The ABC’s of cooking with jars

The ABC’s of cooking with jars

YOUR HANDY GUIDE TO PERFECT – OR ALMOST-PERFECT – PRESERVES!

We’ll all agree on this: when something is good, you want it to last forever. Here, then, is our handy guide for jars and preserves that remain “perfectly perfect” year after year.

PAMPER YOUR JARS

It may seem fairly obvious, but there are some good practices you should adopt to keep your preserves healthy.

  • If you store your dry foods in Le Parfait Super jars, make sure to keep the disc on the jars to prevent bumps upon opening or closing. The thing is, they have a memory, and even if they don't say so, they remember every little knock and micro-crack that can form. So don’t turn your shelves and cupboards into a bumper car ride and, if you want to keep your jars and terrines fresh, open and close them gently!
  • While your jars won’t say no to a nice bubble bath after their delicious labours, they will do just fine without a scrubbing: abrasive sponges should be avoided as they scratch and weaken the glass. When it comes to drying, reward them a little breather in the open air – you’ll also prevent cloth particles from turning up in your next preserves.
  •  Don’t try to deny it, we saw you! Sauces, soups and other little delights have no place in jam jars, which are made for... jams !  Because while the sugar does all the work and takes care of preservation in jams, those other products require the right equipment.
  • For preparations made with brine or overly acidic sauces or covering juices (pure alcohol, vinegar, etc.), go with Le Parfait Super jars and terrines. While the metal parts of the Familia Wiss are definitely extra-resistant, they could also rust.

PUT CARE INTO THE PREPARATION PROCESS

“Shaped” jars will enable you to keep your home-made preparations for a long time. However, for them to keep perfectly, you will have to take care during the preparation process.

  • Give your discs a hot tub session by boiling them before fitting them over the jar openings. Also, make sure that the edges of your preserve jars are perfectly clean before sealing them, as the slightest particle stuck between the glass, the disc and the lid could hurt the preservation process. You’ll also want to make sure you don’t go past the filling line engraved on your jars, two cm from the rim.
  • Our discs really deserve a lot of credit: they guarantee well-made preserves and are the only ones in France made of 100% natural rubber, which makes them very easily recyclable and, above all, biodegradable. Just what we needed to hear, considering it is recommended that you use a new disc each time to end up with perfect preserves! 
  • The Familia Wiss line also needed something new to keep up with the times! Always use new Le Parfait capsules, specially designed to shape to their format. Make sure they are intact and that the seal is in good condition, then summon up all gentleness to screw on the lid without forcing it, before moving on to the heat treatment.
  • Whether a sterilizer, pressure cooker, pressure cooker or stockpot: you have a wealth of options. Whichever you prefer, adjust the duration of the heat treatment and above all be patient, let your jars cool down in the water before removing them, in particular so you don’t burn your hands. To keep them from bumping up against each other and/or turning over, don't hesitate to protect them with a cloth at the bottom and between the jars: they will be grateful!
  • Tip: to open your jars more easily, don't place the ear of the discs at the level of the metal closure. There is nothing more enraging than having to fight with a jar when you're hungry!

STORE YOUR JARS SO THAT YOU CAN FIND THEM MORE EASILY

  • Once your preserves have cooled off, unlock the closure on Le Parfait Super jars/terrines or remove the lid from the Familia Wiss terrines to ensure that the vacuum inside has formed appropriately. The washer and disk should remain attached to the jar, even when you pull on it. Don’t pull too hard though! If it doesn’t budge, it means your preserves are just fine. Then don't forget to store them away without locking them again, or without the lid. 
  • One final tip: your preserves are light sleepers! Let them sleep in a dry place that’s not too hot, nor too cold, away from the light. 

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