# Praise of the 2-1/2 qt Valsic pickle jars



## Metalman (Dec 8, 2012)

I really like dill pickles and my Scots genes are incurably thrifty, so I really like the VALSIC dill pickles that WalMart stores sell for what I consider amazing prices of $3.98 for whole dills and $4.32 for spears. But the real prize is the repurposed 2-1/2 qt jars.

Initially, we repurposed the empty jars for storage of dry products. A jar will hold the 5 pound bag of brown rice that I really like. Several 1-pound bags of dry beans or peas with fit through the large mouth opening. Standard pasta packages stand in the jars with plenty of clearance. A snug lid keeps out the various pests that are so common along the Gulf Coast.

Then we started rotating a couple of the jars for brewing sun tea. One tea bag described as the quart-size make a blend that is plenty strong even after the tea is poured over ice. Donât get me started on the instructions that tea makers like Lipton put on their packages. 

Our latest discovery was that these tall 2-1/2 qt jars are wonderful for home fermenting sauerkraut. Typical instructions have you looking for those very expensive crocks with floating lids, etc. In our initial experiment, we just shredded about 4 pounds of cabbage and mixed it with the suggested amount of pickling salt and then packed it in one of these jars. We left the lid about half tight to avoid over pressure, but still limit exposure to the atmosphere. The follow day, the mixture was bubbling and the fluid over flowing. After about a week, we begin tasting the kraut, and by two weeks, it was a good as any we every purchased at the supermarket. We anticipate keeping one jar for eating and another brewing as long as cabbage is available for a reasonable price.

The primary purpose of this post is to inquire if others are repurposing these wonderful jars in ways that we have not though of yet. We have about 15 jars and will keep collecting them.


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## wanda1950 (Jan 18, 2009)

I inherited one from Mama & I also use it to make kraut. I want some more so much i may have to buy some pickles.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

I can think of lots of uses for the jars, but I just can't figure out how to use up all those pickles. Only two of us here. Do you re-can the pickles into smaller portions?


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Yes, you can recan pickles and relish into smaller sizes. I do it all the time when I buy the humungo size jars from Sam's/Costco. Just pack the pickles into a sterile jar, reboil the brine (add more vinegar if you're worried about acidity), pour it over and BWB for 5-10 minutes to seal.

I use the 2 1/2 qt jars for my dry ready mixes. Since the lid is bigger than my wide-mouth adapter, I drilled a small hole in the lid for my vacuum sealer hose so I can suck the air out between uses and stopper the hole with a tight rubber cork. I also have a couple for BWB canning juice concentrates. They're also a good size for collecting cream and making butter.

I normally make my fermented cucumber and garden pickles in the bigger 1 gallon jars left over from my original recanned pickles, with a fermentation lock drilled into the lid.

2qt-ish pickle & mayo jars with wide mouths are also good for sprouting seeds, forcing tree cuttings, and holding oily sand to quickly clean/sharpen/protect garden hand tools.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

I like and use the bigger pickle jars and the 3/4 gallon jars when the cow is pouring the milk. I have 3 in the fridge I pour the cream off the top of the oldest (yesterdays ) and save it for butter and feed the skim milk to the pig . the glass jars with the wide tops work great and fit well in the fridge


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## nightfire (Feb 3, 2012)

How do you get the pickle smell out of the lids? I saved a few jars but haven't used them cause the lids smell like pickles. I'm afraid of the stored food picking up the smell!


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## gweny (Feb 10, 2014)

nightfire said:


> How do you get the pickle smell out of the lids? I saved a few jars but haven't used them cause the lids smell like pickles. I'm afraid of the stored food picking up the smell!


Have you tried baking soda?


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

nightfire said:


> How do you get the pickle smell out of the lids? I saved a few jars but haven't used them cause the lids smell like pickles. I'm afraid of the stored food picking up the smell!


I normally wash the lids with hot soapy water, let them soak overnight, and then store them in a ziplock bag of baking soda for a few days to get the smell out. 

If the smell is really strong, and you don't use them again for the same thing, you can usually buy new metal or plastic lids that are the right diameter and thread from commercial jar vendors (IIRC I got mine from either ULine or SKS Bottle). You should buy new lids with new sealant compound if you're going to CAN with the jars again, but reusing old lids is usually a good enough seal for fermenting a few times or for dry storage.


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## nightfire (Feb 3, 2012)

I haven't tried baking soda, but I will be trying it! Thanks for the tip.  Was looking to use them for dry storage, not for canning since the standard canning lid sizes don't fit the jars.


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## Fat Man (Mar 9, 2011)

I repurposed a large peanut butter jar into a fermenter. It has salsa in it now.

You could always ferment pickles.


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## Belldandy (Feb 16, 2014)

nightfire said:


> How do you get the pickle smell out of the lids? I saved a few jars but haven't used them cause the lids smell like pickles. I'm afraid of the stored food picking up the smell!


I was gonna ask the same thing! How does everyone keep brown sugar and butter from tasting like pickle?

I save smaller jars and use them as lol drinking glasses, craft brush storage, and storage for food that I don't mind smelling like pickle.


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## Metalman (Dec 8, 2012)

mzgarden said:


> I can think of lots of uses for the jars, but I just can't figure out how to use up all those pickles. Only two of us here. Do you re-can the pickles into smaller portions?


First, we keep some qt jars and divide the wholes or spears into them and cover with juice from the big jar. They keep in the fridge just fine.

Second, one can dice the wholes into cubes and add some sugar to make excellent relish that also stores in fridge for months. 

Finally, I love to slice the dills over home fermented sauerkraut (see other post) for an appetizer.

As a result, we have collected about 15 of the Valsic jars for various reuse.


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## Metalman (Dec 8, 2012)

nightfire said:


> How do you get the pickle smell out of the lids? I saved a few jars but haven't used them cause the lids smell like pickles. I'm afraid of the stored food picking up the smell!


Besides a good washing and scrubbing, I sometimes mix a small amount (1 cup) of dilute solution (4 or 5 to 1) of household bleach to clean the jars. Add the bleach to the jar, tighten the lid and shake the best you can. Set the jar down to rest some and then shake it again. Rinse with hot (near boiling) water to remove the bleach. Cleaned like this, the jar is good for almost any storage application.


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## triana1326 (Feb 13, 2006)

I make homemade cordials and liqueurs in mine. I tend to make LARGE amounts since I give a lot away as gifts to family and friends for just about any occasion. I've also used the wide mouth ones as terrariums for various bug studies with my kids (either mesh screen rubber banded over the opening or poke small holes in the lid. 

I typically use them for dry goods storage though&#8230;interesting to see all the varied uses!


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