What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2006 - 2016)

[Shelby]

DAMN!!!!!  And a few other choice cuss words.

 

I've canned for years and years.  Only once before has this happened.  I put a batch of tomatoes in and a few minutes later BOOOOOOM.  The bottom of a jar blew out.     

 

How do you guys handle that?  I took the remaining filled jars out and threw them in my still warm dishwasher.  I cleaned my canner and am now begging the water to boil again.

 

It's time for a glass of wine.

Edited August 8, 2015 by Shelby (log)

[FauxPas]

DAMN!!!!!  And a few other choice cuss words.

 

I've canned for years and years.  Only once before has this happened.  I put a batch of tomatoes in and a few minutes later BOOOOOOM.  The bottom of a jar blew out.     

 

How do you guys handle that?  I took the remaining filled jars out and threw them in my still warm dishwasher.  I cleaned my canner and am now begging the water to boil again.

 

It's time for a glass of wine.

 

 

I'd say that's a two glass (of wine) experience! I feel for ya, Shelby! 

 

I'm doing some searching for info, because I'm not sure about some details. 

Edited August 8, 2015 by FauxPas (log)

[Shelby]

I've googled, too.  Some people just let it continue to can, but that scares me a bit especially with tomatoes.  Do you think the seeds from the exploded jar would work their way into the other lids and not let them seal?  Plus, the glass....mine was an intact bottom that exploded off but if that touched another jar maybe that would make it explode?  Sigh.  I dunno.

[FauxPas]

Just curious, are you using a pressure canner or a regular water-bath canner?

 

A jar broke on me some years ago, in a water bath canner. As I recall, I just started over with the unbroken jars. I was using a smaller canner because I think i was making chutney or something in 250 ml jars. I can't remember if I kept the other jars warm, but of course it would make sense to do so, if for no other reason than to reduce the shock when they go back in the hot water. 

 

I wouldn't keep on with the process, I don't think. I would want to start over, as you did. 

 

Good point about the seeds, I don't think they would work their way under the lid but can't say for sure. At the very least, I would mark those jars and try to use them first and inspect them carefully when opening them. How many jars did you have in the canner? Quart-sized?

[FauxPas]

You can test the seals though and re-process the tomatoes with fresh lids if you have any concerns. 

 

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/store/store_home_canned.html

 

From National Center for Home Preservation:

 

 

 

Testing Jar Seals

After cooling jars for 12 to 24 hours, remove the screw bands and test seals with one of the following options:

Option 1: Press the middle of the lid with a finger or thumb. If the lid springs up when you release your finger, the lid is unsealed.

Option 2: Tap the lid with the bottom of a teaspoon. If it makes a dull sound, the lid is not sealed. If food is in contact with the underside of the lid, it will also cause a dull sound. If the jar is sealed correctly, it will make a ringing, high-pitched sound.

Option 3: Hold the jar at eye level and look across the lid. The lid should be concave (curved down slightly in the center). If center of the lid is either flat or bulging, it may not be sealed.

Reprocessing Unsealed Jars

If a lid fails to seal on a jar, remove the lid and check the jar-sealing surface for tiny nicks. If necessary, change the jar, add a new, properly prepared lid, and reprocess within 24 hours using the same processing time. Headspace in unsealed jars may be adjusted to 1½ inches and jars could be frozen instead of reprocessed. Foods in single unsealed jars could be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within several days.

Edited August 8, 2015 by FauxPas (log)

[FauxPas]

Or cool the jars in an ice bath and then freeze the contents (I'd put the tomatoes in freezer bags, probably) if you don't want to re-process? 

 

But I'm probably not telling you anything that you didn't already know! 

Edited August 8, 2015 by FauxPas (log)

[Shelby]

Just curious, are you using a pressure canner or a regular water-bath canner?

 

A jar broke on me some years ago, in a water bath canner. As I recall, I just started over with the unbroken jars. I was using a smaller canner because I think i was making chutney or something in 250 ml jars. I can't remember if I kept the other jars warm, but of course it would make sense to do so, if for no other reason than to reduce the shock when they go back in the hot water. 

 

I wouldn't keep on with the process, I don't think. I would want to start over, as you did. 

 

Good point about the seeds, I don't think they would work their way under the lid but can't say for sure. At the very least, I would mark those jars and try to use them first and inspect them carefully when opening them. How many jars did you have in the canner? Quart-sized?

Yes, just a water bath canner.  I'm plain jane lol.  It's a 6 jar canner--I use quart jars.  I have a bigger one but it takes forever to boil on one burner.

 

Or cool the jars in an ice bath and then freeze the contents (I'd put the tomatoes in freezer bags, probably) if you don't want to re-process? 

