I got a question tonight from a reader of this blog about seal quality and as I was writing her back, I realized that there may be more of you out there who could benefit from a brief seal-testing tutorial.
When it comes to canning, sometimes you miss the pinging sound that gives you auditory confirmation that your jars have sealed. Just because you didn’t hear it doesn’t mean that the jars didn’t seal. Here are some ways to test….
- Press down on the center of the lid. Does it move up and down or does it feel solid and concave? Solid and concave means a good seal, movement means no seal.
- Tap on the lid. Does it sound tinny or hollow? Tinny means sealed, hollow means poor or no seal.
- Unscrew the band you used to hold the lid in place during processing. Now attempt to pick your jar up holding onto nothing but the lid. If you have a good seal, you should be able to do this easily. You’ll know pretty much right away when you remove the band whether your seal is good.
How else do you guys check your seals? And, while I’m answering questions, who else has got one?
I just made a batch of rhubarb jam (first time canning by myself) – and after I let them cool for 24 hours, I tried picking each one up by the lid only. One jar had a tiny bit of give in one spot, but it still stayed sealed. Is the seal still good enough to be safe?
The lid can have a tiny bit of give, as long as it isn’t clicking up and down. If the seal held when you lifted it holding the edges, it should be fine.
Sorry, just to make sure – the seal held when I lifted it holding the edges, but I did feel an edge of it loosen (or the jar moved downward a bit while holding it up by the lid) – is that what you said was still okay!
Thanks so much!
And thanks for everything on the site – it’s been so helpful! (I know a roommate of mine who let me help her can, and she used foodinjars extensively.)
Liz, if it felt like the lid was loosening, then the seal is not good. Did you give the jars 24 hours to seal before you started checking the seals? They need to be fully cool before you start testing.
I did give them 24 hours, so I’ll reprocess it in a new jar and hope for a tight seal this time!
Thanks for all your help!
If the edges of the lid is sealing (sticking ) to the jar, but the center you can still push in a little what should I do……
I have about 5 out of 9 that are doing this and I have done taken off the lid recleaned it and wiped the top of the jars clean again and placed them in boiling bath twice.
Stacy, how long are you letting the jars achieve full seal? You need to let them seal for at least 24 hours before you take any action. And are the lids actually moving up and down? Or is it that there’s just a tiny bit of give? As long as they’re concave and don’t actively pop up and down, they are sealed. A tiny bit of give is okay.
I did pickles and one took a long time to seal, is this normal
Up to a couple of hours is normal. As long as the jar seals during the cooling process, it’s okay.
Thanks, new to this.
You can use any of these ingredients cauliflower broccoli celery cabbage carrots onions bell peppers boill damn Joe there consistency is crunchy and fill the jars with seasoned rice vinegar half an inch from the top this is just a recipe and can then as you usually would
Can I seal the jars by the heat of the content alone because I’ve done that and they sealed, made a popping noise and everything and they’re completely sealed without the water bath, is that ok? I sanitized my jars and lids first.
Tiffany, that style of sealing isn’t recommended. Read this post for more: https://foodinjars.com/2010/08/canning-101-why-you-shouldnt-can-like-your-grandmother-did/
It’s actually just fine. I can my pickles without giving them a water steam at all. I do not punch them. I make sure sanitized from my dishwasher then pack quickly. Then poor vinegar mixture of it. Make sure the lids are dry and immediately turn them over. Leave them and be patient. Works every time and I’ve never had a complaint.
It’s really not fine for home canning.
Although my jars appeared to be properly sealed and dented in, I could open the lids with my fingers – is it safe to eat? Usually I have to use a can opener.
Did you have to exert some force while opening the jars? Then they are still fine. Sometimes you can break the seal using your hands.
I made applesauce, took it out of the kenner and 2 the jars lids had not popped.
