Food Canning journey begins - kinda

[LostMyMind]

So I decided to start my great adventure into canning. Quick overview - Bought an All American 921 and watched a bunch of videos. In my mind, I'm an expert. In reality, I'm in over my head right now.

Cranked up the AA yesterday to do a "dry run" to test it to make sure the seal was nice and tight. Good to go.

Next, run a batch of elk stew. I did my preps. All seems to be good up to this point.

Here's where I start to get concerned. #1 I think I may have filled up the quart jars too much, even though I left a 1" air-pocket. Reason for that concern leads into my number #2 concern, the stew overflowed out of the jars when I removed them from the canner. The reason they overflowed, the tongs I have are probably chinese made bs. When I grabbed the jars, I noticed the stew started seeping out. The tongs grabbed the ring. I guess the tongs were too small for a quart jar. I know this can't be good, right??

Anyway, so I wake up this morning to test the seals. The lids have collapsed in properly and when I attempt to open the lids with my fingernails with a decent amount of pulling force, they stay sealed. This should be good, right???

All of this background leads me into my main question. I know the seals were compromised when the stew leaked upon their exit. So I know for a fact there is stew between the lid and the rim of the jar, but it seems the seal is holding.

Do I need to throw the jars into the fridge or is there a possibility they're good to go into the long-term storage?

 

[summerthyme]

Label them so you know they siphoned, and check on them occasionally, but they should be fine.

The best way I've found to prevent siphoning is to let the canner set, undisturbed, until ALL pressure is gone. If there is even a faint "hiss" when you tick the weight, leave it be!

Then, when you do open it, observe the jars. Are they still bubbling? Leave them set for 10-15 minutes, then lift them out.

If you must remove piping hot jars as soon as the pressure drops (marathon canning sessions sometimes require it), DO NOT TIP the jars when you lift them out! Lift them straight up... tilting enough for any liquid to touch the lid will start the siphon.

Summerthyme

 

[LostMyMind]

Label them so you know they siphoned, and check on them occasionally, but they should be fine.

The best way I've found to prevent siphoning is to let the canner set, undisturbed, until ALL pressure is gone. If there is even a faint "hiss" when you tick the weight, leave it be!

Then, when you do open it, observe the jars. Are they still bubbling? Leave them set for 10-15 minutes, then lift them out.

If you must remove piping hot jars as soon as the pressure drops (marathon canning sessions sometimes require it), DO NOT TIP the jars when you lift them out! Lift them straight up... tilting enough for any liquid to touch the lid will start the siphon.

Summerthyme

Gotcha. Thanks for the quick reply, summerthyme!

I did wait until all the "hissing" was completed and then waited another 5 minutes.

This is the step I rushed, apparently. Yes, they were bubbling. I got so excited from doing my first batch that I couldn't wait any longer. It was like being a kid on Christmas morning. Lesson learned.

I completed the non-tilt as well. Lifted straight up and out.

So I should be good to for storage?

Any suggestions for a better pair of tongs?

 

[summerthyme]

Gotcha. Thanks for the quick reply, summerthyme!

I did wait until all the "hissing" was completed and then waited another 5 minutes.

This is the step I rushed, apparently. Yes, they were bubbling. I got so excited from doing my first batch that I couldn't wait any longer. It was like being a kid on Christmas morning. Lesson learned.

I complete the non-tilt as well. Lifted straight up and out.

So I should be good to for storage?

Any suggestions for a better pair of tongs?

What did they do to canning tongs?! I went on Amazon to find a picture of what I use (probably 40 years old) and they've totally redesigned them! I showed them to hubby for his opinion (he just pulled 28 jars of coleslaw out of the canner for me) and he started laughing. They don't look like you could get them between the jars in the canner!

I looke further, trying to find an "old style" one... this is the closest I could come... but really? It's stainless steel with Walnut handles!! And priced accordingly..

https://www.amazon.com/BaBainlab-Canning-Lifter-Stainless-Grabber/dp/B08MVJJ8ZV/ref=sr_1_162_sspa?crid=22KPR51JLKOO0&dchild=1&keywords=canning+tongs+jar+lifter&qid=1634742181&sprefix=Canning+tongs%2Caps%2C190&sr=8-162-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVVhRUUhLRUtRR1FIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjczOTc4MlhSN1JTWFlaMkZXQSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTkxNTA1M1M2MEo4RkQ0VTM4SiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX210ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Summerthyme

 

[Cardinal]

The redesign is weird. I have the old style.

 

[phloydius]

Any suggestions for a better pair of tongs?

Test the tongs you have with some empty jars with lids on them to see if they are actually touching, or if possibly you are grabbing the jars too high up. That way you can be reasonably sure the tongs need to be replaced or not.

 

[LostMyMind]

Summerthyme, Thank you so much for that Amazon link. Sometimes to have to pay big to get the right tool for the job. This is not an area I want to skimp on. Food is kinda important!

