The 6 Best Weed Curing Jars of 2023

It doesn’t matter how well you grow weed if it’s improperly dried or cured. Poor healing can result in inferior bud that is hard on the throat, unpleasant to smoke, and may even contain potentially harmful contaminants like mold.

Having the right equipment to finish your weed in the right way is essential for better buds. Below you will learn how to properly cure your cannabis and explore some curing options.

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What is healing and why is it important for cannabis?

Curing cannabis is the post-harvest process of storing weed as it releases excess moisture, breaks down chlorophyll and locks in its final chemical profile. “This is where the quality of your entire harvest comes in,” said Ryley Leech, who leads global business development for Fluence and has been a cannabis grower for 14 years. “You can grow the best weed in the world, and if you don’t dry or cure it well, it really doesn’t matter. It won’t smoke well, it won’t taste the way you want it to, and it will be an undesirable product.”

Typical curing should take at least two weeks – longer if possible. The longer a weed cures, the more time it has to reach its maximum quality level. Time is an advantage for people who grow for their own use. “In terms of curing, you can do things with a home grow that you can’t do on a commercial scale. The ability to heal it for as long as you wish is something that doesn’t exist in commercial establishments. They have to dry and essentially go into packaging,” Leech said.

Drying cannabis versus curing cannabis

Drying and curing cannabis are packaged together as a process, but they are two distinct phases.

When drying, all cannabis is hung upside down or placed on drying racks to allow excess moisture from inside the plant to drain. Once the plants are dry enough, they are transferred to jars, bags, containers, etc. for curing. As plants cure, they lock in their cannabinoid and terpene profiles.

“The interesting thing about hardening as an organic material is that it changes over time. They get different chemicals at different times,” Leech explained. “Two weeks is considered the minimum for what curing is supposed to do, but as you continue curing over time some of the flavors will change. Some get stronger. You can smoke something for two weeks, then smoke it again four months later and have a different experience with the plant.”

To know that the plants are properly dry, growers bend the stems. If the stalks break, they’re dry enough to toss into your favorite pickle system. “The optimal moisture content is between 12 and 15% before it goes into the jar. If you hang dry your plant, if you touch the bud and bend the stem as soon as they start breaking, you’ve got enough water out of the plant.”

What are mason jars?

Curing jars are exactly what they sound like: jars you use for curing cannabis. Other options include special spa bags, plastic containers or bags, steel cans, and large plastic turkey bags.

Without a suitable remedy, cannabis tastes like weed with a harsh smoke when consumed. And throughout the curing process, you want to make sure your glasses don’t “burp”. Burping is the process of opening your jars regularly to keep moisture from getting trapped and moldy weed. It also releases Co2 gases that build up during healing.

How to use your pickle jars

When buying curing jars, you want something airtight with a wide mouth. Getting something that blocks light is also a plus. “The glass is an old-school method that has been around for a long time. When I read some of the literature on post-harvest and dry-curing, it always pointed you in that direction [of doing] kind of a dry glass cure,” Leech said.

Besides the choice of glass, the most important thing is the environment in which you will be curing your cannabis. It doesn’t matter how good your glass jar is if you don’t set the right temperatures and humidity levels.

The optimal temperature for curing cannabis plants is between 60 – 70°F with a relative humidity of around 60 – 65%. They should also be stored in a dark room/closet where light cannot affect the quality and terpenes of your weed.

Glass vs. Plastic: Which Cures Better?

There is some debate as to whether plastic is good or bad for your weed as it cures. Some say you should avoid it because the plastic’s chemicals will seep in as the weed cures, spoiling the taste and effect of the flower. That’s because terpenes are volatile chemicals that can react with certain plastics.

According to Leech, “Inherently, terpenes are very volatile. Like limonene, it’s a great cleanser, but if you use it [isolated] Lime in a plastic bag, it eats through the plastic bag, and a lot of that plastic gets into the [plant material].”

For this reason, some advise avoiding Tupperware, freezer bags, and turkey bags. While this is worth noting, honestly, people have been drying weed in plastic bags for decades, and the flower has been fine. There are simply better ways.

The number one thing to avoid when curing your weed is heat and light. Always store your weed in a cool, dark environment to preserve its quality.

The Best Cannabis Curing Jars (and Bags)

Here are a few curing jars and bags that growers appreciate. The decisions you make are based on the amount of weed you are curing and the space you have available.

Ball Mason Jars

Ball Mason Jars are the most popular curing suggestion. Simple and classic, they’re proven effective, can be bought in bulk, and are easily cleaned between harvests so you can use them again and again.

You can also buy Ball Mason Jars at any department store. There are 12 packs of 8-ounce, 16-ounce, and 32-ounce jars on its website. However, for lots of weed, the ½ gallon jar is the best option.

While ball mason jars are great for their value and convenience, their limited sizes compared to other options make them a difficult option for people growing weed for business purposes.

CVault stainless steel tank

The CVault stainless steel container is a popular option for curing a lot of weed at once. It has an airtight sealing mechanism, and the steel (as opposed to clear glass) helps block light and maintain a cool temperature inside the jar.

Many of the containers on this list are designed for multiple uses, but the CVault is specifically designed for curing and storing dried cannabis. You can buy them in sizes from the small 7 gram twist-up can to the 21 liter unit. If you’re curing a lot of weed these might be ideal for your operation.

Grove bags

Grove Bags are specifically designed for curing large amounts of cannabis at once. Many successful, major cannabis brands use Grove Bags to cure weed.

Grove Bags use TerpLoc technology to maintain moisture in the curing environment. According to the company’s website, TerpLoc packaging targets specific gas and moisture vapor transmission properties to reduce oxidation during curing while eliminating the need to prick the product.

Grove Bags come in a variety of styles and quantities including wicket bags and blacked out opaque pouches. Grove bags are bought in bulk, so if you’re working on a commercial scale these are some great bag options that won’t spoil your cannabis.

Onyx stainless steel container

Onyx stainless steel containers are another stainless steel option for curing and storing dried cannabis bud. The airtight, leak-proof designs come in the widest variety of sizes you’ll find, from 8 to 33 centimeters in diameter.

Anchor Hocking Montana Glass Vessels

Anchor Hocking Montana Glass Jars are giant glass containers that are good for bulk curing as they come in 1.5 and 2.5 gallon sizes.

However, they are not airtight, so it’s best to only use them if you’re going to be curing and storing your weed for a short period of time. But in terms of affordability and volume, they’re a good buy.

The CureTube

The CureTube is a newer technology that would make sense for large operations with lots of storage space. The tubes themselves are quite large, and the space also requires height for the rack they stand on. You can purchase both small and large CureTubes that hold 2-4 pounds and 5-10 pounds of dried flower.

CureTubes lie on their side so you can easily roll them and redistribute the flower inside. The lids are hygrometers that help monitor temperature and humidity, and have a compartment for adding moisture and oxygen packs to help rehydrate over-dried flowers. CureTube’s lids also make burping easier. All in all, if you have the space and funds to use CureTubes, they should do your weed just fine.