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michelelc_gw

UGH!! Jars broke in canner, what to do??

michelelc
11 years ago

Ugh, rookie mistake I am sure. I attempted to make a batch of dilly beans tonight. I used 4 lbs of beans and they didn't fit in the 8 pint jars I had prepared, they took longer than I thought to stuff into jars, and I had to heat up more liquid for extra jars (also, I used kosher salt in 2nd batch of liquid and had to start over). OK, so while the jars I packed with beans and liquid and prepared sat, I waited for the vinegar to boil, ect....you get the idea, jars sat too long, I guess. So, I have many questions. What should I have done, put jars in canner as I prepared them? Also, canner water was boiling pretty good when I finally put all 10 jars in, was this wrong? Should it not have been boiling? I am confused as to what I should have done to avoided this since it took me so long to stuff each jar with beans before adding liquid. Maybe stuff jars and add liquid and put in the canner before starting next jar. Wouldn't that mean the first jars in the canner would overcook. OK, and I'm afraid to ask, but I will, are the 8 jars that didn't break a loss? I'm reprocessing them now. What a huge failure. I spent all night making these and was so looking forward to my first batch of dilly beans :(

Comments (8)

  • michelelc
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    After re-reading the instructions in the Ball book for BWB, I think I did several things wrong. I did heat all the jars in the canner before filling, but I stuffed beans into most of the jars before adding liquid to all the jars at once and closing. Then I heated 2 more jars in the canner while I heated more liquid (I left the original 8 jars on the counter). So, I'm sure the jars that broke were the first jars I had taken out. That was my first mistake. Second mistake, I put all the jars in the canner while the water was boiling pretty good. Second mistake, I didn't realize the water should be simmering around 140. So, I'd really appreciate some advice on what I should have done to fill the jars without them cooling. Should I have stuffed beans in each jar, filled it with liquid and added it back into the canner before starting on another jar? It took me 30 mins to stuff all the jars, wouldn't the first jars get over-processed? I guess if I attempt this again, I'll half the recipe till I get the hang of it.

  • digdirt2
    11 years ago

    Should I have stuffed beans in each jar, filled it with liquid and added it back into the canner before starting on another jar?

    Exactly. The goal is no filled jar sitting on the counter waiting for processing and cooling. You prepare each jar one at a time and run it completely through the assembly line and into the canner. This applies to everything, not just this particular recipe. If you have everything organized and ready to go before you start filling jars it goes quickly and smoothly.

    When you discovered you didn't have enough liquid then stop, process the jars that are ready to go and then do the remaining jars separately.

    Now, as to Dilly Beans specifically - first don't literally "stuff" the jars. Overpacking jars is a very common newbie mistake. The beans need to be able to move freely within the jar and each bean surrounded by liquid.

    For future reference - when preparing any recipe that will be processed for more than 10 mins. sterile jars are not required. They just need to be hot and hot tap water is sufficient. Many of us when we make Dilly Beans just up the processing to 10 mins just so we can skip the jar boiling step. 10 min is a common pickled food processing time and it doesn't hurt for the beans to get the extra 5 mins.

    It is all part of the learning curve so hang in there.

    Dave

  • michelelc
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Dave. So I guess the rest of the jars I processed are safe, but I'm wondering how mushy they will be. I processed them for 10 mins instead of 5 mins because I misread the recipe (3rd mistake) and that's after processing them for a couple minutes the first round, before the jars broke and I dumped the whole canner out and started over. Do you think I should open a jar and try it or does it need to sit for a few weeks. I'd rather buy more beans while they are still available, and start over with a fresh batch if the 8 jars I have are going to be gross. I learned many valuable lessons last night!

  • digdirt2
    11 years ago

    It takes time for the flavor to develop so they won't taste like much but you could open a jar to see how mushy soft they may be and decide from there. If ok then just put that jar in the fridge to develop some flavor.

    If you decide to do again be sure to pack the jars loosely.

    Dave

  • michelelc
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes, I am going to buy less bean, too. The recipe called for 4 lbs and that was way to much for 8 jars. I originally wanted to use my 1 1/2 pint jars but immediately realized the beans were too short, and it would be a waste to use those, so I used the pint jars but I think I still had the 10 mins processing time stuck in my head. Maybe I'll just buy 2 lbs and half the recipe, for practice! Thanks for all the advice and encouragement.

  • planatus
    11 years ago

    Michele, reading your posts makes me aware of how many little things we do to avoid mistakes, which we have all made repeatedly. When I start a canning project, I heat the oven to 150 and get out a clean pyrex casserole dish to hold things in there. When the unexpected happens, it gives me a place to hold jars for a few minutes, or for a second load in the canner.

    Broken jars happen when you fill underheated jars with very hot liquid too quickly, or put them into an overheated canner. When my hot jars first go into a waterbath, I want it barely at a simmer.

  • thatcompostguy
    11 years ago

    I just lift the rack and rest it on the lip of the canner with the handles and then load jars onto it one by one while it's lifted and then set them all down into the canner at one time. They stay warm enough there without cooking the contents so there is no serious shock when lowered. Just have to be careful with smaller jars so they don't wobble. I guess if you don't use one of those racks, it's kind of difficult.

  • michelelc
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, great ideas for keeping the jars warm in the future. I don't have a rack for my Presto 23 qt pressure canner, but I'm sure they sell one and it's probably a worthwhile investment. I just have the thing that goes on the bottom so the jars don't sit directly on the bottom of the pot.