# Not Looking For A Break Canning



## Rick (May 10, 2002)

I thought I'd see how many people have had the heartbreak I dread.

Rick


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

If you've had any break while pulling them or after putting them down, or if any of the little jars have cracked. please share.


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## Vickie44 (Jul 27, 2010)

No breakage but I still occasionally have siphoning issues !


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

Vickie44 said:


> No breakage but I still occasionally have siphoning issues !


Is that when food exits the jar in small bits; Is it to be expected?

I found this link : http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=8504&pst=1138449

We are going to back the head space back to just below the collar. Also lifting straight up and wiping instead of tilting seems to be a way to help insure the good seal.


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## joyfulheart (Mar 26, 2009)

Out of 800+ jars, I've had 2 quarts break-- both while doing pressure canning. I was using brand new jars, but they were that knockoff walmart brand (I was desperate for jars and that's all they had).. 

Only other jar breakages is when kiddo drops the jars. Not canning related though.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I don't remember how many broke but my grandma lost a few quarts in her years. When you consider how much she canned it really was a tiny amount. Mom has lost a few quarts too, offhand I say less than 5.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I have been pressure canning this week, pints & quarts, none broke or cracked. 11 pints, and 15 quarts.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

I've only lost jars once, and it was all my fault. Lost 7 qt of peaches last year when canning on my outside propane camp stove. I forgot to lower the flame once the water came to a boil...left it on "extreme high" when it only need to be on "low- medium" to keep it going.


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

Looks like the quarts are the ones that are more prone to breakage so far.. I guess it's the longer processing times.


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## cmtigger (Aug 19, 2011)

I can't really vote, but I've lost a pint in pressure- there doesn't appear to be anything for pressure canning alone. That's a single pint in over 10 years of canning, though.


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

cmtigger said:


> I can't really vote, but I've lost a pint in pressure- there doesn't appear to be anything for pressure canning alone. That's a single pint in over 10 years of canning, though.


Sorry the poll didn't cover pressure only. I should have made a paper copy. I'd say you technically qualify for no losses.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

One pint in about 35 years, I guess the jar was damaged before I loaded it. Pressure canning.

I should've inspected better. It's too much work to put up food and lose it to a bad jar. Perhaps I only checked the rims.


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## loghome mom (Oct 10, 2005)

Only in water baths and not very often considering how much I can. But when it happens it is such a mess!


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

My breakage is in the canner, I'll open the lid and see a mess Or I'll lift a jar out and the bottem and contents stay in the canner. I suspect it's uneven heat issues combined with jar weakness. I do alot of canning outside on diffrent cooking surfaces. This week I've been canning on a wood cookstove. No problems with jars, but the wind, it causes uneven heat , same as the gas burners. I have to put up wind blockage. Someday I'll get caught up and have the outside kitchen done.


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2011)

Had one quart break in the WB canner last year. That is one out of 600 or so I did last year and so far this year. I've taken my own "break" from canning for the last 2 weeks, but have a lot of tomatoes in the freezer, and my peppers have caught back up, probably get back in the swing of things this weekend.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

The only time I have had any broken jars was with making yogurt. The jars are sterilized (use my canner for that) and then put in the dehydrator at 215 deg for 8 hours. Then stored in the fridge. I make yogurt often, so these jars get used way more than most canning jars. 

I think I got a batch of quart jars that got dropped, as over several batches, I ended up loosing about 4 of them (bought a box of wide mouth quarts and this is the ONLY thing they were ever used for). I have not lost any for several batches, another reason why I think that one box got dropped and the jars damaged to begin with.

In three years of canning, pressure and BWB, I have not had a single jar break in the process. Last year I did 60 dozen jars, but well over half were first time use.

Becuase canning is popular in my area, getting used jars is near impossible, so almost all of my jars have only been used a few times.


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

Looks like quarts are 3 times as likely to break as pints. 



7thswan said:


> My breakage is in the canner, I'll open the lid and see a mess Or I'll lift a jar out and the bottem and contents stay in the canner. I suspect it's uneven heat issues combined with jar weakness. I do alot of canning outside on diffrent cooking surfaces. This week I've been canning on a wood cookstove. No problems with jars, but the wind, it causes uneven heat , same as the gas burners. I have to put up wind blockage. Someday I'll get caught up and have the outside kitchen done.


We were looking for 6 QTs and 1 Pt to be shot after improperly canning Spaghetti Sauce with meat last night.

We quite brilliantly did NOT seal our All American canner with veggie oil. Since this was our 3rd try at AA pressure canning we did not ABORT when we saw the steam escaping all around the lid. My gut feeling was correct in that we should abort, but we halted when we heard the boiling cease.

The mega BTU canning stove needed much more flame to keep 10 lbs pressure than Monday nights sauce. Luckily the boiling got quiet when the pressure dropped instantly to 8 lbs and we shut her down. We also heard 3 sounds of glass or metal creaking.

We openened up once pressure was gone, and inspected/ tested each jar. There was still 1/2 inch of-water. We lubricated the top of the canner wall and-added boiling water to the now canner with lubricated top and still boiling jars.