I pressed the button of one lid down with my finger, and it stayed down. (Yes, the jars were still very, very hot.) but the second lid did not stay down. So, since it was late, I put it in the refrigerator. The next morning, the button on the lid was down. Is it safe to store with the other jars,or should I use/ put back in the fridge?
It is probably fine to take that jar out and store it in the pantry. Applesauce can sometime be slow to seal, so it may have been that the jar would have sealed within 20 minutes or so of coming out of the canner.
How do you know if you have a false seal? I jarred my first batch of spaghetti sauce recently and I checked all the lids by doing the lift without the ring trick once they cooled down. They were all tight.
I just went to open one and did the check again after taking the ring off and it opened right away. I didn’t hear a sound at all when opening it. I think that one’s off…
I then opened another jar, and as soon as I turned the ring I heard a loud popping sound, that one barely smells like anything, as opposed to the first jar that smells strongly of spaghetti sauce (not off- just strong). Anyways! Now I’m rather paranoid about eating any of the sauce…. I put the second jar in the fridge and I’m wondering if its fine – I am just wondering if it’s normal for a seal to break when you only take the ring off… Any help would be appreciated! Thanks<3
I had the same problem – all my applesauces appeared to be sealed, but I was able to pull the lid off. I thought that you needed to be able to use a can opener. Throwing everything out. Very discouraged…..
You don’t always need to use a can opener. How much force were you exerting in pulling off the lids? And how long did you let them sit before you pulled the lids off?
Hi, I have a probably really stupid question for you; I just tried canning two batches of stuff. One was just quartered tomatoes and one a batch of actual tomato sauce. The only parts of the recipe I changed was seasoning (which my book said was okay to do to taste) but for some reason the sauce tomatoes didn’t even remotely seal. I went to unscrew the rings and the lids all immediately popped off with the ring. This was probably 2 hours after the pressure canner time was up. What did I do wrong, for starters? Also, is there a way to salvage my sauce? Can it be frozen, re canned? Could my problem be that while I’ve never used these lids for canning they have gone through my dishwasher on sani rinse multiple times being used for other purposes? I boiled them first, and maybe I let them cool too much? Thank you so much – sincerely – noobie
I was thinking of making a Spicy Peach Salsa.
https://www.inkling.com/read/put-em-up-sherri-brooks-vinton-1st/peaches/spicy-peach-salsa
Is it safe to subsitute mango and pineapple out for the same amount of peaches. All the other ingredients are the same. Only thing different is replacing equivalent mango and pineapple to go with the peaches. I am new to canning so I am not sure if this is ok.
Also I made corn relish/salsa the other day n added half a red bell pepper extra ?! Did that ruin it as I read afterwards your not supposed to add extra peppers, garlic or onion to a recipe. Again the recipe is from Put Em Up as well. https://www.inkling.com/read/put-em-up-sherri-brooks-vinton-1st/corn/corn-salsa
Just worrying about it now and don’t want to be risking botulism.
It’s honestly not the best idea to make substitutions in canning recipes.
First timer here! I am being neurortic, especially since it’s been 3 days since I processed my crushed tomatoes and peach jam. I used a water bath canner. I am scared the jars did not seal properly. I added 1.5 tbsp lemon juice to each 1.5 pt jar of tomatoes, and processed them for 40 minutes. I added 1 tbsp lemon juice to my pint jars, and processed them for 35 minutes. I followed the recipe in the no sugar added sure-jell box and processed my peach jam for 10 min I live about 900 ft. above sea level. There is no motion when I press the tops, and I can hold the jars by the lids when I take the rings off, but I am not hearing a “tinny ping” when I tap the tops of my jars of jam and crushed tomatoes. I have a jar of pepper jelly (different shape) someone else gave me and it “pings.” Should I be concerned that mine do not do the same?
Your jars are sealed. If you can remove the rings and hold the lid by the edges of the jars, the seals are good. The sound of the lid is meaningless.
