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I'm trying to make a recipe in my Instant Pot that calls for ingredients to be placed inside a Mason Jar, which is then put in the Instant Pot filled with water. I have a glass jar with a metal screw on lid--similar to a Mason jar, although a little wider in comparison--but I'm not sure if there's anything specific about the construcion of a Mason jar that makes it uniquely suited to withstand a pressure cooker.

Can I use my glass jar in the Instant Pot pressure cooker??

thumbtackthief27
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    Welcome thumbtackthief27 - Are you trying to can/preserve the contents of this jar to make it shelf stable? If you could add the recipe and instructions, you will be able to get better answers. – Debbie M. Sep 03 '17 at 23:39
  • Just a note: it's not safe or recommended to pressure can food in the Instant Pot. You could water-bath can, but.. why? http://instantpot.com/portfolio-item/before-you-buy/#toggle-id-8 – lspare Sep 05 '17 at 17:07

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Jars that are not made specifically for canning are not safe in a pressure cooker. There are several manufacturers - "Mason" has become a generic term.

If you are preserving, you need a special lid with the rubber rim to correctly seal the jar. Do not reuse jars from food bought at the store.

CeeEmZee
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  • Some years ago in US jar standards were changed. As a kid for me, was common for store jars to be saved, but it created issues as not all were manufactured to safe for reuse specification. USDA finally made edicts saying no, no reuse of anything other than Mason standards, and then allowed others to make their jars for commercial use to an even lower standard such as more and larger bubbles which greatly increases odds of breakage on reuse. Any are also a slightly different size so rings and lids don't fit. Lids are also now single use only. – dlb Sep 05 '17 at 14:02
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    To add Mason is used generically for the standard, many of the major makers have all merged, so most are actually made in the same plants in the US. Names like Ball, Atlas, Kerr, are major names that have been retained for regional familiarity. You may also see names like Golden Harvest and Jarden the now parent company names and Bernarden in or near Canada, all are the same standards. – dlb Sep 05 '17 at 14:09
  • @dlb : and Ball has moved into the aerospace industry, so sells the name/logo to a company that they spun off to make the jars. (although, they still make aluminum cans). (I've also been told by one of the project scientists for SOHO that OSO-1 really sucked) – Joe Oct 19 '17 at 16:48
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According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, you can use other jars for canning. I know that's not what you're doing, but canning is pretty rough on jars and the pressure used in an instant pot (approx 11 psi) is lower than the pressure used in pressure canners (approx. 15 psi), so I think it's a good basis. However, there's a greater chance of breakage because the glass quality may or may not be lower than a traditional mason jar.

See this link for more info: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/general/recomm_jars_lids.html

If you want to, go ahead and try it, but if the glass shatters, I would replace the silicone seal on your instant pot and make sure you clean the lid thoroughly. I'd also do a water test just to be sure. (So you can decide if the cost of just purchasing a mason jar or two is worth the risk of losing a sealing ring--the same quality as ones used for canning can be purchased individually in the craft section of most stores).

lspare
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