# Where can I buy pickling jars?



## Siegal (Jan 20, 2013)

Not sure where to buy them (not online). I heard bed bath and beyond has them?


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## MrsLMB (Jan 20, 2013)

Are you talking about jars or crocks?  Williams Sonoma has the crocks .. are you near one of them?


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## GotGarlic (Jan 20, 2013)

Wal-Mart has Ball jars and other pickling needs. Hardware stores usually have them, too.


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## Siegal (Jan 20, 2013)

MrsLMB said:


> Are you talking about jars or crocks?  Williams Sonoma has the crocks .. are you near one of them?



I am not sure....I just want to try making pickles and jam. What's the difference between jars and crocks?


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## Dawgluver (Jan 20, 2013)

Siegal said:


> I am not sure....I just want to try making pickles and jam. What's the difference between jars and crocks?



I think you will be happy with jars, Mason is another big name.  Jars are clear glass, with rings and sealing lids, and you can use them in a boiling water bath or pressure canner.  Crocks are usually ceramic, and used for making brined pickles that sit for awhile.


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## bakechef (Jan 20, 2013)

Local hardware stores usually have them, as well as places like Walmart.  Grocery stores often have them too.

Ball and Kerr are the typical brands that you'll find, their rings and lids are interchangeable (they are both made by the same company, Jarden).  

If you need an online source, look no further than Amazon.  The jars usually come with lids and rings, but you'll want to buy more lids (the flat part) to reuse the jars, this will insure the proper seal for safety.


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## MrsLMB (Jan 20, 2013)

Dawgluver said:


> I think you will be happy with jars, Mason is another big name. Jars are clear glass, with rings and sealing lids, and you can use them in a boiling water bath or pressure canner. Crocks are usually ceramic, and used for making brined pickles that sit for awhile.


 

Exactly !!  

The only other I would add is there are different size jars so select the size most appropriate for what you are canning.  For pickles I usually use a quart jar and for jams and jellies I use the pint. You can get large mouth or small mouth .. the large mouth is easier to pack.  The rings and lids will fit either the quart or the pint.

What kind of pickles and jams are you making?

Good luck and let us know how you did !!


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## Dawgluver (Jan 20, 2013)

One more thing, get a canner's bible.  Ball and Kerr both have great books that are pretty much the gold standard.  Good luck!


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## FrankZ (Jan 20, 2013)

I do my pickled jalapeños in jelly jars so I have single serving size.  

We have a 5l crock we use for making kraut.


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## Siegal (Jan 20, 2013)

MrsLMB said:


> Exactly !!
> 
> The only other I would add is there are different size jars so select the size most appropriate for what you are canning.  For pickles I usually use a quart jar and for jams and jellies I use the pint. You can get large mouth or small mouth .. the large mouth is easier to pack.  The rings and lids will fit either the quart or the pint.
> 
> ...



Thanks! My father in law is here and was a chef I have asked him to help me in my search for pickle jars.


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## Snip 13 (Feb 19, 2013)

I buy them at the supermarket. Most have them.


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## jkath (Feb 19, 2013)

Agreed with all those above, plus I've gotten really lucky - recently a high-end kitchen store went out of business and I got each dozen of Kerr jars for $5. 
I've also found that many people with the best intentions never get around to using their jars, and you'll see them unused at their yard sales


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## CharlieD (Feb 19, 2013)

For pickling you need a big or a bigger container not a jar, for jam storage you need regular glass jars.

For pickling you can even use an enameled pot, but cannot use regular metal container. I use large plastic container I bought in the restaurant supply store. Or large one gallon glass jars. To be honest with you I got the jar gallon size jar of pickles, and after pickles were gone just washed it clean and have been using for pickling. You can get those in Sam’s club or institutional size from a regular grocery.


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## CWS4322 (Feb 19, 2013)

I get mine at yard sales or thrift stores. For the lids, I get those at the grocery store or Canadian Tire. I also have bought jars at the grocery store. Love the 2 qt size for putting up sauerkraut after it has fermented in the crock and the itty-bitty size (2 oz?) for things like pepper jelly. We find the pint (500 ml) size perfect for maple syrup.


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## Claire (Feb 19, 2013)

Oh, good grief.  Maybe it is the Midwest?  But you can buy them in any grocery store, hardware store, farm store, yard/garage sale.  I like to use them for storage, especially when keeping food from rodents/insects (mice are a problem in the winter where I live).  So I go ahead and buy a case, which isn't very expensive.  I have friends who pickle/can.  I buy plastic (not to be used for pickling/canning) lids to go with them for storage (ease).  The cans when new, come with the lids & rings.  I then collect the jars and new lids in a bag, call my canning friend, and we have a glass of wine, I turn over all the jars/lids that I've collected over the year.  In return, I get the fruits of her labors.  Symbiotic!  I also buy products in canning jars from time to time (a lot of "gourmet" stores and farm markets sell in them), and clean and put the jars aside (the used rings and lids I toss).


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## CWS4322 (Feb 19, 2013)

Claire--stop by your local restaurant(s) and ask them to save the gallon pickle jars for you. Theses are great for storing stuff, have "big lids" that are easy to open and some of the jars are rectangular with "grab grooves" for when they are on the shelf. It takes a bit to clean them (I take the label residue off with "goo be gone"), I have discovered the plastic ones can't go in the dishwasher--they change shape! But, I too store all my dry goods in jars and have found that having this size works great for things like dried beans, flour, grains, pasta, sugar.


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## Mad Cook (Jun 9, 2013)

Siegal said:


> Not sure where to buy them (not online). I heard bed bath and beyond has them?


If you mean glass ones any good kitchen store or kitchen department should carry Kilner jars ( I think these are called Mason Jars in the US). There is a chain of stores in America called Williams Sonoma which I believe is very good. There might be one near you


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## Leolady (Jun 10, 2013)

CWS4322 said:


> Claire--stop by your local restaurant(s) and ask them to save the gallon pickle jars for you. Theses are great for storing stuff, have "big lids" that are easy to open and some of the jars are rectangular with "grab grooves" for when they are on the shelf. It takes a bit to clean them (I take the label residue off with "goo be gone"), I have discovered the plastic ones can't go in the dishwasher--they change shape! But, I too store all my dry goods in jars and have found that having this size works great for things like dried beans, flour, grains, pasta, sugar.


 
I collect the old aqua glass version of these types of jars and bottles and use them for food storage in the kitchen. 





I have sizes ranging from 6 gallons [which I use like pickling crocks and for the 25 lb economy bags of sugar I like to buy] to one pint jars for my home dried herbs. I have 5 and 6 gallon aqua jugs which I use for home wine making.


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