Pressure Canning Question

[Smoker_Boy]

We have a Carey electric pressure canner. It works great and really makes canning easier.

When canning cherry tomatos using the raw pack method and adding no extra liquid, there are jars that are boiling internally after the canner has been OFF for an hour or so and the pressure has dropped to zero and these jars all seal just fine.

However, there are jars in the same batch that are not boiling and some of these simply refuse to seal.

NOTE: I am mainly using half-pint jars for the cherry tomatos.

I have scoured the InnerWebz and can't find any references to this boiling except for 1 mention in a blog, and there was nothing the owner of the blog said about this phenomenon.

Does anybody have any information on this???

[texastweeter]

Is it the ones towards the center of the batch of jars?

[Smoker_Boy]

I always have them in a circular pattern.
But that's a good thought. I will keep a sharper eye on it in the future.
But I don't think this has happened every time.
I don't keep a lot of records because that's all I did at my job.

I am actually just trying 1 pint jar with water in it right now.
This water should be boiling after I open the canner lid an hour after the process is done.

[DavidNorcross]

Another question points more towards the seal of the jars and not the boiling. Do you wipe the tops of the jars with white vinegar before placing the top on the jar? It sounds more like the seal or it is very possible that you have a bad batch of lids?

[dubob]

Ditto. Wash jars and lids before using and wipe jar rims clean before filling and AFTER filling.

[Smoker_Boy]

I do wipe the rims with white vinegar, both before and after filling.

Now that I think about it, every problem has been with the same batch of half pint jars / lids / bands.
None of the pints or quarts have had this issue.

Thanks guys!!

[Smoker_Boy]

My wife pointed out that I had bought the Ball jars / lids / bands from Wallie World,
and I had bought some Ball lids from Kroger.
Hmmm...

I finally found a great website run by a lady who has been canning her whole life and she loves the Carey pressure canner that I use. I spent about 2 hours this morning going over different things she had written.

So, new test:

4 pint jars with water up to a 1" headspace.
2 of the jars are with the stock lids. aka Wallie World
The other 2 jars are with the Kroger lids.

I only put 10 cups of water in the canner. I think I had been putting way too much water in.
After all, this is a pressure canner, not a water bath. They are 2 entirely different methods.
Also I have always been using the 15# weight since I am right at 1000' elevation.

I set the process time for 26 minutes, same as the tomatoes.

This lady also mentioned that there have been Ball knock-offs being sold at Amazon and elsewhere.
She uses Suberb brand lids, made and sold here in Ohio.
I think I will be ordering some of these for future use. Lids are too important to take a chance on.

[Dan Deter]

Can you give the link for her website? My wife wants to do some pressure canning.

[Smoker_Boy]

Dan Deter Here ya go!

https://stockingmypantry.com/

[fzxdoc]

Eager to hear your test results. Sounds like you're homing in on the solution to the mystery.

Kathryn

[Smoker_Boy]

Eager to hear your test results. Sounds like you're homing in on the solution to the mystery.

Kathryn

Thanks Kathryn!

As a former lab speciality testing tech, it seriously bugs me when things happen that I can't explain.

(I would say it drives me nuts, but that's a short trip)

[Smoker_Boy]

OK, Test #1 results:

First observation:
The Walmart Ball lids had clear "dimples" in the center. These were purchased about a month ago.
The Kroger Ball lids did not have any dimples. I just bought these at Kroger yesterday.
Since it's canning season, both sets of lids should be fresh.

Both Walmart Ball lids sealed very tightly.
1 Kroger lid sealed tightly, the other did not seal at all.

For Test #2, everything is the same except I am using old, old Kerr lids.
These have been in my basement for about 20 years or so, but the gaskets still felt soft.
WeWillSee.

[Smoker_Boy]

Test #2 (20 year old Kerr lids):

The 2 in back sealed.
The 2 in front did not.

For Test #3 I put the 2 that sealed in front (just for load), and the 2 that didn't seal in the back (using new / old Kerr)

[Smoker_Boy]

Test #3 - nothing sealed.
Not surprising, and statistically it means nothing anyways.
Actually none of the tests meant anything statistically.
It was an excuse to do something.

In the end, I'm only going to use the Superb brand lids in the future.
Oh, and I'm also going to try the reusable Tattler lids sold at Lehmans as well.

Thanks for reading!!

[dubob]

Thanks for the effort. I've been pressure canning meats now for about 20 years. Fish, big game, & waterfowl. Never saw a need to do veggies. My supplies (lids, jars, and rings) come from either Wally World or a local farm store. In all that time I have had maybe 2 lids that didn't seal and 2 jars that broke during the process.

I've never heard of or seen a Carey canner. I use a Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Canner and Cooker, Aluminum. It has a pressure gauge and a 15 PSI weight.

[dubob]

You should also have your lid pressure tested for accuracy every couple of years. I have my local extension service do mine and it costs $5.

[Smoker_Boy]

dubob,

Do you use Ball lids?
Do they have a raised dimple in the center?

[dubob]

My current stock of lids are Kerr and they do a have a small, raised dimple/dome in the center of the lid.

[Smoker_Boy]

Thanks for the info!

[HotSun]

In my analog Kuhn-Rikon 7 liter, I use 1 cup of water, no kidding (only fits 3 quarts). Obviously a much smaller capacity, but still the same idea. Remember, you are pressure canning, not water bath canning. 10 cups seems like way too much. It will depend on how much water is lost, but for ~10 minutes at high pressure, it shouldn't be a lot, I think.

+1 to clean rims and lids

I would love to hear what you think of the reusable lids. I've been skeptical, but wanting to try for a while now.

[Smoker_Boy]

HotSun,

The Carey unit I have is a 9.5 quart unit.
If I start out with 4 pints of product, I put the water in until it reaches the 10 cup line, so a little less than 10 cups total.
During start-up, the 10 minute steam soak, the 26 minute processing time and the 1 1/2 hour cooldown, the water level is showing 8 cups. This is no where near the top of the jars since they sit on a rack.

Concerning the Tattler brand reusable lids, they have really good reviews.
The Superb brand I ordered yesterday are your normal lids, except the gasket part is thick and pliable.
They also have superb reviews. (see what I did there??)

[HotSun]

Thanks, Smoker_Boy , I will have to pick up some of those lids.

[JimLinebarger]

I have had this issue when I take the jars out after the pressure lock drops. Occasionally some of the jars bubble for a bit. I have noticed that all the jar rings are loose which makes sense since the lids compress with the vacuum. So I just tighten the rings again until it cools completely. After tightening, I push on the middle of the lid to see if it dimples. If it doesn't it sealed well, if not, I watch it until after it cools then I check it again. This bubbling happens sometimes with my maters, pickles, or even stock. I use both Ball and Kerr lids from Fred Meyer (Kroger). I fill to about 1 inch above the top of the jars. I usually am doing quart jars.