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After canning peaches
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Posted by lisam_2008 Z8 EastPlano (My Page) on Wed, Jun 24, 09 at 13:35
First thank you all. I made my first trial batch of peach jam-full sugar, regular pectin, no BWB. Enjoyed it. All digested. I have my mason jars on my counter top. All excited. Now question is once I am done canning, how do I open and eat them. Ashamed to say that never even knew the lids had 2 parts, before reading up here, now I hear that remove the ring once all set. But then what after that? Do I buy screw on lids, like the ones that come with store bought jam jars? Once I open a jar to use, it has to go to refrezerator, I think, till it is finished. So how do I close the jar mouth. Also if my jar is sitting there with just the flat top, how do I open it?
P.S: put my question to the dumb-question meter...and that instrument could not handle the dumbness of it...But then I am doing canning.And please don't tell me that canning and giving go together...and I can't eat cus I canned..(; |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: After canning peaches
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| Its a good idea to take the rings off because if there is any spoilage activity going on inside, it will pop the lid off. Checking your canned goods to see if the lid is still on solid - indented is also a good idea. A regular can opener will pop the lid off - or a beer key. Once opened, they should be refrigerated and covered. Many commercial small jars of mayonaise have caps that will fit OK, or you can buy the caps on-line at several places that sell canning supplies. I bought a dozen caps a few years ago and they have been in constant use ever since. They come in two sizes - those for small canning jam jars and the wide-mouth canning jars, which I normally like to use for pickles or fruit. Bejay |
RE: After canning peaches
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| Thank you so much. I do not have any spare lids (yet).So where do I buy them? |
RE: After canning peaches
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| My local grocery store carries them, same aisle as their pectin and mason jars. :-) |
RE: After canning peaches
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| I'm thinking maybe lisam has the one piece lids, which of course would not be removed, unlike the two piece lids we normally use and remove the ring only. |
RE: After canning peaches
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| I'm curious about the "no BWB" part. Why not? If you don't want to buy the plastic lids for the jars to use after opening and if you are using the standard 2 piece lids and bands then just put the lid and band back on for fridge storage after opening. No special lid is needed. The square side of any pop-top can opener will open the lids after vacuum sealed but if you didn't do a BWB you likely don't have a good vacuum anyway. Dave |
RE: After canning peaches
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| First time was more or less a trial. I did not buy the jars.Stored as long as I could, before I consumed all up. Since storage was not a plan I did not put in Water bath.This time is my real attempt to can and store. So I have got the 2 piece lid Mason jars. I will look where the Pectin was. I did see spare lid and rings. May be they will have the spare ones. Thanks so much for all your help. |
RE: After canning peaches
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Lisam,
ALL high acid foods, including jams need processing in the BWB. Otherwise you have done nothing to preserve the food.
The purpose of a ring is only to hold that flat lid on for processing. After 24 hours and the jars are sealed, then remove the rings. Put the jars and the rings in a sink of warm soapy water. Wash them all thoroughly. Rinse. Then dry the jars off, mark the date and contents with a sharpie marker or put labels on the jars. Let the rings dry, then store so they won't rust. You can keep reusing the rings, just keep buying new flat lids. Never reuse a lid.
The plastic storage caps are by Ball. They are white plastic and can be used in the fridge or freezer. Yes, you can freeze in your canning jars.
Open as the other said, with the flat side of a can/beer opener. |
RE: After canning peaches
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| Peach jam can be made, not processed, and just stored in the fridge. For a trial small batch that's just fine. Here's a link at Amazon that shows you the kind of plastic storage caps we're talking about. Any store that carries canning supplies is likely to have them. One thing to keep in mind is these lids are not liquid-tight, so if you use them on a jar of pickled beets or something, keep the flat part of the lid from the original canning jar and put it under so the jar doesn't leak if it tips over in the fridge. Carol |
Here is a link that might be useful: Ball Canning Jar Plastic Storage Caps
RE: After canning peaches
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| I can't thank you all enough. I did can my first batch. 6 jars. They all popped. They all are set. The jam is jam and not syrup...Not only did I want to learn canning , I needed to learn making Jam too. It was yesterday late night. So I have left them on counter top ring and all. Today evening I will wash, remove rings and put in my pantry. I have 6 more jars left.So one more batch in plan. I never knew how satisfying it is..Good that I tried. I will do it again. Have not been to the grocery store yet. I will look for the caps. But I guess my attention has shifted to more canning.. |
RE: After canning peaches
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You should always leave your jars to cool on the counter for 24 hours before removing the rings anyway so that worked out perfectly!!
If you remove them while still hot you can break the seal and defeat the whole purpose of canning them! What'cha makin' next??? Deanna |
RE: After canning peaches
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The first 6 jars canned well, set well and were less sugar version using the powdered pectin.
Bad news this time. The next batch I did was full sugar version of peach jam.8 half pint jars. This time I used the liquid pectin,and followed the exact same procedure that I had in my trial. My canning came out to be perfect. I had the opportunity of counting the popping noise.However after 24 hours still the jam did not set. The only difference may be lil bit less lemon juice in recipe.So what next. may be open them all, cook again and re-can? |
RE: After canning peaches
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| Recook and recan, add more pctin for the second time. Either that, or use them for syrup on ice cream or on toast and french toast, waffles, or pancakes. Peaches will oxidize and darken in color too. Messing with the sugar amount and attempting to follow a recipe on the box of pectin, can cause a failure to set. Also, some jellies/jams can take longer to set, even up to a month or more. Most of the time a slow set is from citric based jams. |
RE: After canning peaches
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| Did you use both packets of the liquid as instructed? One packet won't do it. If so then 24 hours isn't long enough for liquid pectin to set. It often takes a week or longer and I have even heard of it taking 6 weeks. You can reprocess as Ken said if you wish but you will have to add even more pectin and risk getting rubber. Better IMO to give the jam more time to set as is. Next time cook to the gel point BEFORE jarring. ;) Dave |
RE: After canning peaches
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Uh oh..I thought 1 pouch for 4 cups of peach. I actually tried same proportion the 1st time ,but for smaller amount, and it was ok...So I have used half the required amount then? I did not see any specific mention of using 2 packets for 4 cps..must have overlooked.
And then...the gel point...Is that the same as using a cold spoon to check it..Yeah I came to know about that after I canned all..I will open 2 jars and try fixing it. |
RE: After canning peaches
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| I test the set by spooning a small amount into a small plate and placing in the freezer for a minute. It should set up quite fast and be gelatin. I also see the spoon coating, and when small globs of the jelly are hanging off the spoon or ladle its usually ready. I haven't use liquid pectins for years, ever since they went to the foil pouches. Back before then, they were in small glass bottles. |
RE: After canning peaches
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| Fixed 4 of my soupy jam jars today. Looks like it is set.Since I had to re-can after cooking, I guess the new date on it will be today's. I know it won't matter much as there was only a few days difference. I have one more question in my mind and appreciate your input. Somewhere I read if over cooked, jam becomes rubbery. Now that I had to bring things back to boil,is that going to affect the texture? |
RE: After canning peaches
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| Rubbery might occur if the second addition of pectin was extreme. As you have noticed, yours started to set up after a few days, so if you were to add a whole second packet of pectin, it may be too much. Scorching is the major concern when recooking. Sugars do burn if they are boiled too much. |
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