 

But I'm probably not telling you anything that you didn't already know! 

No no that's a great idea!  I hadn't thought about that.  My remaining 5 jars canned up good.  Sigh.

 

Wine is good lol.

[ElainaA]

I'm inspired by Shelby!

I picked LOTS of cucumbers today. So I canned 3 more pints of gherkins with the little ones, 3 3/4 quarts of mixed mustard pickles and started some 4 day brined sweet pickles.

 

These are the vegetables for the mustard pickles before I added the sauce and cooked them. The cukes, carrots and onions are from my garden. I don't grow cauliflower and my red peppers are not ready yet.

 

The finished mustard pickles and the gherkins.

 

I've been working on candied cherries and apricots:

The cherries are done. The apricots just came out of the syrup today so they need to dry. I have never candied apricots before - I think I blanched them too long.

 

Elaina

Edited August 12, 2015 by ElainaA (log)

[Shelby]

I'm inspired by Shelby!

I picked LOTS of cucumbers today. So I canned 3 more pints of gherkins with the little ones, 3 3/4 quarts of mixed mustard pickles and started some 4 day brined sweet pickles.

 

DSC00108.jpg

These are the vegetables for the mustard pickles before I added the sauce and cooked them. The cukes, carrots and onions are from my garden. I don't grow cauliflower and my red peppers are not ready yet.

 

DSC00115.jpg

The finished mustard pickles and the gherkins.

 

I've been working on candied cherries and apricots:

DSC00110.jpg

The cherries are done. The apricots just came out of the syrup today so they need to dry. I have never candied apricots before - I think I blanched them too long.

 

Elaina

 

GORGEOUS Elaine!  I especially like the mustard pickles.  And such beautiful carrots.

[ElainaA]

 

4 day sweet pickles. 

 

I never grow enough tomatoes for all my canning projects (tomato chutney, ketchup, salsa, faux V8, and as many quarts of tomatoes as I can get done) so today I bought a 1/2 bushel. I think this week will be V8 juice.

 

Elaina

[ElainaA]

It's been a good week for canning:

 

Peach - Ginger Marmalade. This is my favorite jam. it's a good thing it is because the recipe makes lots.

 

12 quarts of faux- V8 juice (actually, I realize it is V6 juice) , now in the freezer.

 

5 jars of tomato chutney and one jar each of cherry and of apricot syrup - the syrup left after I candied the cherries and apricots.

 

Canning tomatoes is still in the future.

 

[FauxPas]

I'm still doing my little bits and pieces of preserving. We ran out of the cherry butter and the blueberry-raspberry jam, so yesterday I made some nectarine-raspberry jam with some extra fruit we had. It's really good, I love the way the two blend. 

 

 

 

Also bought about 5 kg of lovely La Roma tomatoes and a couple of baskets of mixed tomatoes from one of the local farms. I removed the stems and then used the steam-convection oven to steam-roast them until the skins started to blacken a bit. That increases the flavour and once cooled a bit, the skins slip off nicely. Then I put them in freezer bags and freeze them. I ended up with six filled bags to go in the freezer. Not a lot compared to the serious canners here, but still a nice option for the two of us!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ElainaA]

 

 

 

Also bought about 5 kg of lovely La Roma tomatoes and a couple of baskets of mixed tomatoes from one of the local farms. I removed the stems and then used the steam-convection oven to steam-roast them until the skins started to blacken a bit. That increases the flavour and once cooled a bit, the skins slip off nicely. Then I put them in freezer bags and freeze them. I ended up with six filled bags to go in the freezer. Not a lot compared to the serious canners here, but still a nice option for the two of us!  

 

 

A different way of preserving tomatoes! What is the texture like when you thaw them? I often freeze whole tomatoes because it is so much easier than canning but the mushy texture when they thaw limits their use. I don't have a steam-convection oven but I'm wondering if the tomatoes could just be roasted in a conventional oven.

 

And your jam is lovely.  I love mixing flavors in jams.

Edited August 22, 2015 by ElainaA (log)

[Shelby]

Oh that jam is so pretty!!!!  

 

And the 'maters are too

 

I think you could roast them in regular oven for sure.

[Anna N]

Oven dried tomatoes from my daughter's garden. These will be transferred to a parchment-lined quarter sheet pan and frozen before being carefully packaged in plastic bags for longer term freezer storage. This time I brushed them with olive oil, sprinkled with salt, sugar (barely discernible) and some dried French thyme.

[Okanagancook]

Everyone, so inspiring!  I wonder how many hours of kitchen labour these last few posts took! 

