How to Seal Mason Jars in a Harvest Right Home Freeze Dryer

How to Seal Mason Jars in your Harvest Right Home Freeze Dryer

[@zachreyhelmberger894]

Don't forget: When you can food in the usual way in a big pot of boiling water and you pull the jar out and let it cool, the lid starts to suck down onto the rim of the jar because you are creating a vacuum. The steam coming from the boiling contents of the jar drives out the air in the jar and when the jar cools, the steam condenses and it will pull a vacuum and suck down pretty hard on the lid and making an air tight seal. The vapor pressure of water at 75F is 2.96KPa, which translates to about 22,000 milliTorr. At 50F, like in a root cellar, the vapor pressure would be about 9,000 milliTorr. So as long as you do not pull the vacuum much harder than this, you should be fine. You can use the display on the freeze dryer to keep track of your pressure. BTW, atmospheric pressure is about 760,000 milliTorr so 22,000 milliTorr is a fairly significant vacuum. I suppose the difference between 0 mTorr and 22,000 mTorr is not that great in term of pounds of force pressing down on the lid. But keep in mind, the jars in most canned goods is full of liquid so if the jar should implode (if you drop it for example), the water will prevent the glass from accelerating very fast and causing a shrapnel problem. A glass jar full of freeze dried items and rarefied air, however, is a bit more hazardous if you should drop it. There should be significantly more shrapnel. hmmm... interesting video idea??

[@zachreyhelmberger894]

Need to get the Slo-Mo guys on this, LOL!!

[@grandmapatty1493]

That is awesome to know!!!

[@circuscats67]

THANK YOU! I'm still trying to figure out my machine.

[@earthfriendlyfarm]

Excellent idea. Thank you.

[@georgespencer8871]

How about adding a hose to the vent; (which becomes a vacuum hose and turned ON/OFF with the vent valve; or adding another valve closer to the jar sealer) then you can use the hose with a vacuum jar seal attachment with the Harvest Right supplying the vacuum. It should very quickly seal a jar. My Harvest Right is on order.

[@kgd6147]

Great idea! Update?

[@freezedrying1793]

Cool Idea i will have to try that with my unit Never thought of using the unit itself as a chamber

[@usmcbrat7276]

By taking the air out of the jar there is no real need to use oxygen tab in it . i been doing it for while now soon ill do ice cream and berries next

[@GriceldaAlma]

Sweet

[@lindacaldwell9017]

thanks a bunch!!!!!

[@yesink7590]

THANK YOU!

[@michelleschang1844]

Have you found this to work with any other air tight containers or just the mason jars? For example Pyrex snap containers or even the otherwise vac-seal-able containers?

[@ParklandIntlRealty]

I have a large version of the Harvest Right and I can't seem to unplug the interior tray from its wire. The connection has no obvious spot to come apart.... Any ideas?

[@wishful1580]

I've had mine about a week. I'll look tomorrow to see how it comes apart.

[@juanherrera4649]

Thank You. If not is a problem to you, maybe you can tell me which is the tickness of the sheet where you put the gasket? thank you again.

[@louisfeyt4188]

Very handy

[@shayleighsanches4748]

Can I do this with Jam? Cause of the moisture

[@wishful1580]

Cool!

[@MidnightBabe54]

Great idea! My question is would I place my freezer dried food and the oxygen absorber into the jar before the sealing process? How many years will this keep my food once I place the jars into a dark cool place?

[@mnotlyon]

There is no need for an oxygen absorber. You've already sucked the oxygen out of the jar. In a cool dark place, and properly freeze dried, some foods can last 20 years.

[@theresemagnani1730]

Would this eliminate the need for oxygen absorbers?

[@IOCaneTech]

No, it does not

[@mnotlyon]

If you suck the O2 out of the jar, there is no need for an oxygen absorber.

[@studiosinger]

I noticed when I used the direct to pump with machine off method of jar sealing a small amount of oil came into the back of chamber. Is this normal?

[@IOCaneTech]

That would be oil from your vac pump and usually indicates oil working its way up into your vac hose, via a faulty check valve in the vac pump

[@euricarmstrong3712]

I am confused about something.. is this a way to can the food like a pressure cooker would?

[@glorytogodhomestead3495]

No it is just to seal the dry foods in a jar, nothing else.

[@khristhurmond3561]

Can I vacuumed seal salsa that has been cooked that I normally would can using a water bath or is this just for freeze dried food?

[@IOCaneTech]

Khris Thurmond yes you "could". But this is a $4000 machine sooo that would just be something it could do, but not really part of its main function

[@Deafstargirl]

Would it seal if there's moisture in it?

[@mnotlyon]

Yes, you could seal it, but it must be refrigerated after opening. When you water bath can, you're killing harmful bacteria to make you food safe. Vacuum sealing does not kill the bacteria.

[@Deafstargirl]

Is there a time limit to seal the jars? Seems like the glass would eventually break under the pressure...has that every happened?

[@ANATURALDREWSASTER]

That's not really possible since it's not pressure, it's vacuum. When you vacuum seal something you're removing air, the force difference on a jar sealed in canning and sealing it like this is negligible. There is no risk to a better vacuum but there are benefits such as longer shelf life. Better vacuum = better everything else. I actually recommend leaving the jars in with the pump running for at least 5 minutes.

[@krfloll]

@@ANATURALDREWSASTER Not entirely true. Once you equalize the chamber, you have a pressure difference. Difference being the operative word. The pressure difference can shatter a jar.

[@ANATURALDREWSASTER]

@@krfloll Vacuum is also produced when canning with glass jars, and the vacuum level produced is comparable to using a vacuum pump. What do you not understand?

[@Vermontpureherbs]

Could the jars bust under pressure if left in to long?

[@ANATURALDREWSASTER]

As long as the jar is rated for full vacuum which canning jars are, the risk is minimal. You can only achieve so much vacuum, it's not like pressurizing.

[@wf2v]

Does it take longer to seal if there is food in the jars or many jars?

[@IOCaneTech]

Nope should be exactly the same

[@awlfm]

is it using HR Vaccum pump ?

[@IOCaneTech]

It does not matter if it's the HR brand or the JB brand Vac Pump. It works the same either way.

[@judd_s5643]

Both of these pumps suck!!!,

[@ClickyBuzzClick2ConnectBuzz]

Are the seals reusable?

[@ANATURALDREWSASTER]

Yes they can be washed but may be porous. For storing dry goods such as freeze dried food they're reusable.

[@Beatnikzombie]

I so want this thing. $4,000. Yikes. I'm hoping it will come down to around $1,000 at some point.

[@studiosinger]

Beatnikzombie you can get for $2200 on sale

[@judd_s5643]

Seriously, you think something as complicated as this machine could be produced for a profit @$1000. iPhones 11 are grand!

[@joshuarayborn]

Good idea until the jar blows up haha