ILiveInFlipFlops Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I need to start making more broth and stock for storage, and I know lots of people freeze in Ball jars. However, my first experiment with this didn't go well--I left headroom and waited to tighten the lids until (I thought) they were frozen solid, but then after I did tighten the lids, the jars shattered. Thankfully there was no glass mess because they didn't explode, but I had to throw away four brand new quart jars and a gallon of beautiful chicken stock :crying: I assumed that I just tightened the lids too soon, and I had DH pick me up a dozen new quart jars. When he brought them home to me, he pointed out that the side of the package says that the quart jars are not freezer safe. I didn't think any glass jars were actually freezer safe, so I didn't even think about looking for that kind of information. Am I not ever going to be able to freeze these jars, no matter how careful I am? I don't want to deal with a million small jars in my deep freeze, and I really don't want to use plastic. Or do people successfully freeze the quart jars, just really, REALLY carefully? If you freeze stock in something else, what do you use? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I had similar experiences as you. I leave a lot of headroom now and don't tighten the lids beyond just making sure they don't fall off. You could also try these lids and see if they make a difference since they do not seal as tightly as the usual mason jar lids. http://www.goodmans.net/i/457/ball-37010-wide-mouth-canning-jar-plastic-storage.htm?sc=GOOGLEBASE&k=BL-37010&utm_source=GOOGLEBASE&utm_medium=datafeed&utm_campaign=BL-37010&ds_e_ad_type=pla&gclid=CIHlnLT09cICFchr7AodCkIAtg ETA: I do freeze chicken stock in some larger plastic containers but have currently a lot of tomato sauce frozen in Ball / Kerr jars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 ??? Why ??? Glass is very brittle when cold, and messing around with expanding liquids would be a pain. I freeze my stock in Ziplock Freezer bags. Yes, it is plastic, but you can remove all of the air and don't need to worry about expansion or broken glass. You can also store them flat, which means that you save a lot of space in your freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Also, you don't have to fully defrost in Ziploc--we just place it in very slightly warm water then it slides out into a larger tray for defrosting or microwaving. So you don't have to worry too much about leach. That said, I freeze jars and just leave a ton of head room. I'm sorry you lost all that stock. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Btervet Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I've always freezed in ball jars and never had a problem. I just wait until the liquid is room temp then cap and put in the deep freezer. I've never had one break, though I use the cheap canning lids, maybe they allow enough give that pressure isn't a problem? I also freeze in glass rubbermaids all the time without issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemom Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I've always freezed in ball jars and never had a problem. I just wait until the liquid is room temp then cap and put in the deep freezer. I've never had one break, though I use the cheap canning lids, maybe they allow enough give that pressure isn't a problem? I also freeze in glass rubbermaids all the time without issue. This is exactly how I do it as well and I have never had a jar break (yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artichoke Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 No breakage problems here. We use the wide mouth Ball jars with the plastic lids instead of canning rings. Ball only reccomendatioin the jars with "straight ahoulders" for freezing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 No problems here either. Let cool to room temp. Only turn lids when completely frozen...and just enough, not tight. I like the ball plastic freezer jars as well, but prefer glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I use glass jars, including Ball jars, all the time to freeze liquids, usually broth. I leave some room, let them cool to room temperature, then stick them in the fridge overnight before transferring to the freezer. I've never had one break. I usually use the wide-mouth pint-sized jars and I reuse the canning tops and rings since I don't need them to seal. I've never had a jar break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I've also read that the jars with shoulders are not good for the freezer. I have used them in the freezer for stuff that doesn't expand like flax seeds and they haven't broken so I'm guessing it is because of the expanding not just the temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 My understanding is that it's the temperature changes that people are worried can leech bad stuff from the plastic to the food. If you freeze in plastic bags, you can thaw them just briefly and then literally peel the plastic right off and warm the stock or soup or whatever in a pot or in a microwave safe container that will hold it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I use the wide mouth jars and freeze with no lid. Once they're frozen I put a lid on them. I've never broken one, even when dropped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I regularly freeze stuff in the half-pint, straight-sided jars with the plastic screw-on lids--no problems. This size is perfect for pizza sauce for our family--I don't fill it all the way full and it's enough for the two pizzas my dough recipe makes. I just take a jar out of the freezer every week on pizza day. I have also read that the curving jars aren't good for freezing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 These say they are freezer safe: http://www.amazon.com/Ball-66000-Mouth-Freeze-Canning/dp/B00IHGLV5C/ref=sr_1_128?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1420226435&sr=1-128 http://www.amazon.com/Ball-Mason-Jars-Wide-Mouth-Freeze/dp/B001DIZ1NO/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0R3C0HARX1PVHH65B8XE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I sometimes freeze tomato sauce and leftover soups in glass jars and have never had any break, though I use ziplock bags more frequently. We have a tiny freezer so the ziplocks make more sense for storing flat. I also find them more convenient for things like tomato or ancho paste, where I might just need to break off a small portion rather than defrost an entire jar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 You can freeze in large silicone molds, then pop them out and store in an airtight container. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Never had a problem. I tighten the lids before freezing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We use the wide mouth jars so they don't have the "shoulders." I also refrigerate them until they are cold and then put them in the freezer, but I think the wide mouth is what's important to keep them from breaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I use wide mouthed jars, no shoulders, and cool in the fridge before putting them in the freezer. I do leave a lot of head room, and I tighten the lids a lot before I put them in the freezer. I figure that it's best if everything freezes as a unit. That has worked well for me very consistently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILiveInFlipFlops Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 Thanks, everyone. Yes, I guess it must have been the shoulders that were the problem :( I can return the new 32 oz jars tomorrow, and in the meantime, I discovered that our Target has 24 oz jars that are straight sided and freezer safe, and they cost just a tiny bit more per jar than the quart-sized. Those should do the job (along with the headroom and loose lids). I have actually frozen in glass Pyrex bowls until now, and I've never had any problem with those, but we use those bowls for so many other things, and they cost way more than the Ball jars do. Hopefully now I'll be able to get some broth tucked away so I don't get caught without and need to buy pre-made. Even organic stocks and broths have weird things in them these days! I literally could not find a beef broth in the store a few weeks ago that didn't have either "natural flavors" or caramel coloring in it, and that's one of the colors that my youngest often reacts to. Thanks for the advice, all. There will be some major stock stewing here this weekend :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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