Jars For Cellaring

kendodan · Apr 20, 2014

I am having a hard time finding Ball canning jars for cellaring here in Japan. I am not looking for long time storage but just a year or two. I used some jars for spices but the tobacco ended up drying out. Not too dry but definitely need to rehydrate it. I found some other jars and I am wondering if they would work.

This first one doesn't seem to be self sealing or anything. You just screw on the lid. No rubber or anything.

This one had like a latch on it with a rubber seal. Kind of expensive though at about $5 American.

Would either one of these work or... should I bite the bullet and have some Ball jars shipped? If it's the latter, my grandmother cans Hot Salsa in Ball jars. I wonder if I could have her ship some salsa and then reuse those jars? If I boiled them would my tobacco have a salsa taste still?
As always, any help would be much appreciated!

fadingdaylight · Apr 20, 2014

The one in the bottom picture should work just fine. I used one of those for a good while, and never had any issues. The seal on it will get the job done.
I wouldn't recommend re-using jars that had salsa in them. Certainly the jar itself could be cleaned, but the rubber on the lid will retain some scent and flavor. If you can have her ship some spare lids, then you might be good to go.

phil67 · Apr 20, 2014

What fadingdaylight said. Glass isn't permeable and can easily be washed. However, you would definitely be in need of new lids which are very cheap. If your grandmother cans salsa then she most definitely would be using new lids each and every time she cans something. Just ask her to send you a few new lids along with the salsa. In the mean time you could simply place a layer of plastic wrap over the rim of the jar and then tightly seal the lid of the jar that you posted in your first picture. I guarantee that you give you an airtight seal.

andrew · Apr 20, 2014

I really don't like the hermatic sealing jars (lower pic) for cellaring, I use them for what I'm smoking at the moment. The top pic jars with plastic wrap I would go with. The cost of shipping jars with salsa would be really expensive. You could also try and find mason jar tops for the jars you have pictured in the top pic

nurseman · Apr 20, 2014

Rubber is not a good long term seal , some are made with silicone seal they are better. I am not surprised that you canning material in Japan - the space to store the can goods would cost more than the value of the food ( at least in the city.)

monty55 · Apr 20, 2014

Can you order them off ebay from there?

kendodan · Apr 21, 2014

Alright! Looks like the bottom jar is out! Thanks for all the advice guys. For now I'll buy a couple of the top jars and put plastic wrap over them. I am not looking to do any long term cellaring just trying to keep my tobacco from drying out too much before I use it.
@Monty55 Yes I can order them. Not sure about eBay but there are other websites that I know that ship Ball canning jars internationally.

saltedplug · Apr 21, 2014

I've probably put tobacco in 1000 Ball-type jars. I've never had one dry out and only used a heat/seal method of a couple of years, just cranking down hard on the ring for the rest; that is, all have sealed well. I wouldn't use any other type of jar as Ball jars are specifically made to seal whereas the jar in your picture with the impressionable substance in a circle under the lid is only meant to seal temporarily, for the duration of the shelf-life. I've read good things about jars with the rubber gasket but have never used them.

cosmicfolklore · Apr 21, 2014

I am not looking to do any long term cellaring

Oh at first, I thought that you were looking to age tobacco, and I was going to suggest against it if you had plans to return to the states, as bring back a cellar's worth of tobacco would probably be nearly impossible.

Yeh, I wouldn't worry about having true canning jars if you are going to be dipping into it. In fact, any old jar will work for short-termed, keep your rotation moist, storage. I use those lock-it food storage plastic containers for keeping all of my open tobacco in. They travel in the pocket much better than a glass jam jar, which tends to look very red around the collar to be totin' around in these parts of Alabama, lol.

tarak · Apr 21, 2014

I was going to maybe recommend if you have a jar you won't be opening much that you want to cellar for a year- maybe put the tobacco in a zip loc, then the top jar with plastic wrap?
I'm wondering- and I have NO experience with this- but maybe a vacuum sealer with vacuum bags- but leave some air still in before you seal (my understanding is that some air is needed for maturation).

phred · Apr 21, 2014

I use wire-bail jars with silicone rings for short-to-mid-term storage (stuff I'm actively smoking) - I've used similar gasket technology for homebrewing, and never had an issue with a brand-new gasket failing. I always check them for cracking, nicks, etc. before re-using them - but the ones on beer/mead bottles are much smaller, and I suspect the mechanism puts a little more pressure on them than the glass jars do (the ceramic plug is shaped more like a bottle stopper than the jar lids are).
Still, should be okay for a year or two. I've been opening and closing mine for a year now, and I've only had one dry out more than I really like - if I'd simply left it shut, it probably would have been fine.
Just my $.02 - your mileage may vary.

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