I’m quite new to the canning scene, but I made my first batch of canned tomatoes the other day! One of the cans didn’t seal properly, but I noticed this after the can had been sitting on the counter for a day. Can I still use the tomatoes if I keep them in the fridge and use up the can in good time? Or do you think some bacteria could have grown in the time that the can was sitting on the counter?
If it was just a day, I think the jar that didn’t seal should be just fine.
I recently canned salsa and some of the salsa leaked out of the tops while in the water bath. The lids appear to be well-sealed but I worry about food being caught in the seal and what that might mean for the safety of the salsa over time. Should I be concerned (and perhaps re-do this batch) or just hope for the best? Thanks!
How long should it take my cans to make the pinging sound? And if I press my lid to see if its sealed and it collapses under my touch but doesn’t spring back up… is that okay?
If the lid pops down and stays down after you gently tap it, it is fine. Jars typically take between 30 seconds and two hours to seal.
I notice that my relish jars when I turn them upside down arent filled are they still good they sealed good but I notice there is room when I turn them over
I’m just teaching myself how to can. Yesterday for my second attempt, I made a batch of nectarine chutney, and then some oven roasted nectarine butter. A few questions re the latter. 1) I got the recipe for the nectarine butter off the net, from someone’s cooking blog, and had been listed on a larger canning blog. But, reading through this thread, it occurs to me, how do you know if a recipe is an “approved and tested” recipe? 2) The recipe just called for roasting the fruit until soft, mashing, optionally adding sugar and spices to taste, then canning for 15 mins in a hot water bath. Should it have had lemon juice to make it keep? 3) I realize now that I didn’t leave enough headroom. The butter rose to the bottoms of the lids, and there are small traces of fruit on the outside of rims of the jars. But, the lids don’t move, are concave, and tight. Are they really sealed?
Sharon, that nectarine butter sounds like a recipe from my first cookbook. As long as you used yellow nectarines, they already have high enough acid levels to be safe for canning naturally.
It is natural for fruit butters to expand during canning. As long as the lids are firmly in place and concave, the seals are good.
Please help!!! I canned a zuchinni relish and let them set for a couple of days thinking they sealed and they didn’t. Can we still eat the relish?
Tammy, you have to be the judge of that. They are probably just fine, but only you can determine whether you feel comfortable eating them or not.
I have a question about jam that’s been in storage. I just took a couple of jars out and the button is no longer sucked down, but the lids are tight. I am quite sure the button was down when I put them in the cellar. Any idea why this happened and if they are safe?
Press up and down on the lids. Do they wiggle? If so, the vacuum is no good and the contents should be discarded. Seals go bad for any number of reasons.
How long does it take for pickles to seal the jar? I made 14 day pickles that do not require a waterbath. Just heat the pickling mixture and put in the jars? Many thanks for any suggestions.
I have no experience with 14 day pickles and don’t recommend any process that has you skip the waterbath.
A friend of mine does the pickles without the water bath. Hot jars,hot lids, hot contents. That’s how her mother and grandmother does it. I haven’t tried but she has 100% success and no issues.
Still, it’s not recommended by the USDA.
I have a question about pickling. I made pickled peppers and did a water bath for 15 min. The jars were sealed and then became unsealed so I used new lids and reboiled them. Those also sealed and then unsealed so I pushed on the button and tried screwing them tighter. After that they did seal, with the little button down. I let them cool a little and took off the rings. I pulled on the tops and they stayed. They seem like they are fine and that they are sealed but I am nervous that they aren’t safe. If they are sealed and the button is down, should I worry? Thanks!
Amanda, I’m a little confused. How long did the jars sit before they unsealed? I’m not sure why they would be sealed and then unsealed like that. Unfortunately, after a couple rounds of water bath, the texture of those pickles is not going to be good.
