# Liquid leaks from canned meat



## Nina (May 10, 2002)

We just started doing canned meat (chicken and beef). We've only done relish before this. Got an AA 'cause the Presto wasn't up to the job anymore. I was wondering if the head room DH was leaving wasn't a bit too little. It was just at the area of the ring-thread area on the jars (wide-mouth pints). Liquid had obviously oozed out of some of the jars during processing. And one jar wasn't "boiling" when we pulled them out. That jar made me uncomfortable and so when it was cool, I put it into the fridge.
Does anyone know if the leakage is normal or will it cause a problem?  They seem to have all sealed quite well. Is there some explanation for the one that wasn't boiling when pulled out of the canner? I'm hoping we haven't ruined 16 pints of meat.


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## fetch33 (Jan 15, 2010)

As long as you processed according to the required time and the jars sealed they should be ok.


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## tinknocker66 (Jul 15, 2009)

leaking usually occours when cooled to fast. ( jars have more pressure inside than the canner ). Id suggest at proper time turn off burner and let sit a bit longer and see how that works.


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

HI Nina
The down-dimple in the center of your lid should be the final deteriminate for whether your batch was sucessful or not. If the dimple is down, then the can is sealed. I would ignore whether or not and individual jar is boiling or not.

In my own experience, I've had more seal failures when trying to get the finished jars out of the canner as fast as possible. I get better results when I let the canner cool down before cracking it open.

By the way, are you doing the chicken and beef together or in two seperate batches? Most likely depending on what you are canning the processing times for each would be different.


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## Nina (May 10, 2002)

Thank you all for your input, 'tis very much appreciated! We're doing some pints of chicken and some pints of beef, both in the same canner at the same time. Our understanding has been that both can be raw-packed and processed at 10 lbs. for 75 min. with a half tsp. of salt in each. 
Btw, does anyone know if stew beef will become more tender this way or am I going to be cooking it another 4 hrs (or have I made wet beef jerky)?

Michael, have you not done mixed batches? It seemed like a good way to use all the space in the canner. DH wants to defrost some meat and can it. I'm going to need more info on that before I'm comfortable about it.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

As long as the processing time is the same you can certainly do mixed batches. I do it all the time.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Nina said:


> Thank you all for your input, 'tis very much appreciated! We're doing some pints of chicken and some pints of beef, both in the same canner at the same time. Our understanding has been that both can be raw-packed and processed at 10 lbs. for 75 min. with a half tsp. of salt in each.
> Btw, does anyone know if stew beef will become more tender this way or am I going to be cooking it another 4 hrs (or have I made wet beef jerky)?
> 
> Michael, have you not done mixed batches? It seemed like a good way to use all the space in the canner. DH wants to defrost some meat and can it. I'm going to need more info on that before I'm comfortable about it.


It should come out very tender.

I just started canning meats and canned some beef chuck and decided to go ahead and use one is soup. It was very tender..


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## Sparkey (Oct 23, 2004)

" Got an AA 'cause the Presto wasn't up to the job anymore"

just curious...what was the problem with the Presto ?


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## Nina (May 10, 2002)

DH wanted to store some things in water, long-term. He put the items in the presto canner and filled it 2/3rds with water. Well water. The ph was a bit off and the water pitted the inside and in one small spot ate a hole right through it.


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## Nina (May 10, 2002)

Yesterday's batch turned out very well. Thanks for the good advice. One more question, though. There is fat at the top of most of the jars and I'm wondering if it will get rancid over time. Does it need to be removed when the jars get opened?


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## MichaelK! (Oct 22, 2010)

Nina said:


> Michael, have you not done mixed batches? It seemed like a good way to use all the space in the canner. DH wants to defrost some meat and can it. I'm going to need more info on that before I'm comfortable about it.


I always go by processing time. If the two processing times are equal I would have no problem doing them together. If the two times were different, I'd ALWAYS use the longer of the two times.

I have two different canners, both 15 psi, to choose from. So, in my kitchen the batch size dictates which canner to use, the canner does not dictate what the batch size should be. BTW, I bought both canners used at the flea market, replaced the gaskets, and validated the temperatures of both with autoclave sterilization thermometers.
http://www.fishersci.com/wps/portal...ve||thermometers&highlightProductsItemsFlag=Y


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Hi Nina - not to get too technical but the liquid loss you are experiencing is officially named "siphoning" and it has several different possible causes. Here is info on some of the causes: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/general/cannedfoodproblems.html and if you use siphing as the search term you can find even more. It isn't 'normal' and can and should be eliminated with some practice and care.

But meanwhile the meat is safe to eat. 

You also might want to review the guidelines on canning meat http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can5_meat.html and learn about how it needs to be de-fatted before canning. Cooling for several hours, or even overnight, in the fridge will make most of it congeal and then most of it can be easily removed before re-heating the meat before canning it.

This won't remove all of it, a thin layer will remain on top of each jar but as long as the lid seals there is a vacuum in the jar and it cannot turn rancid. Be sure to wash all the jars down well with hot soapy water before shelf storing and be sure to remove the rings/bands too.

Enjoy your home canned foods. 

PS: The one jar that wasn't boiling just means that the ring/band wasn't screwed down tight enough. It is still safe to eat.


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## Nina (May 10, 2002)

Thanks, Judylou! I'd missed the uga "problems" page (will pass this on to DH, too) and am glad, also, to know that the fats won't turn rancid and that the non-boiling one is still okay. Funny how worrisome canning can be and yet so rewarding.

MichaelK!, thanks for the link. I'm leery enough of pressure canners, so to buy one second hand one must certainly be knowledgeable! And, po boy, thanks to you I won't mind waiting a while to find out about the texture of the stew beef.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Now I'm thinking. Been canning venison for ages and don't recall a single jar that I haven't had to wipe some fatty scum off of and that included simple raw pack which ended up with 2" of head space. It can't be from the meat swelling and forcing the excess out under the flats as the chances of sealing would be almost nil. Can't be from excess liquid being forced out when there is so little to start with. It can only be from fat and other liquids in the meat turning to steam and simply venting as they expand. If they didn't, the lids would bulge or the jars explode. The above results also happened with 7 pints of rabbit canned a few weeks ago. So, what happened to Nina would appear to have been normal for canning meat. 

Martin


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Be sure to allow that AA to cool down to "0" pressure, before removing the lid on the canner. Good Luck!!


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