Italian preserving jars

[FarmI]

I've bought some Italian preserving jars of 2 different brands - "Quattro
Stagioni" and "I Sottovetro" and I'd like to use them to preserve tomato
chunks and tomato paste but am not sure how to do so as the instructions
with both sets seems to assume that I should know how to use them for the
specific product I want to preserve.

These jars have the bump on the metal screw top lid which dips in when they
are sealed and gives a "phhhttt" noise when the seal is broken by opening
the jars. That much I've been able to figure out from buying commercial
products in similar jars but beyond that, I'm lost.

Not having a handy good Italian cook on hand, I've had a stab at using the
"Quattro Stagioni" jars (does that mean 4 stages????). I cooked and seived
my tomatoes and boiled them down till they were somewhere between the
consistency of puree/paste. I let that cool (instructions in jars say to
fill at room temperature) and then added some citric acid to the jars and
then added the tomato. The instructions then said "Boiling time indicated
by recipe-books has to be counted since the water boils firmly." sic

I only have preserving instructions for Fowlers Vacola and put in the water
to cover the jars by about 2 inches of water and very slowly over about an
hour brought the temperature up to boiling point, let the water boil for
about 20 mins then turned off the heat and waited till the water was stone
cold before removing the bottles.

All the bottles have a dipped lid so appear to be sealed.

Would anyone who has experience of how to use these jars like to comment
please?

[Hoges in WA]

[snipped]
Not having a handy good Italian cook on hand, I've had a stab at using the
"Quattro Stagioni" jars (does that mean 4 stages????).

It means Four Seasons


[snipped]

Would anyone who has experience of how to use these jars like to comment
please?

I use them for Preserved Lemons and for olives. I wash them in stinking hot
water then upend them in a slow oven to dry then fill them with what I want.

hth

Hoges in WA

[Melba's Jammin']

In article

Post by FarmI
I've bought some Italian preserving jars of 2 different brands - "Quattro
Stagioni" and "I Sottovetro" and I'd like to use them to preserve tomato
chunks and tomato paste but am not sure how to do so as the instructions
with both sets seems to assume that I should know how to use them for the
specific product I want to preserve.
These jars have the bump on the metal screw top lid which dips in when they
are sealed and gives a "phhhttt" noise when the seal is broken by opening
the jars. That much I've been able to figure out from buying commercial
products in similar jars but beyond that, I'm lost.
Not having a handy good Italian cook on hand, I've had a stab at using the
"Quattro Stagioni" jars (does that mean 4 stages????). I cooked and seived
my tomatoes and boiled them down till they were somewhere between the
consistency of puree/paste. I let that cool (instructions in jars say to
fill at room temperature) and then added some citric acid to the jars and
then added the tomato. The instructions then said "Boiling time indicated
by recipe-books has to be counted since the water boils firmly." sic
I only have preserving instructions for Fowlers Vacola and put in the water
to cover the jars by about 2 inches of water and very slowly over about an
hour brought the temperature up to boiling point, let the water boil for
about 20 mins then turned off the heat and waited till the water was stone
cold before removing the bottles.
All the bottles have a dipped lid so appear to be sealed.
Would anyone who has experience of how to use these jars like to comment
please?

I have a couple of the Quattro Stagioni jars, too. :-) Mostly I use
them for dry food storage but I have used them in waterbath processing.
Here are the instructions put out by the National Center for Home Food
Preservation (USA group) for processing tomato products.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can3_tomato.html

You can back your way to their home page: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

And general canning information (sort of like Intro to Food Pres 101) is
here: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general.html

These folks are one of the reputable sites you'll often see mentioned
here for home processing safety.

Your method and processing time doesn't jive with what the NCHFP
promotes so I don't know what to say about your experience. That your
method isn't ours does not mean you're going to die. :-)

The instructions you quote from the QS jar folks suggests that, once
filled and sealed, the jars should be processed for x amount of time;
that time is counted from when the water has returned to boiling after
the filled jars are put into the canner. This is also what the NCHFP
promotes. I don't know how to relate that time to the information
you've given about the Fowler Vacola instructions.

I know a chap in Melbourne who produces some lovely preserved foods.
May I suggest that you go to <www.peterwatson.com.au> and go to the
bottom of the home page to the "Contact Us" link. Peter's email address
is there. Ask him for his opinion or for names of local resources for
good information. I'm reluctant to post his email address here due to
bots harvesting mail addresses for spam purposes.

Tell him I sent you. :-) And don't believe him if he says I'm not a
nice lady. "-)

[FarmI]

Thank for all the cites. I'll go through them and see if I can glean any
help.

Post by Melba's Jammin'
In article

Post by FarmI
I've bought some Italian preserving jars of 2 different brands - "Quattro
Stagioni" and "I Sottovetro" and I'd like to use them to preserve tomato
chunks and tomato paste but am not sure how to do so as the instructions
with both sets seems to assume that I should know how to use them for the
specific product I want to preserve.
These jars have the bump on the metal screw top lid which dips in when they
are sealed and gives a "phhhttt" noise when the seal is broken by opening
the jars. That much I've been able to figure out from buying commercial
products in similar jars but beyond that, I'm lost.
Not having a handy good Italian cook on hand, I've had a stab at using the
"Quattro Stagioni" jars (does that mean 4 stages????). I cooked and seived
my tomatoes and boiled them down till they were somewhere between the
consistency of puree/paste. I let that cool (instructions in jars say to
fill at room temperature) and then added some citric acid to the jars and
then added the tomato. The instructions then said "Boiling time indicated
by recipe-books has to be counted since the water boils firmly." sic
I only have preserving instructions for Fowlers Vacola and put in the water
to cover the jars by about 2 inches of water and very slowly over about an
hour brought the temperature up to boiling point, let the water boil for
about 20 mins then turned off the heat and waited till the water was stone
cold before removing the bottles.
All the bottles have a dipped lid so appear to be sealed.
Would anyone who has experience of how to use these jars like to comment
please?

I have a couple of the Quattro Stagioni jars, too. :-) Mostly I use
them for dry food storage but I have used them in waterbath processing.
Here are the instructions put out by the National Center for Home Food
Preservation (USA group) for processing tomato products.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can3_tomato.html
You can back your way to their home page: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/
And general canning information (sort of like Intro to Food Pres 101) is
here: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general.html
These folks are one of the reputable sites you'll often see mentioned
here for home processing safety.
Your method and processing time doesn't jive with what the NCHFP
promotes so I don't know what to say about your experience. That your
method isn't ours does not mean you're going to die. :-)
The instructions you quote from the QS jar folks suggests that, once
filled and sealed, the jars should be processed for x amount of time;
that time is counted from when the water has returned to boiling after
the filled jars are put into the canner. This is also what the NCHFP
promotes. I don't know how to relate that time to the information
you've given about the Fowler Vacola instructions.
I know a chap in Melbourne who produces some lovely preserved foods.
May I suggest that you go to <www.peterwatson.com.au> and go to the
bottom of the home page to the "Contact Us" link. Peter's email address
is there. Ask him for his opinion or for names of local resources for
good information. I'm reluctant to post his email address here due to
bots harvesting mail addresses for spam purposes.
Tell him I sent you. :-) And don't believe him if he says I'm not a
nice lady. "-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - snow pics added 3-3-2007
http://jamlady.eboard.com
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