Need help with water-bath canning

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abby

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Messages
46
When processing jars in water bath, & pressure cooker, some of the jars loose liquid during the process. I start out with a full jar or up to fill line & when finished processing some maybe 3/4 full of liquid & others still full. I tighten all the rings the same yet some are full & some not. What am I doing wrong? Thanks.
 
Hi, I'm making dilled pickled green beans. It usually happens with pressure canner but my husband processed kraut in water bath & it looks terrible. Some of the jars have half the liquid gone & the kraut was covered when he started. Thanks for your help.
 
I'm not terribly familiar with pressure canning but have had this happen with water bath processing my tomatoes. It usually means I have them to full and they don't seal. I have to start over with the few it happens to (or we have them for dinner).
Sorry I can't be of more help ... someone more familiar with pressure canning will be along to help I'm sure.
Good Luck!
 
One reason for the problem in the pressure canner may be reducing the pressure to fast after the processing time...Let the pressure canner cool down naturally...Another possibility may be over processing ...follow the guidelines for pressure and time.

The hot water bath kraut...Interesting. I've never seen loss, to the extent you describe. A couple of ideas...processing to long or the kraut wasn't cooked properly before going in the jar.

Just a note...I think you want your jars to seal after being removed from the pressure canner, and the hot water bath. Not during the process time.

HTH
 
I had the same problem last time I canned some pickled okra, water bath method.
Some sealed full, some lost up to half their liquid, in the same batch.
 
OK, quick search found some reasons....
Some reasons for loss of liquid during processing could be:
• Jar packed to full or too tightly.
• Starch foods absorb some liquid.
• Air bubbles were not removed at the time of packing.
• Jars in a boiling water bath canner were not covered with 1-2 inches of water.
• Pressure canner was allowed to fl uctuate during processing.
• Letting a canner stand too long after pressure returns to zero.
• Removing the jars too quickly from the pressure canner after removing the cover.

from http://clark.wsu.edu/family/food-preservation/CommonCanningQuestions.pdf
 
When I was canning, I used to have that happen occasionally when I used the pressure cooker. I never did know what caused it, but I suspected I'd processed the jars too long.
 
Abby, if you are water canning, the lids need to be tightened down fairly tight-tighter than say tomatoes. Kraut doesn't do well in my experience with pressure canning, nor is it necessary, it has a high acid and salt content. The water needs to be over the jars for water bath canning. (I've lost whole batches of kraut by using pressure canning, but I didn't know I shouldn't have used that method.)
If you are pressure canning kraut, it will become limp and may force some threads of kraut between the jar and the lid--which is why I don't do it that way and they don't need it with the acid and salt content.
I make the dill pickle green beans, again, I use the water bath canner, not the pressure canner, and nothing gets between the lid and the jar. They have enough acid and salt to use water bath canning.
It's normal to lose a little liquid when heating jars but it's not okay to have things lose half their water and expect them to last on your pantry shelves for any amount of time.
I haven't tried to can okra so I can't speak to it. Tomatoes--I use enough acid and salt to use a water bath canning method, those hardly ever fail for me.
I hope that helps ~Bliss
 
I am voting for air bubbles. Use a plastic or wooden spatula to release any bubbles before putting the lid on.

Stuff that loses liquid is not spoiled--it may discolor, but it is as safe as the food that keeps its liquid.
 
I'm pretty sure my okra problems were packing the jars too full and not enough
water in the canner. Live and learn!

kimchi is easier, LOL!
 
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