Canning Question

[Bird]

Never heard of anyone covering the jars with water. Even your wife is using more water than we ever did. We put just enough water to get about half way up the sides of the jars. We didn't have many jars fail to seal, but when we did, we just put those in the refrigerator (after they cooled good, of course) and used them first. Sounds like you did about the same thing.

 

[jimg]

In my experience its a combination of trapped air and lack of head space. Not sure what each contributes and this is just a seat of the pants guess. However, your cooker manual should discuss all this.

When I can beans the recipe calles for and inch or 2 of head space...cant recall exactly how much. It also says a wooden spoon should be worked gently around the inside of the jar (once its packed) to bring trapped air to the top. Not sure but I also think head space depends too on what youre canning. As I said though your cooker book should talk about all this...its a good read for sure.

 

[mjfox6]

My pressure canner has a line about 3 inches from the bottom of the canner for filling the water. It is very hard to see.

The lids are supposed to expand during the canning process to exhaust the excess air as it expands, that is why the lids snap down and seal when they are cooling and the air contracts. That is also why you are only supposed to tighten the bands "finger tip tight."