Running into problems while you're canning? If you're a beginning canner, the most common problem is that your lids won't seal. For some easy troubleshooting, read these 5 Reasons Why Your Canning Lids Aren't Sealing and what to do about it!
5 Reasons Your Canning Lids Won't Seal and What to Do About It
If you are a beginning canner, one of the common frustrations you might experience is when your lids won’t seal. A proper seal is the best way to ensure proper canning and the only way to keep your canned food fresh. The truth is there are a handful of reasons why jars won’t seal, but the good news is that many of them are quick fixes. Consider this your canning troubleshooting! Take a look below at 5 reasons your canning lids won’t seal and what to do about it.
5 Reasons Your Canning Lids Won't Seal and What to Do About It
1. The jar rim wasn’t clean.
In order for the lid to get a good seal, the jar rim should be nice and clean. There should be no trace of food, spillage, grease, residue, or anything else that could stand between the lid and a good seal. Even the smallest trace can be an issue, so keep the rims clean. Always wipe rims after you will the jars and see what a difference it makes.
2. Your product isn’t hot enough.
If you don’t pour hot product into the jar, you won’t get the vacuum effect that is needed to create the seal. Make sure you are pouring in hot ingredients and not letting the mixtures cool before adding them in. Allowing the mixture to cool can affect the vacuum.
3. The sealing compound wasn’t softened.
Are you seeing how important heat is? If your lids are cool or cold and the compound is hard, you won’t get a good seal. Lids require some warmth for the sealing compound to remain soft and pliable. In some cases, after the lids are used so many times the compound may be worn down. In this case, it is just time to replace the lids. Your jars are still fine, you just need new lids and rings for future canning.
4. You didn’t hear the “ping.”
Any canner will tell you how important the ping is! When your jars are in their bath you will hear a ping sound indicating the seal has secured. If you haven’t heard this noise (the ping sound is made when the lid “pops” in the center) then your jars need to cook longer. Listen carefully for the ping so you know sealing has happened.
5. You didn’t watch the timer.
Most recipes come with specific instructions on how long the product should be in the water bath for. It is so important to follow these directions and invest in a minute timer so you are precise with your recipe. Not noting the recipe time and not following it accordingly can cause all sorts of errors such as jars failing to seal.
Did this help you seal your jars? What is your biggest canning problem? Tell me in the comments!
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janis L jordan says
I have been canning for years and I had five of ten jars of jelly not seal. I was in shock. What do I do about this mess.