Thought I would pressure can some tomatoes today. I usually water bath can tomatoes, but because it was so hot today I thought it would be quicker to pressure can them. The heat was off and I was waiting for the pressure to drop, when I heard a funny noise come from the canner. When I finally was able to open the lid, this is what I found... One of the lids popped right off!! I can only conclude that I tightened the lid too much and the pressure popped the lid off. The jar doesn't seem damaged. Can I use the jar and ring again?
You can use the jar if there are no cracks or chips in the rim but,,I think I would just toss it all. There was something wrong somewhere or it would not have done that. More likely that it was not tight enough or over full of tomatoes. If it was too tight, which is difficult to do, would have burst the jar but the lid would still be on it. Netty,,you did have the jars on a rack didn`t you so they did not rest on the bottom? I forgot mine once in a water bath canner had jars burst.
I would think the jar was over full and the expanding sauce didn't have enough head room. If the jar looks okay mark it with a perm. marker before you can with it the next time. I have had jars break in the canner and I have wondered if it was a jar that didn't seal before and that is a real waste of food and time.
Netty, Sometimes when I read these things funny thoughts run through my mind, especially at 3:30 am. You could try to reuse the jar, lid and you can even scrape the pot out and try use the tomato sauce after cooking it down again. LOL Seriously, I do have 2 questions. Do you use vinegar or cream of tarter in the canner water before you start the canner? That's how you keep a nice clean shiny inner pot. Also what is that rectangle shape thing around the rim of the pot at the bottom of the picture? It's at about 5:30???? Sometimes if the jars are too full or if the temp fluctuates to much the lids will ripple and the bands will fly off during the processing time. Could that be the case?
Mart - yes, there is a rack at the bottom of the canner. Carolyn - good idea! I don't like wasting food! Waretrop - yes, I use vinegar in my canner. I have never heard of using cream of tarter ... how much should I use? The rectangle thing on the rim of the pot is to hold the lid on. It is part of the pot.
Netty, we all experience canning failures. At least the pressure canner didn't blow and you had to scrape tomatoes off the ceiling!
Keep trying, you can do it.....this coming from someone who has never tried that process in her life. Years ago I worked in the home owners claims department of a major insurance company and well remember the claims and photos of pressure cooker lids embedded in ceilings.
Wow toni, I never knew what it meant by the canner exploding. I didn't ever think of the results. I was told about it over and over again. I was so frightened when I begin to use a canner I almost decided to not do it. I actually don't know anyone that it happened to but still hear the warnings over and over again. There are now emergency release valves on the lid to help prevent that from happening. Don't know much about blowing up one nor do I know about this special release valve and really don't care. I just know fear is a silly reason for not putting up food for future use. No one should be afraid. Just learn the rules, do it correctly, and don't leave the pot. It's really a simple thing and a very very good thing. toni, Do you water bath can anything?
Never said I was afraid to try it I just do not have the interest in canning veggies with a pressure cooker or canner. I have the equipment to use for water bath processing but have never done that either. I only make jam, jelly and pickles and those do not require any other processing method. Anything else I want to preserve gets frozen.
I second the opinion that the jar may have been too full or the ring not tightened enough. I have had jars break while pressure canning but I think that is due to the fact that some of my jars are really old and have been used many times, but I've never had a lid and ring come off! Generally the bottom breaks completely off. Of course, in my opinion, the canning jar companies, are making the jars much thinner and also the rings and lids.
I didn`t think about it before but also over processing can be a culprit . Tomatoes (pints) in a water bath only take 35 minutes so a pressure canner would be no more than 10 to 15 minutes.
Mart, they were raw packed quarts without added liquid and required 85 minutes in a water bath, or 40 minutes in a pressure canner. 10-15 minutes wouldn't be safe in a water bath.
Netty,, what recipe/canning book are you using ?? I looked at all of mine,,and I have a few canning books,,all say about the same 45 minutes for quarts,,35 for pints. All are for raw pack which is the same way I can mine. Only difference is for stewed tomatoes or any others where additional vegetables are added. Picante sauce ,stewed tomatoes would be hot pack or pressure canned. Never heard of an 85 minute water bath for tomatoes.
I am following the Nation Center for home food preservation guidelines Mart. http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/tomato_without_liquid.html
