The sauce needs to be dumped back into a pot reheated to boiling, wash the jars, check the rims closely for any nicks or fine cracks, and refill the jars, new lids and re-process for full amount of time. You can do it tonight or you can stick them in the fridge overnight and do them within 24 hours.

Dave

Thanks!

Ghosts? No seriously I've had that happen, don't know why.

I would have just had spaghetti the next day, after refrigerating as soon was cooler, not cold. Not to break the jar by placing in frig.

I don't think I'd use those jars again - at least not for PCing. Even if they don't look like they're cracked.

I wouldn't have a problem, I've dropped several jars over the many years, and have had very few not work. Of all of the jars that I've canned this year (so far 50-55 dozen) most have been well used (some over 40 years old and used yearly), many have been dropped. Less than 10 have broken. A slim percentage, and I get more than that with brand new jars.

I've found that PC doesn't make much difference with jars, I do try to stay away from the 'mayo' jars, but for many years I didn't even look to see if they were 'mayo' or actual 'canning/mason' jars.

Upon reflection, I think the rack bucked a bit with the heat and that's how they made their leap. I know my toddlers were in the other room, so I can't blame them. Both jars actually landed on their tops and had no discernable damage. Rings were pretty banged up though. I probably would have refrigerated/frozen if I didn't have a second batch with room to can anyway.

Everything went fine with recanning. Thanks again Dave, I knew there was a proper way to reprocess,and didn't think I was right to just put new lids on, but couldn't get the steps to come to mind right away.

I have had that happen with racks, that jars escape and slide off the table.

I didn't figure out that the rack was buckling -- I didn't know what was happening. But it was clearly not working out.

Now I cool jars on a towel instead, and waaaaay far back from the edge :).

I always use the towel method, my canner doesn't stay empty long. When I can, it's usually an all day deal. One batch after another. The only time the racks come out is to wash them and the pan.

If the lids poped wouldn't that mean they are sealed?
I'm new at this and curious if your just being cautious or is there someting not mentioned?

If you push down on the center of the lide, if it goes down and pops up , then it is not sealed. If it is already popped and you push it down but it doe not pop up right away, it has sealed but has poor vacuum.

Xcaret--The popping does mean they sealed, but the trauma could have loosened the seal--especially on the one that popped after I picked it up. It had squirted a little, meaning there was sauce between seal and jar, so not ideal and probably not a long term seal. Also, the way the lids themselves buckled is a bad sign--kind of like dented cans at the supermarket. Doesn't mean the stuff inside is always bad, but can be one indication.

Basically, I knew the seal was not ideal and had the ability to fix it right away and just couldn't remember the proper steps. If I hadn't had room in my last batch, I may have either opened and froze them after they cooled, or refrigerated for quick use.

Also--I do generally use towels under as well, and put jars on the floor, but the island was actually empty, so I did it with the racks, as it's wood surface and didn't want the heat directly on. Sometimes my toddlers play musical jars with what they can reach on the floor.

balloonflower, the heat on your wooden island would not have hurt the wood, unless you have a finish that isn't heat resistant.

toddlers have so much fun to have around. Give them some rings and plastic jars that the rings fit. a pan with a wooden spoon. Before long, they'll be making 'jam' like mommy. That's what I did with my 'then' little ones. By the time they were in school, they helped with the rings and counting out how many lids (helps with counting). then of course, we counted the 'pings' while the jars sealed. To say the least, my kids helped from a few early age, and still know how to can at 30-38.

Marla - you must have been a child bride!

Ballonflower - what is your floor made out of? A butcherblock counter is great for putting hot pans (and I imagine jars) on - my parents have 1 on the left of their stove and my mom uses it all the time. If your floor is wood I can see why the jars didn't break, but the finish on the counter is probably more heat-resistant than the finish on the floor (and easier to repair if it does get damaged).

I have Formica so I have to use trivets.

The island we use a cheaper Ikea one that is not finished, so I do worry about heat and/or water damage. I use it for hot stuff short period, but am careful about hot/damp jars because it wasn't finished when we purchased it and we only did a couple quick coats of a sealant. The floor is large stone tiles (rent, so don't know exactly what). I used to just set my jars on some kitchen rugs, but realized that I ruined the rugs with the heat/damp (the rubber backing disintigrated in little canning jar circles). So, I switched to towels, but they were in the wash and island was empty...

And I do love cooking with my squirts, but right now they're at really tough active ages and constantly fighting (2 & 4). They are learning a lot (DH is a chef, and we do a lot with and without them--they even have little pink gingham chef toques). But, when I am alone with them, especially with such as canning and lots of hot, they are generally banished at this point. Soon, hopefully we'll be able to do more together, as they love to learn--they're a hoot watching help daddy with making pasta or when we're baking bread, and the older can crack eggs one-handed. But then there's things like the younger trying to chew on a veg peeler yesterday.

I was 18 when married and 19 when first son arrived. I was raised as the wife/homemaker type of woman, not working after any children arrived. So I learned the old ways from OLD women, at least 50 years older than me.

2 and 4 are 'fun' ages, they are so willing to help, but not quite ready for most. I was never able to keep my kids away from the kitchen, they just stayed away from the stove. I gave them old pans, jars (plastic) and lids/rings, and they 'canned'. They would put toys or whatever they could get in the jars, then seal them.

I always keep some of the older towel for kitchen/canning duty. I have several, after they are too bad for that, they become mechanic rags.

I don't think about ceramic or tile floors, since I've only had them for less than 6 months of my life. Depending on what finish you used, you could just use the wood.

Marla