How to tighten jars with screw caps. Lids for canning - which ones are better? How to close jars - what types of lids are there?

With the help of canning, we can prepare almost any product, but if there are usually no problems with the choice of jars, then lids for canning have their own characteristics.

The success of the event depends on what kind of lids are used and how high quality they are.

So, regardless of the material from which the lids are made, they must be absolutely safe, not emit toxic substances, easy to clean and be as convenient to use as possible.

There are several types of canning lids

Metal lids

Metal lids are the most common today. They are made of special sheet metal, and under the rim there is a rubber gasket that ensures tightness.

Canning lids come in white and yellow. White lids are only suitable for preserves that do not contain vinegar among the ingredients.

The yellow lids have a varnish coating, which provides reliable protection against oxidative processes.

Metal lids are disposable and require the use of a special manual or automatic seaming machine.

Screw cap

The convenience of screw caps is that they are reusable and there is no need to use seaming machines.

Screw caps require glass jars with appropriate threads on the neck.

The sealing of the lid is ensured by a polymer gasket.

Screw caps are designed to last for five years and should be thrown away at the first sign of rust.

Glass lids

For preservation, special glass lids are used, which have an O-ring and metal clamps. These lids are reusable and provide an excellent seal.

Covers made of polyethylene

Polyethylene canning lids are very convenient to use, and their cost is lower than other types. These lids are absolutely universal and can be used several times.

Vacuum lids

The vacuum canning method is significantly different from the conventional one. If during pasteurization the product is heated to a temperature at which harmful bacteria and microorganisms die, then the vacuum allows the removal of oxygen, without which bacteria cannot exist.

In the summer, during the canning season, our task is not only to choose vegetables, fruits and berries and a successful recipe, it is also important to choose the right lids for screwing on the jars. When choosing lids, we are guided mainly by factors such as ease of closing/opening the lid and the ability to preserve jars of preserves for as long as possible. What kind of lids are best to stock up on during the harvesting season - traditional tin lids, twist-off lids, glass or plastic? You will find the answer to this question in this article.

Key-locked tin lids

This is a classic and proven option over the years. However, it is worth remembering that such lids are not all the same, so when purchasing them, take into account the type of blanks that you are going to close. Tin lids come in varnished (yellow) and unvarnished (usually white). As for seaming keys, the principle of their operation is the same for all similar caps.

Advantages.
- Good tightness.
- If properly sealed, preservation can be stored for quite a long time, although more than a year is still not recommended, because it is not the lid itself that deteriorates, but the products lose their taste and quality.
- Low price, allowing the lids to be used once.

Flaws.
- The most labor-intensive method of preservation.
- If the key is faulty or incorrectly tightened, there is a risk of damage to large quantities of the product.

How to use. When sealing jars with tin lids, a pre-sterilized lid is placed on the neck of the jar, pressed tightly, and then rolled up with a key, gradually squeezing the lid by rotating around the neck. You need to crimp so that the rubber ring is sandwiched between the neck of the can and the tin of the lid, and the protrusion on the outside of the can is pressed into the ring.

Unvarnished lids can be used to seal jars with not very acidic products, such as preserves, marmalade, compotes, and syrups. Lids made of white unvarnished tin are not suitable for canning sour fruits, as well as fruits and berries with intense color, since the acids and dyes contained in the fruits oxidize the tin. When dissolved, it gives canned food an unpleasant taste and an inky purple color.
For sour fruits and berries, vegetable marinades, it is better to use varnished marinades since they are less susceptible to oxidation during storage.

Checking for leaks. You can check the tightness by placing the jar on its side on a towel or other fabric. Gradually roll it around its diameter and see if air bubbles are released. If this happens, you can try again to carefully press the lid. If this does not help, the lid, and sometimes the jar, should be replaced.

Twist-off caps

Twist-off - screw caps for jars with threads. These lids today are perhaps the most popular among housewives who make preparations for the winter.

Advantages.
- Ease of use. No seamer or key required.
- The shelf life of preservation is more than six months.
- Compared to tin lids, these lids are denser, and therefore there is less risk that they will swell.
- Possibility of repeated use, up to 3-4 times. But only if the cover is not rusty.

