My seals messed up!!

[daisies518]

I'm so sad!! The seals on two quarts of DH's beans messed up!! It's been a week since they were canned, and we were sitting in the living room watching a movie and I heard one pop. Why would they do that after a week? Do I need to start checking all of my jars? Will they randomly do that? Now I'm freaking out that all of my hard work will go to waste!! is stressing me out!!

[Darlene]

(((((daisies)))))

 

I know you're frustrated and nervous but don't stress...we ALL come across jars like that. Right before I moved, I was cooking something and needed some of my home canned chicken broth to make a sauce.

 

I went to the cupboard and got a couple and checked the seal and it was no good.

 

Now...either I didn't check the seal well enough after I first processed them (NOT), or it wasn't as tight as it appeared and over a little time, unsealed.

 

THIS IS WHY WE ALWAYS CHECK THE SEALS BEFORE WE GO TO USE OUR HOME CANNED PRODUCTS, no matter if they're 24 hours old, or 24 weeks old. Most times, it will not be a bad reflection on our skill as home canners, but a natural fluke for a variety of reasons that effects all of us.

 

To minimize this happening, just go over all the things on the *to do list*...steralize jars, wipe rims after placing foods inside and before sealing, screw rings on tight enough but not too tight, etc etc etc.

 

Calm down, check your other jars, and if their seal seems ok, then you can reasonably relax and trust that they will continue to be ok.

[daisies518]

Thanks for the hugs!! I needed them!! Do you think I need to dump the contents? I know for a fact they were sealed 2 days ago, and when I heard one pop I put them in the fridge. Do you think we can eat them or freeze them? Thinking of throwing 2 quarts out just makes me sick!! I know if I just went into the pantry and found them popped and had no idea how long they'd been like that I should dump them. I think I know why it happened, too. I was a little too eager and opened the pressure canner too soon (it was depressurized, but didn't have the extra 10 min cool off) and a couple of the jars bubbled over. I'll bet it's these!! Ugghhh!! I know, I know. Patience is a virtue. You see, it's really hard when you're not Jesus and you want to see those pretty jars!!!

[Darlene]

Originally Posted By: daisies518

Patience is a virtue. You see, it's really hard when you're not Jesus and you want to see those pretty jars!!!

ROFL! You are TOO funny...lol...and I can so OVER relate...lol

It will depend how long they were *sitting out* after you processed them before you realized the seal was bad and put them in the fridge. A couple of hours or a couple of days?

[Cat]

You're probably right about opening the canner too soon.

 

 

But there have been times I've had "Golden Harvest" brand lids fail. Just that brand. I trust Ball and Kerr.

[Andrea]

daisies - sorry about your beans. It's so frustrating to have to toss out hard work and possibly good food. But I would definitely err on the side of safety. It has been more than 24 hours (If something doesn't seal in this time, it needs to be refrigerated and eaten within a few days or re-processed) and I'm assuming they've been sitting out at room temperature for the past week? If this is so, they definitely need to be tossed. Sorry. I know it's hard, but the possible side effects of improperly prepared food could be even harder.

[daisies518]

Thanks ladies!! It's so painful!! But I guess I learned my lesson (well- hopefully!!) Those instructions in BBB saying to let it set for 10 mins. are no joke!!

[Violet]

You are funny, Daisies !

I am sorry about your dried beans. You know, this year more than any other year I have heard so many stories like yours about dried beans. I think the problem is that they are too thick. I have been telling folks to add more water, or if baked beans,etc. to thin them down. Seems to be helping out. I know headspace is really critical with dried beans since they swell so much and absorb so much of the liquid.

You need to dump them, sorry. It would truly not be worth getting really ill from a few jars of beans. If there was bacteria in the jars that caused them to come unsealed it could be very bad, even deadly. I know, I am sorry...

[daisies518]

Thanks Violet!! I am going to dump them. As hard as it will be for me, I think it would be even harder for DH b/c he cooked them!! They weren't dried beans. They were cooked and so incredibly fantastic!! He's an amazing cook!! Yeah ladies, that's right.....DH cooks. Eat your heart out!! Hahaha!! I'm just kidding. But seriously- it's a good thing he cooks, b/c if we had to depend on MY cooking skills alone, we'd be eating everything 'cajun style' (aka- burned!!) I don't like to cook real food. I do it, but it's b/c I like eating out for every meal of every day even less. I like to cook dessert!! Chewy peanut butter brownies.....mmmmmmm!!!!

[Virginia]

My sister and I have both noticed that if anything is going to lose its seal, after some time, it will likely be dried beans, that were cooked prior to processing. Don't know why, we figure something to do with continued swelling, which seems impossible, but who knows.

[HSmom]

I can beans a lot (chili, pizza beans, soups, etc) and don't have any more trouble with seals than I do with anything else.

[mommato3boys]

Originally Posted By: daisies518

Twe'd be eating everything 'cajun style' (aka- burned!!)

It's not burned it, it is blackened

[Leah]

If it's only dark brown, it's caramellized...

[daisies518]