I did pickles this year that sealed perfect according to all the above statements. They pinged, 24 hrs took rings off and wiped down, put labels on and shelved. Here’s the issue. If you put them sealed in the refrigerator they will ping and unseal after they get cold. Is this normal? Has anyone else had this problem? First time I ever come across this since I never put sealed jars in the refrigerator before.
I’ve never heard anything like that before.
I just canned apple butter for the first time. The lids have drops of water attached to the bottom side of them. I’m guessing due to steam from the apple butter or from putting the lids on the jars when they were slightly wet to help the seal. Is this okay?
Also, do you recommend wiping the rims of the jars with a wet cloth to help them seal or taking the lids directly out of the boiling water and putting them on the jars wet? We originally tried to dry off the lids and then put them on the jars, but none of the lids sealed properly that way during our first 3 batches of apple butter. We are going to boil the apple butter again tomorrow night and then try the canning process again. Hoping to do it right this time around!
Thanks!
Anna, don’t worry about the small amount of condensation in the jars. If the jars are sealed, it won’t do any harm to the products. I recommend wiping the rims of the jars prior to putting the lids on. You to this to insure that there aren’t any food particles on the jars that could compromise the seal. You don’t need to wipe the lids off before applying them to the jars, though. They should be hot enough that the water will evaporate readily when you pull them out of the simmering pot. If you’re having sealing problems, it could be that you’re not leaving enough headspace. Because it’s so dense, apply butter needs a generous 3/4 inch of headspace to seal properly.
I canned applesauce a month ago. Today I happened to hear one of them pop and when I checked, the seal was broken. Is it safe to assume that it just popped and put it the fridge to eat it? Or should I just throw it away?
I have kind of a silly question.. Will checking the lids too early by pressing on them affect the sealing process? I got a little excited, and pushed a couple before they cooled..
Pressing on the lids won’t cause jars to seal if they weren’t going to seal on their own.
So, if you can’t touch or test the seals for 24 hrs, how do you immediately refrigerate any jars that didn’t seal?
Also, I have always tested the seals by using my fingernails and seeing if I can lift the lid. In the latest round, 2 of 3 jars the lids lifted, but there was a “sucking” sound. The “buttons” on the lids had gone down, but I didn’t HEAR the popping, and when I pushed on the lids they didn’t move. Were the jars really sealed? The other jars would not open with my nails. Am I inadvertently opening sealed jars?
I see that a lot of people say that you have to use lemon juice in the bottle. Part of the reason that I’m home canning is that I’m allergic to the juice in the bottle. (It contains sulfites, and along with other stuff in commercial jams/jelly, it makes my tongue swell and my throat swell). any suggestions for testing acidity?
TIA
I was canning pickles and as soon as the come out of the water bath I touched the top of one. It immediately pinged down but I am afraid it was because I pushed on it a little. It does not go up and down when pushed but is this a valid seal? I’m a little concerned. I didn’t touch the two other jars and they sealed perfectly. What do I do?
i made heirloom tomato jam today and canned for the first time…i followed instructions from a friend who did not tell me NOT to press on the top of the lids when the jars came out of the 15 minutes boiling process to finish the jarring. i was so excited..i wanted to see if they had “popped”…well, i pushed on each one while they were still hot and found they had all a little give in them… and then came to your website where i read, let them sit..so i did..and i heard a few pops in the kitchen ( which i must say brought a smile to my face)..i only heard two..but when i went back about twenty minutes later and i pressed on them all again to see which one had popped and they had all gotten tight. with no give…so now i don’t know if they are good or bad or if i pressed the air out and there is no seal…what do you think?
You didn’t push the air out of the jars. If the jars sealed, the seals are good. You can’t force a jar to seal if it’s not going to. So don’t worry about it.
Am I the only one who is scared to pick my jars up by the lid? I suppose I shouldn’t be. It just sounds like tempting fate!
Also, Marisa, in case this comment brings you back to this thread, you have some interesting unanswered questions above, such as, what is in this photo with the interesting name on the lid?
