Where can I buy?

[fitzsie]

I've bought some kilner jars for bottling and thought that my Mums pan that she uses for making jam would be big enough for me to use for the bottling process. However, just discovered that it's not tall enough to cover the jars with water.
Where can I get a pan that will suit my purpose. I am using the 500 ml jars. ( although I am now wishing I bought the 250 ml !!)
any ideas?

[fitzsie]

[RenishawPhil]

I use a big curry type pot from an asian supermarket which is tall and great for doing jam I.

[Kleftiwallah]

Is this steralizing before filling or afterwards? If before then the oven is your better bet, if after, I have found 3/4 of the way up is enough.

Cheers,    Tony.

[fitzsie]

This is for sterilising after, to seal the jars. I have been looking at Stock pots on the internet, the cheapest  being about £21.

I have to say I was following Jeanines' advice which is to cover the jars with about 1 - 2 inches of water.  I've never done any of this before so I'm having to buy the implements etc to get me started.
Is 3/4 the way up the jar enough to seal etc the whole jar?

[Nora42]

Hi I use  a high dome shaped old fashioned pressure cooker - Aluminum and kept just for that.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Prestige-Aluminium-Pressure-Cooker-Litre
pricy so maybe put a shout out on free cycle, for an old one.
Nora

[Spireite]

I have a 6 piece stainless steel Meyer steamer set which is really deep.

[Jeannine]

Hi, no 3/4 is not enough l, it has to be a couple of inches over the top.  Sorry but I am 100% sure about this.

Any kind of a pan will do, some of the very cheap thin aluminum  stockpots are good enough.

Good Luck

XX Jeannine

[fitzsie]

I'm currently looking on ebay. My main concern is that I have a ceramic hob so need to be sure that I can use that pan. All together with postage it will cost me about £18-£20.
This years bottled plums are going to be my most expensive !!!! I hope it will all be all worth it  ;D

[Jeannine]

It will, once you invest in that big pan you will have it for life. You need to be able to have a full rolling boil above the jars so make sure the pan is tall enough.


Here is the maths.
You need about an inch under the jars holding them off the bottom, anything like a wire rack or even a circle of rings off the jars will do.Then about 2 inches to cover the tops of the jars when under water, that so far is three inches,you then need a minimum( 2 is better) for boiling room, this is above the water line at the top. If not when your pan is at full rolling boil it will slop over. So far we now have 5 inches..now you add the height of your jars,pint or 500ml jars are usually about 5 iunches quarts are more close to seven and a half, so if using pint jars only you need a pan that is at least 10 inches tall, if using quarts it needs to be 12 + Therefore I would buy a pan that is 13 inches deep and iot will cover all I would need to use. Oh and it can be enamel by the way.  To summarise, the depth of your jars plus 5 inches.

I hope this helps.

XX Jeannine

[peanuts]

Interesting Jeannine, when you say full rolling boil.  all the instructions I've  ever had, and see now, say water to be kept at 100ºC.  I sterilise in a big   'sterilisateur' which everyone has round here.  It takes 30 small jars of paté and correspondingly fewer larger jars obviously.  The big thermometer sits in the middle through the hole in the lid, so you can see the temp the whole time,  and it clearly indicates  100º for sterilising most things.  Keeping it at that temp means that the water is gently simmering, but certainly not a full rolling boil!.
Don't worry, Jeannine I absolutely know that you know what you are talking about, and you gave me info that I've followed since, in not  bottling figs without adding some sort of acid.  so I bow to your knowledge!

[Jeannine]

 Actually the term should be "hard boil" which is basically the same thing as full rolling boil depending on where you live, hard boil is not used much in the Uk so I use the alternative.

100c IS  boiling point, not simmering point. Water will not get above this in a water bath no matter how long you boil it for but of course it can get cooler.

Simmering  is technically at 85-90c and can be used for some fruit juices,this is pasturisation and  the surface of the water just quivers. I have never used it for any meat products.

XX Jeannine

[fitzsie]

Just bought my pan on ebay ! Stock pan which is 25 cm in depth. Sounds like it's coming from a Catering Supplier up north somewhere. £15 with £5 delivery.   
My plums will have to wait til Tuesday......

Let's hope it's the start of a long bottling relationship !

[Jeannine]

Well done..don't forget to put a rack in the bottom.

XX Jeannine