# wide mouth versus regular mouth



## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i seem to be noticing when i pressure can w/ wide mouth jars i lose liquid in my jars but i dont seems to with reg jars. not a problem water bathing though. has anybody else noticed this?


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

The larger mouth and the wider shoulders on the jars do make them a bit more prone to siphoning during pressure canning when the conditions for siphoning exist. But since we humans cause the siphoning conditions, we can eliminate them.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

refresh my memory--what i am i doing to cause shiphoning? (not being sarc--just fairly new to pressure canning)


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

The most frequent cause is altering the pressure levels inside the canner by adjusting the heat source too much or too frequently during processing. Frequent adjustment of the heat levels in an effort to keep the gauge set right on a certain # of lbs. should be avoided. It is better to let it go a bit higher than to turn down the heat to try to keep it on 11 lbs. or such.

The next most common cause is not waiting the required 10 mins. between removing the weight off the vent tube when the canner returns to zero and removing the lid itself or removing the weight BEFORE the canner has truly zeroed out.

Third most frequent cause is food packed to tightly in the jars or food cooked down to too thick a level before jarring. As the food heats it expands and it or the liquid in it is forced out of the jar.

Then there the misc. causes like failure to remove all the air bubbles from the jars, bringing the PC up to pressure too quickly, not fully venting the PC before putting the weight in place, imperfect seals from rim nicks or trying to reuse lids, bands not screwed on tightly enough or bands that are dented causing inconsistent contact with the lid. 

Hope this helps.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Can I ask, how do you remove air bubbles from something like a jar full of chicken? Or potatoes? I tried but after they came out of the canner there was bubbles galore. 

How can you get air bubbles out of the jar when the jar isn't packed full? When there is bulk food in the jar with large gaps how can you possibly get all the air out?


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Mare, if you'll go to this thread: 

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=359060&highlight=pressure+canner

and the 8th post by Judylou it should help. I printed it out and taped it to the inside of my cabinet door as reference when I pressure can. I still need the play by play to feel confident enough to get it right. 

GL!


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Removing air bubbles is an important and standard step in canning so if the jar is packed so tightly that you can't get a thin plastic or non-metallic tool of some kind down the 4 sides or the jar and move the food around enough to get the bubbles out then the jar is over-packed and needs to have a bit removed.

Air trapped in finished jars is an indication of either a) over-packed jars or b) too thick food (such as applesauce etc.). So if it is a consistent problem for you then try packing a bit less in your jars and/or thinning down too-thick sauces just a little - it doesn't take much - before filling the jars.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

i think my sin is over adjusting. there is a spot where it seems to be just right--i was gonna mark it with a magic marker but i forgot. the problem is it takes alot to get it in the right spot. sometimes i just cant seem to get it. sometimes the pressure goes up to 14. how does this affect the outcome--does it make for mush food?


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

judylou said:


> .
> 
> The next most common cause is not waiting the required 10 mins. between removing the weight off the vent tube when the canner returns to zero and removing the lid itself or removing the weight BEFORE the canner has truly zeroed out.


Thanks! I had forgotten this one.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

[The next most common cause is not waiting the required 10 mins. between removing the weight off the vent tube when the canner returns to zero and removing the lid itself or removing the weight BEFORE the canner has truly zeroed out.

well i guess i didnt know this either--my second sin!!! i am gonna have to take the advice about taping a copy of this inside my cabinet. thanks for all the info


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

I had forgotten about it too - probably why I heard such a loud BANG when I encouraged the lid of my AA to open a couple of nights ago! Woke DH up - I've had a couple of canning accidents and he wasn't looking forward to whatever he might find in the kitchen


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

Marilyn said:


> I had forgotten about it too - probably why I heard such a loud BANG when I encouraged the lid of my AA to open a couple of nights ago! Woke DH up - I've had a couple of canning accidents and he wasn't looking forward to whatever he might find in the kitchen


oh no


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