Thanks for all your info.
Kristin, if you wait until the jars are fully cooled, the seal should be so strong that it will hold tight and fast. Also, you’re not waving it around your kitchen. You’re picking it up an inch for a second or too.
Question;
I opened a sealed home-canned jar of my tomato sauce with my nail and there was no pop. Is this bad. I thought it smelled fine and am cooking with it now. Any suggestions?
Kris, if the jar did not appear to be well-sealed upon opening, it’s probably not a good idea to eat it.
I did test #3 to the applesauce I processed yesterday and I was able to lift the lid with the jar attached for a moment, but then it popped off and spilled all over my counter. Would that been enough of a seal?
Rachel, that wouldn’t have been enough of a seal. It should hold tight no matter what. And in the future, you only need to lift it about half an inch, or so. 🙂
I too just used Quattro Stagioni jars – I think they were half pint and I made a lot of plum jam. Perhaps I did not follow their instructions – Instead, I did as i had done with the Ball jars and immersed them when full of hot jam into the boiling water. I saw 3 of 7 did not pop – the little button on top was not depressed but raised, and so i decided to process them again – and to be safe did 15 minutes. I heard all pop when they came out. however, there were three that looked like the button was up this morning and i found the lids loose. I had put them in with loose enough lids – (finger tight as some say though that term is very unclear to me) – and perhaps i was supposed to screw them on very tight? If not, do they tighten up while being processed???
Now i have been looking for hours today for answers on how to properly use these jars and have them seal. I am hoping to get answers here. I have refrigerated the jars that did not seal, but could not eat all that jam – maybe in a month 🙂 So, do i have to use new lids? buy more lids? and reprocess? Is that safe?
How much time can pass before i reprocess if safe? They have been in refrigerator except for the first night when cooling. I did not let these jars cool down with water as some other posters mentioned; I took them out after 15 minutes from the canner.
In addition, I now have 2 flats of Damson Plums, plus big bowls of Flavor King and Elephant Hearts macerating (overly-eager i guess having just discovered how to can), and am wondering if i need to return to Ball or other jars as I had no problem with any of them. Please advise – I don’t want to lose all my good plums….
Are we just not taking the correct steps with these jars? Should I screw on the lids very tightly before immersing? Should the water be luke-warm when immersing? Boil for 10 minutes or as recipe indicates – and then let them cool in water? If so for how long? Does anyone use these successfully and if so can you post in detail what steps you take – and with those jars that do not seal.
There must be many of you who know how to process these jars without having this happen? I’d love to make my first batch of Damson Jam in them! I ordered the Damsons from a local farmer and picked them up today – so would love some help with these jars till my Weck order arrives. (Hopefully I get the knack of using those!) Thanks!
Jane, Quattro Stagioni jars are quite different from our traditional mason jars. They say on their packaging that they need to be inverted to seal properly. Here’s the information on their website: http://myhome.bormioliroccocasa.com/myhome/en/home/catalog/quattro-stagioni/Tips/questions-answers.html
You can certainly reprocess the jam. You have to start over, though. Empty the jars into a pot, heat the jam, refill the jars and reprocess.
Thanks for the great info. I canned some salsa and right when the cans came out after processing and were still piping hot, I touched the top of one of the lids (bad, I know!) and manually popped it in. I hardly put any pressure on it and it went right in. I am almost sure it would have done it on it’s own as it cooled. My question: does the seal count?
That seal totally counts.
Yea!!…that just happened to me tonight with blackberry jam…3 of them popped as I was testing them. Probably will still check the seal though.
I have been pickling and making jam for years, and I was learned from my grandmother and mother…so lots of experience there. I re-use my lids each year UNLESS they become stained or just don’t look right. The re-used lids seal fine and no one in my huge family has ever gotten sick. I am a big believer of re-cycling whenever possible!