Flaws.
- The price of the lid is higher than that of a tin one.
- Sometimes it is difficult to open such a lid. True, nowadays it’s not at all difficult to buy an opener specifically for such lids.

How to use. The hot lid, heated over steam or in hot water at a temperature of no more than 60? C, is screwed on and pressed tightly against the glass of the jar. The polymer coating on the inside of the lid, which acts as a gasket (sealant), softens in heat and allows you to close the jar with the lid as tightly as possible, without gaps. As it cools, the top of the lid is pulled inward (a slight click is heard) and a dry vacuum effect is created inside the jar.

What products are they suitable for? Twist-off lids are suitable for all types of preservation: salads, compotes, cucumbers, tomatoes or marinated mushrooms.
Twist-off lids, like tin lids, come with different internal coatings (more or less resistant to chemical influences). And if you have a rather sour product in the jar (sour fruit compote, sour juice or marinade), then it is better to take lids with a thick layer of varnish.

Checking for leaks. Closed jars can be checked for leaks when they have cooled by turning them upside down. If the lid is closed tightly, water should not leak. In winter, when you open a jar, remember that when you first open it, you should hear a loud bang - this will mean that the canned food has not fermented or swelled. If you notice that the lid on the jar is swollen, the product is spoiled and cannot be eaten.

Glass lids

Due to the fact that such lids for ordinary jars are almost no longer produced, many consider them a rarity. However, some housewives still continue to use them, and apparently for good reason.

Advantages.
- The most environmentally friendly type of lids.
- Easy to use.
- There is no need to worry about buying lids in advance, since glass lids are always at hand, and have been for many years.

Flaws.
- Nowadays, such lids are difficult to buy.
- The shelf life of preservation is shorter.

How to use . An elastic rubber ring is placed between the jar and the sterilized lid. And such covers are pressed on top with a special clamp.

What products are they suitable for? As a rule, such lids are used for thick jams, preserves, and salted sorrel.
Checking for leaks. As in the two previous cases, the jar is turned either upside down or placed on its side.

Plastic lids

This type should not be confused with nylon (transparent) covers. Plastic lids are usually opaque and come in a variety of colors. They are much denser than nylon ones, and also close tighter.

Advantages.
- Easy to use.
- These lids are easy to open.

Flaws.
- Suitable only for certain types of preservation.
- Do not provide long-term storage.

How to use. To seal the jar, the lid is heated in hot water (70-80? C) for 2-3 minutes and put on the neck of the jar. For high-quality food preservation, choose tight polyethylene lids that cannot be used to seal a jar without preheating them.

What products are they suitable for? Polyethylene lids are well suited for canning with large amounts of sugar where there is no risk of overpressure from fermentation. Jams and preserves will be stored longer if you place a circle of white paper soaked in vodka or alcohol under the lid (on top of the jam). The paper soaked in alcohol will collect mold on itself (if it suddenly appears) and you can throw away the damaged paper by placing a new piece of paper on the jam.

Jam for the winter can be prepared using a variety of methods. Housewives still prefer classic jam and cook it using the traditional “grandmother’s method.” But it is a pity that after the jam is cooked, a tiny amount of useful substances remains in it, because almost all of them are destroyed under prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Therefore, many housewives like to prepare jam using the “quick” method, keeping it on the flame for less than 7-10 minutes, or maybe less. Or, just don’t make jam at all, but simply grate the berries and fruits through a grater and mix with granulated sugar.

Typically, this method allows you to save most of the vitamins and essential nutrients, but in turn, such jam must undergo mandatory preservation. At the same time, jam, which was rolled using iron lids, can be stored anywhere, be it a cellar or at room temperature. Metal screw caps for canning Twist-Off avestar.ru are perfect for homemade jam - you can buy in bulk at a good price if large production volumes are expected.

HOW TO PROPERLY STERILIZE JARS TO CLOSE JAM

Before placing the jam in jars and using the seaming machine, all jars must be carefully prepared. First, they need to be thoroughly cleaned with soda, not only from the inside, but also from the outside.
Sterilization is the process of treating jam jars at elevated temperatures to kill all bacteria. You can sterilize jars either through steam or by placing them in an oven heated to 100 - 120 degrees. It will also be necessary to sterilize the iron lids with which you will close the jars. Although it is easier with lids - they need no more than boiling for 5-10 minutes in a saucepan covered with a lid.