 

[LostMyMind]

phloydius, I did just that. Problem is I didn't know what to look for since I didn't have the necessary experience to make the right decision of if they were going to preform as they're supposed to.

For instance, the tongs did what they were as designed to do when the jars were empty. When they were completely full and piping hot, the togs weren't so useful. When grabbed around the middle of the jar, I had to squeeze so tightly to lift them that the upper part of tongs flexed and squeezed the ring at the top. Obviously not good. So I then moved the rubber part of the curved tongs just below the ring, while still on the glass part. That didn't work either. They're junk.

I'm going to give the ones in the link summerthyme suggested. Stainless steel is magnitudes better than what I currently have.

 

[phloydius]

Please don't take offense if these tips seem "so obvious", but I was showing someone new to canning about it recently, and they were doing each of these things wrong. I am simply trying to state the obvious:

• The position that the holders are in the above picture is the correct orientation when picking up a jars. Some pictures show them upside down. The flat portion is the handles for the hand, and the curved portion is the part that touches the jar.
• When picking up a QUART jar, in the top couple of inches of the jar, there are in order from top to bottom: the lid, threads for putting on the ring, a glass edged ring, a neck that is smaller than the edged ring, and then a shoulder that goes out to the full width of the body of the jar. The pint jars do not have the neck. You want to grab the jar just UNDER the glass edged ring, so that when you lift up the contact with the grabbers uses the edge as a holding spot against gravity. It should not take very much force at all to hold them tight on the jar, and the jar should not slip. Do not grab around the main body of the jar, nor around the threads that you would screw a ring on with.
• It is perfectly okay, until getting better tongs (or if you can not find the set of tongs) to let the canner sit open on the stove until the jars are cool enough to touch by hand (not with gloves), and carefully lift them straight out being extremely careful not to touch the lid or slosh the food against the lid. Set them where you would if you had tongs for the normal 24 hour waiting period. When doing it by hand, don't move them while they are still hot enough that you feel rushed! Slow, steady, and careful. Only move them once.

And also, it could totally be bad tongs. I had a really cheaply made set when I first started. They did the job, but actually bowed a bit when being used.

 

[kyrsyan]

I have both the old style and new. I grab the neck, just below the ring. The newer ones tend to catch the bottom of the ring. I've always grabbed there because otherwise there's just too much risk of dropping them.

 

[phloydius]

I did a quick google search on images for where to hold a jar, and I saw a bunch of pictures like this:



That (above) is NOT how I do it. I was also mortified to see a couple of pictures showing it being lifted by the lid!

I actually did not see a picture (in a very short search) showing where to grab in the place that I do it at. So I put an arrow on the below picture:

 

[summerthyme]

I did a quick google search on images for where to hold a jar, and I saw a bunch of pictures like this:

View attachment 297351

That (above) is NOT how I do it. I was also mortified to see a couple of pictures showing it being lifted by the lid!

I actually did not see a picture (in a very short search) showing where to grab in the place that I do it at. So I put an arrow on the below picture:

View attachment 297354

Exactly! Those "new, improved <gag> tongs stick out too far to slide between jars! And "your" method is the only sensible way to make sure a jar won't slip. But for sure, the tongs need to be sturdy enough to not flex in use!

Summerthyme

 

[phloydius]

Exactly! Those "new, improved <gag> tongs stick out too far to slide between jars! And "your" method is the only sensible way to make sure a jar won't slip. But for sure, the tongs need to be sturdy enough to not flex in use!

If it is easy for you, I'd love to see a picture of your jar lifters (or a generic one that looks like your vintage one). I like finding the right / best tool for critical things, and if I knew what to look for I might be able to find one like what you use.

 

[kyrsyan]

I did a quick google search on images for where to hold a jar, and I saw a bunch of pictures like this:

View attachment 297351

That (above) is NOT how I do it. I was also mortified to see a couple of pictures showing it being lifted by the lid!

I actually did not see a picture (in a very short search) showing where to grab in the place that I do it at. So I put an arrow on the below picture:

View attachment 297354

Yup. That's where I grab at. Anywhere else is and opportunity to slip with that much water.

 

[LostMyMind]

View attachment 297350

Please don't take offense if these tips seem "so obvious", but I was showing someone new to canning about it recently, and they were doing each of these things wrong. I am simply trying to state the obvious:

• The position that the holders are in the above picture is the correct orientation when picking up a jars. Some pictures show them upside down. The flat portion is the handles for the hand, and the curved portion is the part that touches the jar.
• When picking up a QUART jar, in the top couple of inches of the jar, there are in order from top to bottom: the lid, threads for putting on the ring, a glass edged ring, a neck that is smaller than the edged ring, and then a shoulder that goes out to the full width of the body of the jar. The pint jars do not have the neck. You want to grab the jar just UNDER the glass edged ring, so that when you lift up the contact with the grabbers uses the edge as a holding spot against gravity. It should not take very much force at all to hold them tight on the jar, and the jar should not slip. Do not grab around the main body of the jar, nor around the threads that you would screw a ring on with.
• It is perfectly okay, until getting better tongs (or if you can not find the set of tongs) to let the canner sit open on the stove until the jars are cool enough to touch by hand (not with gloves), and carefully lift them straight out being extremely careful not to touch the lid or slosh the food against the lid. Set them where you would if you had tongs for the normal 24 hour waiting period. When doing it by hand, don't move them while they are still hot enough that you feel rushed! Slow, steady, and careful. Only move them once.