🙂
Kate, like you, I learned from my grandmother about canning. I was taught to re-use the good lids. I have re-used lids 3 seasons with no issues. After 2 or 3 uses the rubber seal gets thin and may not seal. I check all the lids for any blemishes and make sure the red seal is thick and in good shape. Any bad lids I put an x on and use them for freezing or storage. I have been doing this for over 34 years and I have only had about 5 not seal with re-used lids. BUT, I had a whole batch not seal with brand new Walmart lids this year. I process about 200 jars a year and no one’s died or gotten sick.
I also have a question about Quattro Stagioni jars; have you ever used these? I bought a few up in Maine over Thanksgiving, just to try them out as they are pretty and I’m getting quite sick of the quilted Ball jars (they only kind I can find near me).
I’ve tried out one small (.15 liter, about 4 oz) and one half-pint size Quattro Stagioni; so far, neither of them have sealed and one opened up and let canning water into the cranberry sauce while processing (ewww). So, it seems I didn’t tighten that one enough but – any recommendations? The instructions that come with them are somewhat bizarre and I wonder at translation issues; you are supposed to fill jars with “product at room temperature” (I assume the jars are not hot either). Then you are supposed to put the jars into the canner, cover with lukewarm water and bring it all to a boil and process (for whatever time your recipe calls for) then leave the jars in the canner until completely cool. (They also suggest “consumption after at least 60 days.” I thought it was a translation error, but it says the same thing in French; wait at least 60 days until eating. Strange!)
The half-pint size take a regular-mouth Ball jar lid so I may just try that next, but wondered if you had any tips.
Thanks!
Kaela
It’s also good to store jars with no rings on them. That way it’s obvious which seals are bad, or go bad later.
I have 2 questions and a suggestion.
I’ve been canning applesauce in big jars, and when I’m simmering the apples for the sauce, I put in about 3/4 to 1 cup of extra apple juice. Then I ladle it out before blenderizing the sauce. I’ve been canning the liquid that I ladle out in small jars as “cider concentrate” with a bit of orange rind studded with cloves, a piece of cinnamon, a slightly-bruised nutmeg, and a slice of candied ginger. “Just add to regular apple juice and heat” is the idea. I’m hoping to give them to friends in my old city when I visit this Christmas since I’m not there to make the cider mix fresh for them the rest of the fall/winter. So, that recipe is kind of my “suggestion,” but also leads to my questions:
Is it safe to can those things, do you know? Liquid plus nut, stick, cloves, peel, ginger? I hope none of them overwhelms the flavor of the others, too. I boiled the small jars of liquid for about 20 minutes, just guessing that would be safe; there was lemon juice in with the apples as well so it should be acidic enough, I hope.
And, second question is about sealing: I didn’t have time to cook AND can on the same day, so I refrigerated the full cans for a day or two or three and then re-heated the jars (without their metal lids) in the microwave before putting the lids back on and putting them in the about-to-boil water. So, I tightened the lids a little extra, figuring they were cold and not hot and thus not as expanded as they should be, but I think it was still not tight enough, because those little jars didn’t “pop.” When I went to check on them and touched the lids with my finger to check, THEN they popped and stayed down as soon as my finger touched them (before I pushed down, just touched them), and then I tightened the lids which seemed rather loose. So, have you ever experience this, and do you think it’s safe, since they did eventually seal?
The kicker is, these are Quattro Stagioni jars, the only kind I can get here, and they have one-piece lids, and the shop doesn’t sell lids by themselves, so if I have to re-can them, I have to buy whole new jars. These little ones have 56mm lids, so they’re smaller than the standard American jar lid sizes. :S (The applesauce jars are 70 and 86mm, which correspond to “standard” and “wide-mouth” sizes – guess what I’m asking my family in the US for for Christmas?)
No, no and no. Approved and tested recipes only. Cook and can on the same day only. Don’t touch the seals for 24 hours.
We just canned applesauce as well over the weekend. Not nearly as intimidating as I thought. It was very cool to hear the pop when they sealed.
