Bocaux

Bocaux are glass containers, often with metal lids, used in French-speaking regions to preserve and store foods. They are typically tall, cylindrical jars with lids that create an airtight seal, making them a common choice for canning jams, pickles, sauces, dried goods, and fermented products. The term bocal is commonly used for the jar itself, while bocaux refers to the set or plural form.

Historically, bocaux became widespread with the development of home canning in the 19th century. The combination of glass jars and airtight closures allowed households to preserve seasonal harvests for longer periods, long before modern refrigeration. Today, bocaux are still associated with homemade preserves and traditional pantry storage, and they remain a familiar sight in kitchens and markets across francophone countries.

Construction and sizes vary, but most bocaux are made of clear glass and designed to be reused. They come in a range of capacities, commonly from about 125 milliliters to 1 liter or more, with both wide-mouth and regular-mouth openings. The lids are usually metal, either screw-on caps or clamp-style lids with a rubber gasket. For safe home canning, bottles and lids are selected to fit the preservation method (boiling-water bath or pressure canning) and to ensure a proper vacuum seal after processing.

Care and reuse are typical practices with bocaux. Jars are washed and sterilized before use in canning; lids are generally used only once for official canning, while rings may be cleaned and reused. After use, bocaux can be repurposed for storage or recycled as glass. In daily life, bocaux are also valued for their see-through design and reusability in households and markets.