them here? I've seen them in the grocery store, too, but I imagine better prices are elsewhere, yes?
wookie at 11:52AM on 05/30/08
@wookie...you can get mason jars just about anywhere....I've even seen them at Dollar General & places like that. My favorite place to pick up mason jars are at estate & garage sales....I've picked up boxes full, really cheap. You can get the lids @ most grocery stores, usually in the aisle w/kitchen supplies and/or canning supplies.
I think I use mine for every use listed in every post....I find them to be the most versatile kitchen tool I have! Great thread!
mepolo at 1:15PM on 05/30/08
@mepolo--thanks!
wookie at 6:34PM on 05/30/08
I have a huge collection in many sizes and ages of canning jars. I use them for many things. I also often make candles in the smaller ones. Jam, pickles, tomatoes with basil, and dry spices. I guess I am old fashioned I like my staples in sealed containers.
JerzeeTomato at 12:34AM on 05/31/08
For years I gave a "mason jar" gift for Christmas, especially when I was shipping gifts from Colorado. I usually got these ideas from Martha Stewart Living Mag. In 1999, I gave an oil candle with the tag "Perfect for Y2K." (In case the lights went out.) I made snow globes with clear jars and "Find It" jars with little tokens, trinkets and sand - and a label that listed all the contents. It was the user's job to "find" all the tokens.
I've been canning jams, sauces, etc. for years and have always loved it. There are few things more rewarding than to put up your own creations, preserve them for months and break them out when the food is long out of season. I use the boiling water bath method and when those lids vacuum seal with an audible click as the jars cool, that's music.
chiff0nade at 1:07PM on 05/31/08
I recently became a Mason jar convert and now use them for the bulk of my dry goods storage (and I have a lot of them -- 6 kinds of rice, 7 kinds of grains, 5 nuts, and so on) . Some other advantages that I see are
* The same lid will fit multiple jar sizes (8 oz., 16 oz., 32 oz., 64 oz.) so no need to hunt around for the right lid, just grab a narrow mouth or wide mouth.
* Can handle hot liquids. I often strain hot soup stocks directly into a jar without worry of melting or leaching.
* Many brands are made in the U.S.A., thus subject to stricter environmental regulations and better labor laws than plastics made in Asia.
* Fully recyclable (plastic is recyclable, but harder to deal with because of problems from mixed streams).
* Convenient to run through the dishwasher.
Another 'hack' is to use a Mason jar to make sprouts: cut a piece of screen into the shape of the lid and use it instead of the lid. Follow sprouting guidelines for preparing and maintaining the mixture (like these).
Marc at 5:44PM on 05/31/08
Anyone who watches Michael Smith (the Chef at Home) on Canadian Food Network has seen his massive collection of Mason Jars used for storage, salad dressings, you name it. I have hundreds of them in all sizes that I have used for preserves, but I am have just recently started replacing my plastic containers with them. I am wondering if they seal as well for spice storage? I currently use the Tupperware spice containers but am wondering how stable the plastics remain over time?
Maureen at 8:38AM on 06/02/08
I buy my mason jars at the local 5 & 10 store. I shudder as I type, but I've also seen 'em in Wal Mart. For those of you wondering about lids, you just need the metal rings (these are reusable) and the metal discs (these are SINGLE USE only if you want the jar completely air-tight). I also have seen plastic lids, but you cannot use these for canning as they do not seal 100%.
azured00 at 10:37AM on 06/02/08
I use the tall ones for dipping pretzels in chocolate OR caramel, I use the smaller ones for drinking glasses and for making salad dressing and for storing spice mixes and rubs.
I buy mine at the flea market for pennies.
RisaG at 11:15AM on 06/02/08
I use these for so many things, I make sure I keep a box each of the Wide Mouth quart, pint and 8 oz in my pantry. I store my different salts in them, dressings, marinara for freezing, canning jams & jellies, storage in my shop in the garage..just about everything!
The other weekend I even used the large metal rings as molding forms for a recipe!
DancingShoes at 11:35AM on 06/02/08
happyhoarfrost - what size are you using for toddler sippy cups, and what kind of lids are you using?
akk328 at 1:10PM on 06/02/08
@Maureen: I'd say Mason jars definitely beat plastic containers for storing spices. Glass has little or no permeability, but some/most plastics have quite a bit (which is why plastic containers tend to stain and hold on to flavors and aromas, despite washing and soaking). Mason lids in good condition also seal very well - in my experience far better and more reliably than most plastic storage containers - keeping contents fresh. The one thing to keep in mind with spice storage, no matter how airtight or impermeable, is that spices are light sensitive and should be stored away from direct light sources (e.g. in a cabinet or closet), particularly if they're being stored in clear glass or plastic containers that provide little protection from light degradation.
Amanda Clarke at 1:46PM on 06/02/08
I usually pick them up at a local hardware store (not sure if Home Depot or Loew's carries them). I've seen them at Target and some grocery stores during tomato canning season. Uses are endless, and I don't mind giving them away (filled with jam), because they are so cheap.
I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this, but I'll ask anyway...can I put an uncovered mason jar in the microwave for reheating leftovers? I'm guessing "not."
Kerosena at 4:36PM on 06/02/08
I grew up on a farm where Mason jars were reserved just for canning and used everywhere, particularly the wood shop. If you attach the lid to a surface, you can unscrew the jars and fill them with nails, tacks, screws and so on. My friend used one as the cover for his light bulb in his very beautiful sandstone tiled shower. It looks clean and clever and does not detract from the overall design. From year to year, I replace the lid linings but not the screw caps - these are good for years as long as, after you eat the jar's food contents, you wash and dry them. I can's imagine using a plastic lid - seems antithetical to the jar's purpose.
kybrdplyr at 5:34PM on 06/02/08
There was a cool little gadget holder in a recent issue of a magazine my grandma subscribed me to. (I think Country Living) Basically it was a painted piece of wood (could just be a board, I think about 1" thick) with metal brackets attached to it to hold the jars.
Personally, I use the jars mainly for canning, but I have used them for other food storage, mixing, vases, etc..... I have enough around the house, both modern and antique. Actually, several of the larger antique ones are filled with yarn scraps that are too pretty to throw out.
cmtigger at 9:20PM on 06/02/08
@Kerosena: For what it's worth, I've nuked Mason jars (without their metal rings or lids) in the past with no repurcussions.
According to the FDA you should only use vessels labeled as safe for microwave use.
Less conservatively, a Michigan State University page I found provided the following guidelines for determining the microwave safety of a glass vessel: Microwave the empty container for one minute. It's unsafe for the microwave if it's warm; it's OK for reheating if it's lukewarm; and it's OK for actual cooking if it's cool.
You can read more from both points of view here:
http://www.foodsafety.gov/~fsg/fs-mwave.html
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/mod02/01500615.html
As an aside, several other websites I found pointed to the benefits of using microwave-proof glass or ceramics for microwaving, especially for fatty foods, in order to avoid the possibility of the migration of toxic constituents from plastics to food during heating.
Amanda Clarke at 5:10PM on 06/03/08