Serious Canning Woes

[MamaHill]

I've had an awful day in the world of canning and need some advice on how to proceed.

 

I attempted to can 7 quarts of veggie soup today. I prepped it all and put in the canner. It steamed for 10 minutes and then I put the regulator on. The lid lock popped up within 2 minutes of me putting the regulator on.

 

Then -

 

My dial filled with condensation. And didn't even THINK about budging off of zero. But it had to have pressure inside, as the lid lock popped up. It was very wobbly on top of my canner - much more so than when I used it last week. But I haven't touched it since, so I have no idea why it is so loose. Once I realized the gauge was not going to move, I did the normal cool-down process (turn stove off, let canner cool, etc).

 

Obviously, I must get me a weighted gauge.

 

But for now, what in the world do I do with my 7 quarts of soup? I heard them ping, but I would assume they are not fit to eat since they didn't process 5 minutes, much less the hour and 15 mins it calls for.

 

Can they be re-processed within 24 hours?

Do I open them all and freeze the soup now?

 

I can't lose all of this soup - our money is SO very tight and this amount of fresh veggies aren't exactly cheap.

 

Also, I am getting about 13 pounds of green beans from our CSA tomorrow to can. I guess I just blanch those and freeze them?

 

I am so discouraged. (Did I mention I have three little ones under 5 years old? It is so hard to figure out how to can with them underfoot!)

 

I would love to have your expertise on what steps I should do next. I am not really sure where to go from here.

 

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cat]

I'll defer to Violet and C4C as far as re-processing. *I* would, but only *IF* I knew my canner was good and would work properly.

 

It sounds like you did everything right but the canner acted up.

 

Yes, you can just blanche and freeze the beans if your canner won't work.

 

I used to put my little ones to bed and *then* do the canning, but it sure messes you up the next day! Could you hire or "borrow" a local responsible child to watch the little ones in your home and presence while you can?

 

Once my kids were able to sit in a high chair and not eat it, I would give them homemade playdough to play with while I cooked or canned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Virginia]

Sounds like your dial came loose for some unknown reason. They can be removed to be replaced, but should be snug otherwise.

 

Violet will help you, but I agree on not using that canner again on your soup until you know it works. That is too much to lose. It can be frozen now. Wish you were close to me, I would come help you.

[Violet]

Either putting in the freezer or putting in the fridge and getting a different canner to use and reprocessing are your two choices. There is no way you can use that gauge. Even buying a new one, without it being tested before use will do you no good since even new gauges can be off by as much as 4 lb.

I do agree, getting the weights would be the easiest for you to use from now on. It will cost you about 10 to 15 dollars for the set, though.

Do you have someone you can borrow a canner from ?

I am so sorry. At least you can freeze the soup if nothing else so it will be food stored for you. Yes, go ahead and either blanch the beans and freeze or make pickled dill beans.

 

[Homemaker]

Make sure you allow a few inches of air space in those jars before you freeze them. I had several jars break until I learned you need more than just an inch. It'd be a shame to lose your soup and your jars.

Sorry about your canning disapointment.

[MamaHill]

I can't thank you each enough for answering!

 

This might sound like a dumb question, but... I can just freeze them right in the jars that I tried to process in? Some of them sealed - I just open the lid, take out some of the soup (so it won't crack) and put the lid and ring back on?

 

Unfortunately, I know no one else that cans. Isn't that a shame?? Well, besides my mother and she was at my house helping me. We are both very new to canning so we share our canner.

 

I'm assuming I'll HAVE to freeze it, since I can't get a weighted gauge locally. I've looked at our local hardware stores, and they don't carry that kind of thing. So I looked in the thread that is pinned and found the 3-piece weighted gauge that I should buy. So I am off to do that now.

 

Again, THANK YOU each for getting back with me! I'm so appreciative for your kind responses!

 

[Crazy4Canning]

Yes, just take some soup out and freeze it. You will want to get some of those white lids from Ball though. These are SO easy to get off, even when the food is frozen. The lids and rings are ok, but they can really stick in the freezer. The plastic white lids are fabulous!

[Violet]

MamaHill,

It will be fine to freeze. At least you can save that soup. I know how tight money is these days. Glad we could help find a solution for you now.

The weight set will really help you out. You can listen to it jiggle away and be at the sink or filling jars, etc.

 

[Jori]

MamaHill~

I have 2 under the age of 3 so I'm in a similar situation. I try and get up before everyone else does and do as much "prepping" before they wake up that way I can try and squeeze a little in if they are behaving/occupied. DS usually goes down for a nap in the morning and I try to do as much as possible then as DD will watch her learning shows (PBS) or play with playdough or color. She will "help" me, too, stirring jam or butter before they start to boil or help snap beans. She helped DH "find" corn last year (she was 1 1/2 then) but was more interested in running around outside this year. But like Cat, I do the bulk of my canning after they go to bed. The other thing I have found that works is I'll can for a little while and then we'll go outside and play or go do something and then I can go back and do more later. Production is reduced but I can spend time with the kids and still get some canning done.

 

Good Luck!

Jori

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Necie]

If you decide to reprocess the frozen jars of soup, make sure you take them out and let them thaw, dump into pot on stove and reheat before refilling clean sterilized jars and use new sterilized lids. Never put cold jars of food into canner....the bottoms will blow out! (Ask me how I know. )

[Necie]

Once my kids were able to sit in a high chair and not eat it, I would give them homemade playdough to play with while I cooked or canned.

 

 

 

 

Play-dough *is* non-toxic......but, yeah.... Make your own and then you're *for sure*.