I'm making some roasted tomato soup with my excess tomatoes....was going to can them but just couldn't face all the work today.  My freezer is maxed out and honestly how many packages of frozen tomatoes can one use in a year so all my excess tomatoes are going to get peeled and dried!  Bah Humbug

[FauxPas]

Shelby and ElainaA, thanks for your jam comments! Usually we like raspberry-only jam, so I was surprised how much we liked this one. The nectarines give it a bit more body, if that makes sense. I didn't use much sugar at all, so there is a hint of tartness, which is quite pleasant. 

 

And yes, the tomatoes could easily be cooked in a regular oven, just don't let them dry out too much (unless that is what you want, of course!). I like the steam-roasting because I wanted a bit of roasted flavour, but I didn't want these tomatoes to dry out. The texture has always been fine for what I do with them - make sauces and soups, casseroles, chili, that sort of thing. I also freeze whole tomatoes at times and I think cooked, then frozen is a bit better, but both are OK for my purposes. 

 

AnnaN, your oven-dried tomatoes look lovely! 

[Anna N]

Thank you, FauxPas

Didn't photograph well but four pints of spicy mango apple chutney. Initial step done in the stovetop pressure cooker.

[FauxPas]

I love chutney! Is that an online recipe, by any chance? Or is it one you developed? 

 

When you say first step done in the pressure cooker, does that mean the initial 'cooking down' step? 

[Jon Savage]

In short -

We dehydrate, Water Bath can & Pressure can.

 

Each method has its place.

 

None are better than the other.

[Anna N]

I love chutney! Is that an online recipe, by any chance? Or is it one you developed?

When you say first step done in the pressure cooker, does that mean the initial 'cooking down' step?

Let me see if I can find it on-line. The pressure cooking step in retrospect probably accomplished very litlle. The actual cooking down was done in the same pan but without any pressure. I am testing my love of pressure cookers to see if I can really justify putting out money for an Instant Pot!

See if this works.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Anna N (log)

[FauxPas]

Anna N, do you process your jars? In a water bath canner or pressure canner or ???? 

 

If you use a water bath, I am wondering what type of canner you use on your induction range. I have an induction range and some some canners are not recommended on induction (or on ceramic/glass stovetops at all). 

 

Jon Savage, what model of pressure canner do you use? 

[Anna N]

Anna N, do you process your jars? In a water bath canner or pressure canner or ???? 

 

If you use a water bath, I am wondering what type of canner you use on your induction range. I have an induction range and some some canners are not recommended on induction (or on ceramic/glass stovetops at all). 

 

Jon Savage, what model of pressure canner do you use?

I did not process these at all. I put the chutney into sterilized jars capped them and they sealed just fine. I have never had anything resembling a dedicated canner when I do water process. Any stainless steel stockpot works just fine so long as it's deep enough that the water will cover the jars by an inch. I am not sure why you couldn't use an induction compatible canner. I have never attempted and never will attempt processing in a pressure cooker and a pressure canner scares the ******** out of me! I do very, very little preserving.

[FauxPas]

Anna, that link worked like a charm! Fragrant Mango & Apple Chutney, right? Looks like a nice recipe, will definitely give it a try! Thank you so much. 

 

When I first started out I did do some 'open kettle' canning. The newer food safety recommendations are for at least a water-bath processing, but I'm sure you know that. I think the risk is low with a chutney that has quite a bit of vinegar in it, but I tend to make small enough batches that can fit in the fridge, anyway. 

 

I used to use the old graniteware water canners when I had an old coil-top range or natural gas, but of course they cannot be used on induction - their coating can melt, I understand. 

 

If I want to start doing more canning, I'll try to use one of my existing stainless steel stockpots with a caning insert (I see some stainless steel ones on Amazon for a moderate price). I'm afraid of pressure canners, also! For that matter, I'm also afraid of pressure cookers. But I have been following along on the Instant Pot discussion!  

 

Edited to add:  I still have a Graniteware canner and could also use that outside on the side burner of the grill possibly or on a dedicated propane burner. But we are back and forth between locations and I'm not sure it makes sense to stock up the pantries too much! 

Edited August 23, 2015 by FauxPas (log)

[ElainaA]

Didn't photograph well but four pints of spicy mango apple chutney. Initial step done in the stovetop pressure cooker.

Those don't look like the standard Ball or Kerr canning jars I see in  stores. Can you give a make and source?

 

 

If I want to start doing more canning, I'll try to use one of my existing stainless steel stockpots with a caning insert (I see some stainless steel ones on Amazon for a moderate price). \

For 8 oz jars, I always use my steel 'pasta pot' with a round cake rack in the bottom. As long as the jars are off the bottom of the pot and don't touch each other you don't need an insert. Works fine. It's not tall enough for pints or quarts - for those I use the big canner.