| Before refrigerators became widely available, one | | | | ring will help keep the contents of the jar from |
| of the most common methods for preserving | | | | going all over your cupboards or pantry.The third |
| food was canning. Oddly enough, when most | | | | piece to the mason jar is the metal center cap. |
| people say they can foods at home, they actually | | | | This cap is ringed with a sort of rubber sealing |
| mean that they're preserving food in jars. The | | | | compound which is what actually seals the jar and |
| type of jar most often used in canning is the | | | | keeps the food inside from spoiling. Again, this |
| mason jar.People have been using canning jars | | | | piece is what seals the jar. The metal ring is there |
| since the 1850's. The term "mason jar" comes | | | | just to protect the center lid. People store their |
| from the inventor of such jars, John L. Mason. | | | | jars without that ring because it can hide a bad |
| Mason didn't invent the glass jar, of course. What | | | | seal and they're prone to corroding. By storing |
| he did was design and patent the metal screw-on | | | | your jars with the ring off, you can quickly |
| lid for such jars, which made preserving food in | | | | ascertain the integrity of the seal.If you ever |
| them possible.Mason jars used for canning have | | | | have any doubt as to whether or not the seal's |
| three parts. First is the glass jar itself. They | | | | been broken, throw out the jar of food. It's best |
| typically come in one of two styles: regular and | | | | to not risk it. There is plenty of information |
| widemouth. The glass jar is usually clear, but | | | | available to assist you in determining if a seal is |
| they've been manufactured in other colors as well. | | | | broken, but the advice you're going to hear and |
| Another common color is aqua. However they | | | | read again and again is, "When in doubt, throw it |
| can also be found in pretty much any color. It | | | | out."Another popular lid for the mason jars is the |
| may surprise you to learn that there are | | | | bail closure. While not the most common form of |
| collectors who specialize in collecting antique | | | | lid, it's still fairly common. The bail closure uses a |
| mason jars. The colored ones are the most | | | | strong somewhat spring metal wire clip which |
| valuable as they are the rarest kind.The second | | | | when closed forces the lid down and holds it |
| part to the canning jar is the metal screw-on ring. | | | | shut.Mason jars aren't just for drinking out of! |
| This ring is not as important as you might think. In | | | | Many people use them for preserving food. That's |
| fact, many experienced canners store their jars | | | | what they're intended for, but they can also be |
| with the rings off. The main purpose of the ring | | | | used as decoration, especially the valuable colored |
| has nothing to do with sealing the jar. It's just | | | | ones.Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre |
| there to protect the center portion from being | | | | Florida. |
| knocked off. Also, if the seal breaks, the metal | | | | |