A few thoughts and helpful hints…
As for testing for a seal, I always test the “button” on the top of the lid. Although, sometimes it will seal and then lose it’s seal (rarely for me) and those jars either get used right away or the contents tossed.
Lids can be heated, cooled, and reused. Remember, you want to heat the lids prior to use, but do not use boiling/simmering water as that will melt or ruin the rubber ring under the lid.
As Liz stated, you can always use a smaller jar and process for the same time, but you cannot go LARGER if the recipe does not call for it.
Bottled lemon juice should always be used as it has a tested and consistent level of acidity. Fresh lemons actually change in acidity levels depending on the variety…some Meyer Lemons are actually sweet!
Lastly, remember there are cooking recipes and there are canning recipes…they are NOT one in the same! Always use a reliable and TESTED recipe from a reliable source. Very few people who are aware of the safety guidelines regarding home preserving “make up” their own recipes.
Boiling water bath recipes and pressure canning recipes are not one in the same and have different standards and requirements due to ph and acidity levels in the food.
You can reuse the lids that you’ve heated once – I checked with the extension service on that. You just can’t reuse lids that have been sealed on a jar.
My Mom always taught me to listen for the “pop” especially on low acid jars like tomatoes.
I second Lo’s question, how do you figure the times on home creations, and do you have to use a pressure canner instead of a water bath in some cases?
You do not figure the times on home creations because you do not can home creations.
Get the Ball Blue Book of Canning and learn all about canning. Use approved recipes and follow them exactly.
I was just told that if a canning recipe calls for lemon juice I should always use bottled lemon juice for acidity control. Is that true? I’ve always just used real lemons and wasn’t aware that was a problem.
When you’re using lemon juice to ensure acidity, you always use bottled.
I have the same question as Elaine–I’m always heating up too many lids, then I’m not sure if I can reuse them… Would love to know! I’d also love to hear that elusive “ping” sometime!
A student in one of my canning classes suggested removing the ring and turning the jar upside down- A gutsy move, but I suppose that’s one way to check a seal!!
As for adjusting recipes for different jar sizes, the general rule is that you can always use a smaller jar and process for the same amount of time (i.e. process for the full pint time even with 1/2 pint jars)…but there’s no way to know the safe time for a larger jar without a tested recipe for that size jar. Sometimes I’ll just look in another book with safe, tested recipes and happen to find times for larger jars. Otherwise, I just deal with jars that are smaller than I’d like and know that I’ll live to eat them all 🙂
I wandered over here at the recommendation of a friend — and boy, am I glad that I did. This is like HEAVEN for the skeered little canner girl in me!
I have fond memories of waiting for my mom’s jars to “ping” after a big canning project. She always made it look so easy! But, I’ve suffered pretty seriously from “canning anxiety” (see comment #1: I think we’re psychic sisters). So, my question is — how do I can my own creations? That escabeche I love so much? The salsa I can’t get enough of? Aren’t there worries over having ENOUGH acid or somesuch? What about my favorite marinara?
My over-analytical brain always wins out and keeps me from moving forward with canning.
The bottom line is that you can’t always can your own creations.
You cannot can your own creations and if you do then you would be well justified in being skeered.
Use only approved recipes and follow them exactly.
1) I am curious about the processing time changes for changed bottle size, too. For example, I made the Octoberfest Beer Mustard in the big Ball Canning Book. The recipe calls for 4-oz jars, so that is what I made. But, I would rather make 8-oz jars (for gift giving). But, I didn’t know what would be safe.
2) I made the Ball Canning Book recipe for curried apple chutney, but got only 7 quarts plus one 4-oz jar (not the expected 10 quarts). So, it is more like curried raisin chutney (still tastes good). I figure that it will be ok, since the seals are all good AND it has enough vinegar in it to make the 10-quarts. What do you think? I could throw it out and try again.
