Good thing the lid was on

[tamidon]

Did you know that glass jars of jam can explode while being canned? Well they can. Got up and took Adira to pick blueberries this morning. Picked 13.5#, of which 2#'s got turned in to sugar free jam. This is where the exploding came in. Probably an old jar that got a weakness somewhere. Tomorow I'll make several jars of blueberry pie filling and some sugar based jam, then feeze the rest for pancakes and such. Off to Greenwich now to pick up Alyssa, who has spent the weekend at my mother's exceedingly stuffy country club(all white tennis wear only) with my mother, and watch the fireworks there before driving home tonight. Mark wil be taking Adira to Nara Park in Acton MA which has a nice display apparently.

Comments

Try this..

[sarahshevett.livejournal.com]

Did you know you don't need to water bath can jams and jellies?
This method I have been using for many many years..
I heat the jars in the oven. When the jam is ready,take jars out one at a time. I take the jam off the heat and pour the jam into the hot jars. Screw on lids and rings, and turn each jar over to sterilize just for a minute or so. After a minute or so turn jars back upright and let cool. ( usually leave a jar upside down for the time it takes me to fill the next jar and turn it over; then I go back and turn the previous jar upright)

Voila!
There's so much sugar in the jams and jellies there's no chance for contamination. That and the fact you have boiled the sht out of it at extremely high temperatures.

I never even get any mold. And I don't get broken jars either. ( I hate that waste)

Re: Try this..

[tamidon.livejournal.com]

This was specifically a nosugar jam for diabetics which is different altogether, and needs more headspace as well. Not properly sterilising in a waterbath would make me very uncomfortable in any case, but my years of culinary training has me more aware of food sanitation issues than most people.

Re: Try this..

[sarahshevett.livejournal.com]

I see now that this was a non sugar jam...
The jars are sterilised in the oven (250 deg),and the jam is heated to 220 deg , but I understand your food fear. You don't have to do the jars that way, I was just sayin...
BTW my husband also has many years of culinary training, also has food fear, but goes with this method.
Just a suggestion as to how I avoid broken jars!

[donnad.livejournal.com]

I've had a jar or two blow in my time. Tomato sauce makes a real mess in the bath. But it happens occasionally.

No sugar jams do need the bath to seal them, But I have done the regular jams without a bath as well. Personally I prefer to do them all in the bath, just for safety.

[aliza250.livejournal.com]

This is why the instructions tell you never to use metal implements to get food out of canning jars.

I need to use up all the fruit in my freezer before I can start buying canning fruit for this year's madness. I also need to use up tomato sauce, plum jam, pickled peaches, and spicy mango chutney. (The only way to use up the incredibly yummy plum jam before plum season will be to give away lots of jars. Maybe I'll make everyone who wants a jar of jam take a few zucchini with it. *evil grin*)

Last year I ran out of canning jars many times before I found out that Canadian Tire stocks all of the common sizes year-round.

[tamidon.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping to not have to buy any tomato product all winter if I get enough done. Chutney is good in curried chicken salad.