Food canning and processing frustrations

[razz]

For years, I have canned tomatoes, salsa and applesauce among many others. This year for the first time I am having a heck of a time getting my jars to seal using the same pressure canner, new lids and same process.
I got so frustrated after another batch failed to seal for the second time that I stopped and took my dog for a walk.

I met a neighbour who advised that the new snap lids now only usable within 18 months of purchase. I bought these in August 2019. I further researched online and found that since 2014, the lids have such a thin film of sealer that they must not be simmered in water ahead but simply washed and placed on the hot contents in the jar before being placed in the canner.


Anyone else canning food? How are you making out?

[herbgeek]

I've not had any issues. I do not boil the lids, sometimes I use them "cold" and sometimes I prewarm them in a bowl with some hot water. I use a steam canner, but I do not think that would make any difference. I can pickles, relish, tomatoes and jams.

One thing to ask: are you wiping the top surface of the jars with a wet paper towel before putting on the lids? I've found that if there is a speck of debris present, that sealing often won't happen.

[razz]

I am doing all the careful steps that I have done for years including the wiping but until now I have boiled the snap lids which was required to soften the sealant. I am doing another batch with heated salsa into hot jars, topped with fresh washed cold lids and rings, venting and now waiting for the 20 minutes of processing time to complete. We'll see.

[razz]

OK, I did another batch with cold lids and three sealed with a snap so far.
I wanted add the link to the info about the sealant changes - https://livinghomegrown.com/changes-...id-procedures/

[happystuff]

I no longer to much canning, but I do use my jars and lids for storing dried foods, which should be air tight but not vacuum sealed. Thanks for the info!

[thinkgreen]

Thank you Razz. I did have trouble with crabapple jelly and plum jelly jars not sealing. I took the old fashioned route and used some paraffin wax to seal them. I believe that will be sufficient for the short time they will be on the shelf.

[bae]

Thanks for the safety tip!

[Tradd]

Razz, depending on how long you’ve been canning, perhaps it might not be a bad idea to get the newest edition of the Ball Canning Book.

[Simplemind]

I've always felt a bit overwhelmed by actual canning. We have been using food sealer and freezing our produce. Although I have frozen some tomatoes I often take the opportunity to make tomato sauce and then put it in a freezable recipe to be used later. We are stocked up for chili, lasagna, cabbage roll soup etc. We have a huge crop of apples and pears. We freeze slices for both. Many, many bags of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries. I've been making berry jam.
Every day has been a day of waking up and deciding what crop is going to be processed for the day. I have been putting bags of pears,apples and tomatoes together and committing drive by fruitings.
Very interesting about the lids. My sister cans and there has been a scramble in our area for any kind of supplies. So many extra gardens this year.

[KayLR]

I don't do a ton of canning anymore, but make up small batches of chutneys and relishes on occasion during the growing season. I did notice the thinner layer of rubber on the lids this year. I chalked it up to the cheaper quality of most everything nowadays. I don't usually boil my lids anymore as I heard you don't really need to, but I do soften them in a pan of warm water before using them. ETA: I haven't had any sealing fails this season.