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I have read on multiple canning sites that you can freeze jam in glass jars. Has anyone actually done this successfully? Under what circumstances would it be preferable to putting the jam in plastic containers?
It just doesn't seem very safe to me (I fear the glass would break).
Previously, I have bought plastic containers to freeze jam in, but they did not seal very well. I'm wondering if glass could perform better? Or, should I just find better plastic containers?
Yes, I've done this. The key is to ensure that the jam isn't filling the glass container completely so that as it freezes it has room to expand.
I used a typical Ball canning jar, which sealed well enough to keep ice crystals out for several months.
From what I understand, freezer canning is useful when you don't have a pressure canner but want to can lower acid items which otherwise might be dangerous to your health (if not pressure canned).
Can and freeze jars are available. The quart jars I use large canning jar lids. Besides the thick glass, the insides are tapered like a plastic ice cube tray. As the liquid freezes and expands, it moves slightly up instead of breaking the jar open.
I make strawberry freezer jam every year, and as I have a supply of Bernardin glass jars, I tend to use those.
Regular glass freezes very well in general, but cannot handle quick temperature changes. Not really a problem with my kind of jam, when I am mixing at room temperature, then next day putting in the freezer.
Make sure you use freezer tempered jar (freeze-safe) and always leave plenty of room at the top of the jar to leave room for the jam to expand as it freezes.
I just went on a trip for 2 months and had some great German raspberry jam I did not want to throw out so I just put it exactly how it was in the freezer. It was about half full. I came back and took it out and let it stand on the table and about an hour later it is EXACTLY how it was before I left. It was so great! This was an experiment that worked great! I will continue to use this in the future.
