Jam pots and lids

[RogerN]

There is a lot of discussion about jam pots, lids and wax discs. Commercial jam makers have not used wax paper discs for years, so why would you? I am a mere male but have been making jams successfully for over 40 years.
I nearly always reuse the glass jars unless I have run out. I also reuse the lids, but beware of doing this since the plastic ring inside the lid looses it's plasticity with the result that the lid can be almost impossible to remove. If you are giving the jam away always a good idea to use new lids; available from Lakeland or many web sites.
Now this is the important bit. As soon as you have made the jam and it's still almost boiling pour it straight into the jar and screw the lid on immediately. The jars need to be clean of course (I put them through the dishwasher) but I find there is no need to go to the trouble of sterilising them since the jam is at or over 100degrees and should kill off any bacteria in the jar. Also the space between the jam and lid will rise to pretty near boiling point killing off anything there likely to make the jam go off. Further if you have or use 'pop up' lids the lid will pop down as the jam cools because the space between jam and lid is largely steam which condenses creating a vacuum.
As I say this works for me and I have not had a pot go off in over twenty years. Remember make jam at rolling boil, instantly pour in jar, immediately screw on lid, preferably a new one.

[4merlyknownasSHD]

Roger, surely not, as I have found that jam should rest a little before pouring in to the jars or you will find that the fruit rises to the top of the jar. It would be OK for jelly, but with jam I prefer to have my fruit evenly distributed.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

"There is a lot of discussion about jam pots, lids and wax discs."

Where?....