And also, it could totally be bad tongs. I had a really cheaply made set when I first started. They did the job, but actually bowed a bit when being used.

So just there's complete clarity, I'm adding some pics. I've labeled a couple of them for reference. Also, I was using the quarts for the stew. The pint you see is only used for tong size reference. Plus, that's honey I processed, no need for heat sealing or canning.

I tried using the tongs in the middle of the quart, which is obviously not the correct position, but I used that position only because the proper method wasn't working. The tongs are too small and flexible to grab the larger, heavier quart in the right spot.

 

[LostMyMind]

I've order the stainless steel tongs summerthyme posted. I hope that does the trick. If not, I'll keep looking.

This canning stiff is pretty exciting to tell you the truth!

Thanks for ALL of the suggestions. Someone like me needs all the help one can get.

 

[moldy]

Welcome to the addiction!

 

[Wildwood]

I did wait until all the "hissing" was completed and then waited another 5 minutes.

You said you waited five minutes after it quit jiggling to open it up. Was that jiggling on it's own or jiggling when you tapped the weight? My AA canner your same size takes at least an hour or two after the jiggling on it's own stops to pressure down enough to not jiggle when I tap the weight. Even if you have to rush it, never take the weight off until the gauge is all the way down to zero. Let's just say I broke a few jars my first year of canning.

Siphoning is an issue for all of us, even the seasoned canners deal with it and sometimes there's not an explanation, at least for me.

I usually advise newby canners to start with dried beans. They are not labor intensive and so cheap that you can afford to experiment with them.

 

[LostMyMind]

You said you waited five minutes after it quit jiggling to open it up. Was that jiggling on it's own or jiggling when you tapped the weight? My AA canner your same size takes at least an hour or two after the jiggling on it's own stops to pressure down enough to not jiggle when I tap the weight. Even if you have to rush it, never take the weight off until the gauge is all the way down to zero. Let's just say I broke a few jars my first year of canning.

Siphoning is an issue for all of us, even the seasoned canners deal with it and sometimes there's not an explanation, at least for me.

I usually advise newby canners to start with dried beans. They are not labor intensive and so cheap that you can afford to experiment with them.

I should've been more specific. I waited 5 minutes (maybe a couple of minutes more) after the hissing stopped, after after I removed the weight. Before I removed the weight, I waited closer to 45 minutes or a few minutes longer. I didn't time it. Sorry about the lack of provided details on my part. The pressure gauge indicated it was at 11 lbs before I turned off the stove heat. After the 5 minute wait (after I removed the weight) I slowly loosened the knobs by only half of a turn. The lid didn't react in a negative way by popping up. I then turn the knobs another half turn, again with no warning issues, so I continued turning all of them to remove the lid with no issues. Regardless, I've learned my lesson and will not proceed as quickly as I did on this one. Patience...some things can't be jammed through.

Good to hear the siphoning info. I pulled on the lids with what I thought was a good amount tension and the lids remained solidly stuck in place.

I think I'll try dry beans for my next run. lol I think it's obvious this newbie was a little nervous with this "real world" run.

 

[KMR58]

I have an AA canner. LOVE IT! It has canned for me for more than 12 years. After I turn it off I let it sit a LONG time. Long after the gauge hits zero. The canner is cooled enough that I can touch it. Then I remove the weight. Then I wait at least 10 more minutes. Then I remove the lid and wait until I see no movement in the jars. By then most of them have already completely sealed. Then I carefully remove them to cool until the next day. I wash the outside, remove the ring, label, and set for storage. I am kind to myself and limit to two batches at most in a day. That way I'm not rushing through the process.

Yesterday I water bathed 7 jars of light sugar syrup apples and 10 jars of apple butter. Another 10 pounds to do tomorrow and I'm set for apples for the year. I've got 60 pounds of beef brisket to do after that. Half is seasoned for corned beef, the other half for Texas beef brisket. With some of the corned beef I'll make a corned beef hash mix to can.

Happy canning! It's one of the most satisfying things on the planet I think. Feel free to ask away. Welcome to the club!

 

[KMR58]

The tongs on the left were my grandmother's. I've used them for the last 40 years. Just this year I bought the ones on the right. If jars are tightly packed I still go for grandma's because they are tried and true.