HOW TO CORRECTLY CLOSE JAM

Before pouring jam into jars, be sure to check that they are completely dry on the inside. If you pour the jam into wet jars, it may well turn sour. It will be a great pity then it will turn out that all your efforts will be useless.

It is recommended to distribute the jam that you need to roll into jars while it is still hot. Then the cans are rolled up using a special seaming machine, turned upside down and covered with some clean terry towel or blanket. In this form, it should cool down, and then it is transferred to a shelf for storage.
Sometimes, for an even greater guarantee, it is recommended that the jam be pasteurized before sealing the jars. When you pour the hot jam into the jars, they should be closed with sterilized lids, placed in a pan with warm water and boiled for 10 minutes. Only then the jars Of course, they seal it and put it upside down to make sure that the packaging is tight. As in the previous case, cover the jars with a warm, clean towel and leave.

What kind of lids are best to cover jam?

During preservation, almost all housewives face a dilemma: “What kind of lids are best to use for the best storage of jam?”
The opinions of housewives on this issue differ strikingly from each other. Many people recommend rolling up the jars with iron lids, and some, who would have thought it, suggest covering them with paper or cellophane and tying them with threads the old fashioned way.
If you ask the question, “Is it possible to cover jam with plastic lids?” Let's answer - of course yes. Every year, an increasing number of housewives prefer plastic lids, as they are easier to use and preservation with them becomes even easier and more enjoyable.

To prevent winter preparations from deteriorating and completely losing their original appearance and smell, it is enough to follow a couple of usual rules:

1) the jam should contain a lot of granulated sugar. It does not allow the jam to ferment and can preserve the freshness of the product;
2) in order for the jam to stay fresh for a long time, you will need to cook it longer;

3) on the surface of the jam (under the lid) you should place a circle of some paper or parchment, which has been soaked in alcohol or vodka. If, after all, the top becomes covered with mold, then this kind of protective film, one might say, will draw it into itself. If necessary, such a filter can be replaced at any time.
Recently, screw-on cups or they are also called twist-offs have become especially popular.

Rules for using twist-off caps

1. You cannot tighten more than the thread allows. If you overtighten, you can break the lid.
2. It is necessary to install the cover so that it fits into the thread and screw it onto these rails. If there are cracks, then there is a possibility of mold growth in the future.
3.Cover the blanks with a lid immediately after filling the jars. The jars must not be overfilled. The jars must be filled with contents, although they should not reach 1 cm to the edge.

How to Store Screw-Lid Jars

Most preparations that are covered with screw caps should be kept warm (though not hot), dry and well ventilated. To prevent condensation, sudden changes in temperature should not be allowed.

But, if you make jam with a small amount of granulated sugar, they should be stored at the lowest temperatures (in the refrigerator or in the basement).
Before storing jars with hot contents, you need to cool the contents to room temperature, and then check that nothing is leaking. To do this, turn the jar upside down and make sure that the rim of the lid is not wet. Products with screw caps can be stored for 6 months.

During the preparation season, it is important to stock up not only on food, but also on high-quality seaming lids, because they will help preserve the preparations throughout the winter.

To choose a glass jar you do not need any special knowledge: the main thing is to decide on the volume of the container and its convenient shape. But everyone involved in canning should know about the choice of lids for canning, because the success of the canning process will depend on the material from which they are made, their health safety, convenience and quality.

Tin lids "SKO". These covers are familiar to everyone. Always in demand due to their low price. These lids fit almost all glass jars. Before you buy, pay attention to the internal coating - for a high-quality lid it should be varnished. If you decide to save on cost, you risk getting a terrible tin taste in the preparations, and even poisoning the body during long-term storage. To check the lid, you need to wipe the inner surface with a cotton pad soaked in acetone - if a yellow or green trace remains, the lid will react with the contents of the jar, gradually poisoning it. Be sure to purchase a seaming wrench if you don't have one, and don't use these caps over and over again. Do not buy tin lids “in reserve” - the shelf life of such lids is only 3 years.

