Whether you're at a trendy bar in New York City, or on a peach farm in Georgia, it seems like mason jars are absolutely everywhere these days.
These classic jars have become a lot more versatile since they were originally introduced for canning and preserving.
You can use them as decoration, a drinking glass, a picnic set, for easy to-go lunches or for pretty much anything in the whole wide world it seems.
While it may seem like mason jars are the answer to all of your around the house or craft questions, there is one occasion where mason jars should not be used: baking.
At the height of the mason jar craze, some DIY enthusiasts started talking about baking cakes and mini-pies inside the sturdy glass jars.
The logic isn't hard to follow: if you can bake in a glass dish, why not a glass jar?
Unfortunately, it might look good on paper, but baking in a mason jar could put you in serious danger.
Read on to learn more.
The Mason jar is the creation of a John Landis Mason in 1858 and has been used and beloved ever since.
The invention revolutionized the ability to can, pickle and preserve foods thanks to it's screw lid's air tight seal.
Today, are more beloved for their retro look than for their ability to preserve food.
All around the world, people are serving pretty cocktails and healthy pre-made salads in mason jars.
Intrepid home cooks have even started sharing recipes for baked goods prepared in mason jars.
From pies to banana bread, mason jar baking is all the rage.
However, as adorable as these pies are, it's a better idea to resist temptation.
Mason jar baking might be seriously dangerous.
Mason jars have historically been made by two manufacturers, Ball and Kerr.
Ball bought out Kerr not too long ago, and is now stating, in no uncertain terms, that the baking trend needs to stop.
According to Ball and Kerr themselves:
We do not recommend baking in any size or shape of Ball or Kerr canning jars. The glass used for Ball and Kerr canning jars is not tempered for oven use and is not meant to be used as bakeware. The jars are safe to use for home canning recipes, cold or room temperature food storage, cold beverages, and crafting.
Mason jars are made from untempered glass, which cannot withstand the heat of an oven.
According to Scientific American, tempered glass is up to 4 times stronger than is normal glass.
That's why glass bakeware that has been treated is okay to use and is perfectly capable of withstanding the heat of the oven without shattering.
If the glass jar shatters in your oven, you'll need to throw out anything you were making, and carefully cleanse the whole appliance for tiny shards of glass that could contaminate future meals.
Even if the glass survives the oven, it might shatter when it comes in contact with cooler air, leading to potentially serious injury for the baker.
Just be sure to steer clear of any recipe that asks you to heat a mason jar above room
For now, this is the only type of mason jar cake you should be making in the oven.
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