Tattler lids sealed after all of that. We'll be sure when the screw bands come off later.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

I lost 3 quart jars all in different loads about 3 years ago. My stove was on it's last leg and the only large burner left working had a choice of low heat or extreme heat. So still wanting to can i used the burner and sacrificed a few jars.


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

MacBaby...have you tried table top kefir grains in milk? I imagine you love the smooth consistancy of yogurt.


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

I've had a few jars break before. When the kitchen suddenly starts to smell like salsa, you know you've got trouble!


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

How do you handle the jar breakages? Does it affect the rest of your batch sometimes, or have you usually just lost one jar? I suppose you have to wait for the water to cool somewhat, then dump it through a strainer to catch glass bits. Sounds like something that really throws a wrench in an all day canning session.


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## jkhs (Sep 17, 2010)

In the last years I've lost three quarts to breakage. Considering the hundreds of quarts that I can each year, that's not too bad. Each jar has broken in the WB canner and has been an older jar. It really makes a mess and slows you down when you have to wait for it to cool, empty it out, clean it, then refill and wait for it to heat up again.


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## Steve L. (Feb 23, 2004)

Rick said:


> Looks like quarts are 3 times as likely to break as pints.


Not if there are more than 3 times as many quarts processed as pints (which is more likely the case).

Rick, I don't understand the last five poll choices. What are they for?


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## Wanderer (Aug 22, 2011)

There's no place on the poll for jars breaking under pressure canning only. Have never lost any in water bath, but have when pressure canning.


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

Steve L. said:


> Not if there are more than 3 times as many quarts processed as pints (which is more likely the case).
> [/QUOTE
> 
> Great point Steve. Supposition, but it could betrue.
> ...


I was trying to cover the possibilites, but 10 is not enough for 3bmethods and 2 sizes.


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## wanda1950 (Jan 18, 2009)

I had a quart of chili explode as I removed it from the pressure canner. It was a mason jar. Never could get an answer as to why. It was terrifying & the worst mess you ever saw.

I lost a pint in boiling water this season. It was a mayo jar.

I try to wait awhile before removing jars now & am careful to turn fans away or off.


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## kenworth (Feb 12, 2011)

It's a wonder I don't loose more jars. Many of mine have traveled across country back and forth IDK how man times. FL and AR to family members. When I was OTR and I saw a garage sale or a place that might have jars I would stop and buy, so those were well traveled also.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

blynn said:


> How do you handle the jar breakages? Does it affect the rest of your batch sometimes, or have you usually just lost one jar? I suppose you have to wait for the water to cool somewhat, then dump it through a strainer to catch glass bits. Sounds like something that really throws a wrench in an all day canning session.


Usally when they break( seems they are all Quarts) they will break cleanly into 2 pieces, the bottom and a part of one side will just come apart/off. Strange, I know.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

7thswan said:


> Usally when they break( seems they are all Quarts) they will break cleanly into 2 pieces, the bottom and a part of one side will just come apart/off. Strange, I know.


I had one, a pint, do that earlier today. I started to lower it into the canner and the bottom of the jar just "popped" off. Hmmm. I didn't think about dumping out the water and starting over. Do you think I need to worry? No food bits went into the water. I was canning dill pickle spears.


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

kenworth said:


> It's a wonder I don't loose more jars. Many of mine have traveled across country back and forth IDK how man times. FL and AR to family members. When I was OTR and I saw a garage sale or a place that might have jars I would stop and buy, so those were well traveled also.


I recently moved, and packed a lot of my canning jars in old socks to keep them safe.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Tommyice said:


> I had one, a pint, do that earlier today. I started to lower it into the canner and the bottom of the jar just "popped" off. Hmmm. I didn't think about dumping out the water and starting over. Do you think I need to worry? No food bits went into the water. I was canning dill pickle spears.


No, I would not worry, you had your lids on and nothing should get in.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Thanks 7thswan. I didn't think I needed to worry, but that little worry seed has a way of making you overthink everything. Plus I really didn't want to throw away the remaining four jars--they just look darn pretty.

Now off to finish with a batch of bread & butter pickles.


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## julieq (Oct 12, 2008)

I haven't lost a pint jar in eons, but average about one quart every couple of years. A lot of my jars are pretty old, so I'm surprised I don't lose more.


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## Rick (May 10, 2002)

Thanks for the input folks. Looks like quarts will be the type jar likely to ruin one of my days. 

I was adding various percentages here and coming up with over 100. That's right multiple answers were allowed.


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## Catalytic (Sep 15, 2010)

I canned 275 jars (quarts, pints, half-pints, and quarter-pints) this year and zero breaks. About 10 years ago, I did have some breakage, but I can't remember which processing method I was using, nor jar size. I do know back then I was using mayo jars along with canning jars, and I know it was just a few jars that broke.


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## MoonShine (Mar 17, 2003)

I've had broken quarts a couple of different times while water bathing them. I don't think I've ever had a jar break while pressure canning.


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## Anak (Jan 23, 2011)

We lost a Kerr quart jar this year pressure canning glazed carrots.

Most of my jars belonged to my grandparents. They've been around the block a time or three. I don't think I have anything to complain about.


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