Twist-off lids. Practical and convenient lids for reusable use, there is one requirement - they fit into jars with threads. It is advisable to check the lid before sealing for reliability. To do this, fill the container with water, screw on the lid and then turn it over. If water leaks, such a lid cannot be used; if not, it can be preserved. The main advantage of such lids is their affordable cost, no need for a seaming machine, and convenient storage after opening the jar. It is also advisable to check the varnish coating inside the lid.

Polyethylene (plastic) covers. Such lids are disposable; after placing them in hot water, they expand and are then put on the jar. It is recommended to store pickles with such lids in the cellar, but for jam you are unlikely to find a better lid in terms of price and ease of use.

Now you know which lids are best to choose for home canning. It is advisable to check all jars for chips and cracks before starting conservation. Also, don’t forget to buy these “saviors” to facilitate the sterilization process: a disc-stand for a pan and a grip for jars. Now you are ready! This means it’s time to start canning at home, because you won’t find such “goodies” in the store.

Signs of quality seaming caps

Ideal seaming lids are made of food-grade metal. In appearance, tin and aluminum covers are almost indistinguishable, but the latter spring back when pressed with your hand.

The lids suitable for seaming are coated with acid-resistant varnish. Preferably on both sides, but definitely on the inside! Otherwise, the metal will rust and ruin the workpiece.

Ideal seaming caps have a rubber ring that fits tightly around the circumference of the cap in a groove. Yellow tin lids resist oxidative processes. White, unvarnished, tinned, are only suitable for covering products with low acidity (jam, compotes, jam) and are not suitable for preserving brightly colored fruits and berries. Aluminum lids are used for all types of canned food.

Despite the fact that metal seaming lids are disposable, some housewives manage to reuse them. There are even tools designed to remove the covers with minimal damage. And yet, giving them a second life is undesirable for hygienic reasons.

If you don't remember when you purchased the lids, stretch the rubber seal around one of them. If it has retained its firmness and elasticity, the lids are ready to use. If not, throw it away: changes in temperature and humidity have done their dirty work.

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Lids and jars

Even on those lids and jars that seem clean, microorganisms live in abundance that can harm not only the products, but also your health. It is not the microorganisms themselves that are scary, but their waste products - they are quite poisonous and can cause severe poisoning. To avoid risk, all jars and lids must be sterilized.

For canning, it is necessary to choose lids without defects or traces of rust. If their surface is painted, the paint should not be damaged. This leads to corrosion during storage, which negatively affects the products. Both lids and jars should be thoroughly washed - a good result can be achieved with simple baking soda. Then everything is simply washed well with running water.

The so-called “hot sterilization” sometimes baffles housewives. If jars are sterilized in different ways - by steaming, in boiling water, in a microwave oven, and in a conventional oven, then this will not work with lids. Metal lids should not be placed in the microwave; they will burn in the oven, and plastic ones will treacherously melt.

Methods for sterilizing caps

Lids can be sterilized in several ways.

The advantages of these methods are obvious: excellent quality of sterilization and no additional costs required.

The oldest and most common method of sterilization, which was successfully used by our grandmothers, is sterilization by boiling. To do this, you need to take a pan and boil the required amount of water in it, and then simply lower the lids into the boiling water. They should be boiled immediately before closing the jars with the preparations. They should be kept in boiling water from two to fifteen minutes.

What you need to do next depends on the material from which the lids are made. Nylon ones can be kept in boiling water just a little bit, otherwise they may become deformed and will no longer fit on the jar. Hot lids should be removed from boiling water with tongs. They need to be allowed to dry before closing.

There is another way, but it will not suit all lids. You can sterilize them in a hot oven - but only metal ones and only those without rubber inserts. Time for sterilization is approximately 10 minutes.

The advantages of the processes are that they are very fast, are not labor-intensive, and everyone has ovens and saucepans, unlike steamers, for example - sometimes jars and lids are also sterilized in them.

Sometimes the lids are not heated at all - some housewives prefer to keep them a little in a solution of furatsilin, potassium permanganate or alcohol. This method is suitable for tin, glass and plastic lids.