Canned Green Beans Failed - How to reprocess

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Rockergirl

Assistant Cook
Joined
Aug 31, 2022
Messages
46
Location
Raleigh
Hi! I canned green beans for the 1st time. None of them sealed, I was really surprised! I did open a new package of ball lids, maybe they were faulty? I've never reprocessed a canning session that failed. I typically would just freeze these but I can't imagine freezing cooked/processed green beans would be any good? Would I freeze in their juices (that is the good part)? If I re-can them. Can I still leave them in the jars like they are and just simply reprocess them all (maybe warm the already jars in the microwave before putting in canner) or do I have to empty out all the jars, clean them and repack them? I'm afraid they will get too mushy to reprocess :-( at least it's only 20 minutes
 
I wish I could help but I haven't had those fail. I usually snap the beans right into the jars, fill with boiling water to 1 inch of head space, then right into a warm pressure canner to begin.
I would be afraid the reprocessing them would make them too mushy.
What about dehydrating the beans now, so they are easier to rehydrate, to use in soups, like a minestrone back packing soup? Or drain and freeze and use them soon in side dishes and soups?
Let us know what you decide to do and how it goes. Sorry this happened!
 
I'm so bummed! I have been waiting forever to can green beans. Finally got enough to do a decent size batch (5 pints.....). This afternoon I pressure canned a batch of corn stock with full success. I read somewhere that the newer ball lids have a change in the rubber part and if you sanitize them, they won't seal. Not sure if that is true and not sure why I sanitized them this round, I've never done that. Normally just warm soap and water. When I did my corn stock I used a different box of lids and no sanitize, and those worked. Anyway - I tasted a green bean and they were perfect, any more cooking and they would def be too mushy. I've decided I'm going to make a country fried steak dinner tomorrow night and use a couple of those cans to eat with that. Then, I think I'm just going to try and freeze them, in their juices. I'm not sure why that might be a problem in the juices? I figured if I thaw them slow in the fridge they should be okay.....? I just really love the green bean juice, I use that to make the "gravy" in my country green beans....I may drain one of the cans and freeze without the juices to add to soup later.

Again, I'm so sad. This is the one canned vegetable that I cannot find a good canned organic version in the store....I've been waiting all year to do this :-( unless I can find some fresh organic locally, I will have to wait until next year.
 
Rockergirl, That's too bad about them not sealing but the next time you get a chance, do beans again. It might just be a fluke, or the lid fluke.
There's nothing wrong with the juice and if you like it, then keep it.
Go ahead freeze the beans and juice, then thaw, and see how you like them. I really have no idea how they will be after freezing. They'll probably be fine.
You might be able to find a good price on fresh beans to give it another try...and see, your corn worked out just fine...so beans will probably fine the next time.
You could use a couple pints of green beans in a 3 bean salad in the near future. They are delicious.
 
Rockergirl, That's too bad about them not sealing but the next time you get a chance, do beans again. It might just be a fluke, or the lid fluke.
There's nothing wrong with the juice and if you like it, then keep it.
Go ahead freeze the beans and juice, then thaw, and see how you like them. I really have no idea how they will be after freezing. They'll probably be fine.
You might be able to find a good price on fresh beans to give it another try...and see, your corn worked out just fine...so beans will probably fine the next time.
You could use a couple pints of green beans in a 3 bean salad in the near future. They are delicious.
Thanks for the encouragement! I'm going to get it next time, I'm determined! I'll look into testing them out in a 3 bean salad :)
 
@Rockergirl that's a shame!
I too read somewhere that Ball changed the seals on the lids and that they should not to sanitized, but washed in warm soapy water rinsed and kept in hot-ish water until ready to use.
I will def not sanitize those lids again! I'm not sure if that was my problem, but at least I can eliminate that part, just in case
 
Do you have Kerr lids locally? I gave up on Ball about five years ago since more of the jars were not sealed either in hot water baths or pressure canned. I have canned vegetables for over 40 years, and when Ball lids started to occasionally fail, I abandoned them in favor of Kerr lids.
 
Do you have Kerr lids locally? I gave up on Ball about five years ago since more of the jars were not sealed either in hot water baths or pressure canned. I have canned vegetables for over 40 years, and when Ball lids started to occasionally fail, I abandoned them in favor of Kerr lids.
I've never tried Kerr, I've always just heard that ball was the best so I used them. Will kerr lids work on ball jars? I'm pretty sure I've seen them at our Tractor Supply store.
 
I've never tried Kerr, I've always just heard that ball was the best so I used them. Will kerr lids work on ball jars? I'm pretty sure I've seen them at our Tractor Supply store.
As far as I know, in the US and Canada, all the canning jars, except the old ones with a glass lid and locking bail wire, come with two sizes of opening, called wide mouth and standard. All the lids from all of the companies will fit the appropriate size, even the reusable Tattler lids.
 
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