Storage for powders and potions

[Wholemeal Crank]

Even without using the pressure canner, I sometimes hear pinging when the temperature changes and the seals pop on my jars. I am quite careful to re-use lids with the best-looking seals for the most delicate things--and have had barley malt powder and powdered sugar stay light and fluffy through midwest humidity for several years.

My sleepy error on the pint conversion. I have a few of the 1/4 pint/1/2 cup jars, that I will use for my next fruit jam prep. They're not available in wide mouth but should stack fine on top of the other jars.

[Peter the eater]

Lee Valley Tools sells those small disk-like metal containers with screw tops. I believe they're called watchmaker's jars. I use them in the wood shop for tiny brass screws and stuff.

[andiesenji]

In my first answer I noted that I use the Cambro containers for most dry products and that includes the various thickeners, xanthan gum, tapioca flour; other dry ingredients in small quantities (in the liter and 2-liter containers.

For smaller volumes I do use canning jars and as I mentioned in another thread, I use the plastic "Refrigerator/Freezer" lids that are available both in regular and wide-mouth sizes.

They are one-piece lids and seal the jars tightly and I like them better (for non-canning storage) than the two-piece lids which can sometimes (with repeated use, opening and closing) develop a slight defect at one point where they might have been pried off if they stuck a bit and this caused them to not really seal tightly.

I determined this because I have a jar of blacksalt (kala namak) that has, to say the least, a strong aroma (sulfur). A couple of days after using this ingredient, I opened the spice cabinet and got a strong blast of the aroma which is certainly distinctive.

On inspection of the jar and lid, I found a very small bump on one edge of the inner lid, just enough to allow air exchange and escape of the aroma.

Obviously this would not be a problem with most materials but in some cases it is important to have a reliable seal on a container.

Edited April 22, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[Porthos]

... I use the plastic "Refrigerator/Freezer" lids that are available both in regular and wide-mouth sizes.

Where do you buy these lids?

[andiesenji]

... I use the plastic "Refrigerator/Freezer" lids that are available both in regular and wide-mouth sizes.

Where do you buy these lids?

My local Walmart carries them and from time to time puts them on sale.

However, they are available on line from several vendors, including

Amazon

and Kitchen Krafts

Bernardin Mason also makes the same type of lid - I bought one box but to me they seem to be a bit thinner - although I haven't done comparison measuring.

Edited April 22, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[Wholemeal Crank]

I consider the lids that fail to seal when canning to be the ideal lids for long-term storage of my dry goods. They're not dented or lifted on one side.

Since I do a lot of canning (stock, stock, stock, jam, applesauce, stock), I do turn over my stock of ready-for-dry-goods lids. I have found some nice jars with one piece metal lids with a plastic seal that are great for storage, but I've never seen the plastic lids mentioned above.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Wholemeal Crank (log)

[ojisan]

My local Walmart carries them and from time to time puts them on sale.

However, they are available on line from several vendors, including

Amazon

After buying these Ball lids from Amazon, I found them at my local hardware store (Orchard Supply), not on sale, for $3.99 a box of 8 regular, and $4.99 a box of 8 wide.

[Shel_B]

Penzeys sells glass jars in various sizes with screw caps and labels. The jars come in two styles, one with a "shaker" cap and the other wide-mouth so you can dip a small scoop into them. Capacities are 4oz, 8oz, 16oz, and 32oz.