3) Great cranberry recipe: try the Cranberry Chutney (includes apples) in the Ball Canning Book. It smelled odd at first, but as it simmered, it developed a great aroma. Also, it tastes terrific! Though it might be an intersting addition to Thanksgiving dinner. 🙂
1. If the recipe specified 4 ounce jars, it’s best to use them.
2. Totally safe.
3. I’ll have to look for that one!
What in the world is this a picture of? It looks like it says “FisucatisFun”…???
Those are German lids from Leifheit. So it’s some German word.
I believe that jar says, “FruchtigFun”…which means something like “Fruity Fun”.
I know lids can only be used once if sealed onto a jar. But if I heat up lids in hot water to prepare them for use, then don’t end up using them because my recipe didn’t fill as many jars as I expected, can I cool those lids and use them another time?
You can use the lids over and over again.
Erin, it’s actually not advised to reuse the lids. Jars and rings, yes. Lids, no.
Soooo, with regard to the original question, can you still use a lid that was heated but not sealed onto a jar?
You can use a lid if it was simmered in preparation for use, but then ended up being unnecessary. As long as it wasn’t applied to a jar and run through a boiling water bath canner, it is still good.
My mother told me about canning when I received some green tomato relish from a friend and my husband loved it. She left out the part about not being able to reuse the seals and I did. The seals did seal because I heard the pop, so is my relish ok to eat?
It’s okay since the jars sealed, but it’s not ideal to reuse the lids.
Thanks, I won’t make that mistake again.
I always just let them cool and put them back in the box to use next time. I never “re-use” them.
You cannot use lids over and over again. Rings and jars can be used again, but not the lids. The lid is a one time use item. If you are not sure, call Jarden to verify what I am telling you.
If they were just simmered and not actually put through the BWB, you can use later.
Two questions:
1. Tiny bubbles appeared in my applesauce a day or so after canning. Is this normal?
2. Got any ideas for fresh cranberries?
Thanks!
1. Totally normal.
2. Check the recipe index. There are several cranberry preserves over there.
I was wondering if you have any handy tips about adjusting processing time if using a different sized jar than called for in a recipe. Is there a rule of thumb on this?
Thanks!
Yes. If the recipe gives you processing time for pints, that processing time is good for 12 ounce, half pint, 6 ounce, and quarter pint jars. If you’re increasing the size of the jar, you add five minutes to the processing time.
I too made applesauce recently. All the jars sealed very well, in a couple the applesauce came up and out of the jar a bit before sealing. I imagine there is applesauce caught in the lid seal area. I can pick the jars up by the lid edge, so they are very tight, but are they really ok?
Having a bad seal isn’t a big deal – it’s a minor canning bummer but easily fixed. After the jars cool, always take the bands off. It will be obvious if the lid is loose. If it becomes loose over time, mold will grow on top and that’s a real good way to know. It looks icky, but it’s not botulism – botulism can’t grow in a jar with a bad seal. Oxygen kills botulism. Speaking of botulism, it’s very rare. Read my blog post here about it:
http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/safety-of-home-canning.html
Dining out at a restaurant is more hazardous to your health than home canning! Hope this helps!
So I just canned apple butter for the first time ever and I heard one ding but no others. Most of the jars feel pretty solid, however one sounds hollow and when i press on the middle it does not feel solid. My jars are still warm so can I do another water boil bath in hopes that the jars will seal? Or do I not worry about it? They are gifts so I want them to be safe and good. Thanks!
You need to let them cool completely before testing the seals! If some don’t seal, follow steps 8, 9, and 10 in this post.
It’s not a question, but more of a request: I was always very intimidated by canning, because the books made it seem complex and error-prone. (Especially considering the threats of botulism!) When I canned applesauce, I was surprised by how easy it was. What about a post that emphasizes the ease of canning and breaks down the fear?
It’s possible you already have such a post in the backlogs.