# breaking jars



## jamala (May 4, 2007)

Ok everyone twice yesterday I had jars break on me. The first time I was canning potatoes and a jar "cracked" all the way up. The second I was canning tomatoes and the bottom busted out of the jar. Questions: Are the other 6 quarts of food safe to eat, even though they were in a canner with a broken one? Second, what could be wrong? This has happened before but one like 1 jar in a whole canning season never 2 in one day. Thanks everyone, I was using a presure canner if that makes a difference not a BWB.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Yes, the other jars of food are fine.

Reason for breaking? Hmmmm.....were they mayo jars? Did you accidently drop a knife into the jars when emptying the contents? Was the food hot when the jars were filled? (Placing cold food in the jars would subject the jar to temperature stresses when placed in the canner)

I've had the bottom break out when using mayo jars. If the side broke out there may have been a weak point in the mold seam.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

Everytime I have had that happen it was either the food not being warm enough, jars not being warm enough, or some of those cruddy harvest time jars.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Thermal shock is the usual cause - too hot food going into jars that weren't heated up well first OR jars of food have cooled down too much before putting them into the hot water in the BWB or PC. But yes, the others jars are safe to eat. They weren't affected.

Too many canners fill all their jars even if there isn't room for all of them in on batch of processing. They will fill 10 qts when the canner only holds 7 for example. The rest sit on the counter waiting and cooling and then break when put in the canner. We are supposed to only fill jars for one canner load at a time. Keep the rest of the food hot until the first batch is done and then fill the second round of jars.


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## Pouncer (Oct 28, 2006)

Two hints for keeping your jars hot:

As you assemble you food for canning, either keep your jars in (yet another) large pot of hot water.....or, pour some boiling water into them while they wait on the counter for you to fill them. 

I do the latter, and fill them about two thirds up with boiling water to keep the glass hot all the way to the rims. That said, it's typically fairly cool out when I do the majority of canning, so you may not need to fill as far. Just dump the water back into a pot to stay hot just before you fill, lid and process.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

I've mentioned this on other threads, but it hasn't been addressed on this one yet. I use to have a problem with broken jars (bottom blow out). Then I figured out that I was tightening the ring down too much. When I started to truly 'finger tighten' them I have not had a problem since. Finger tight meaning I tighten just until resistance is met. My theory was verified when I had a friend over and we were canning. I tightened down all of the jars except for one which my friend tightened (a pretty unique jar). The pretty jar broke around the base of the jar and my friend said that she really did tighten it down well.

I do not know why one jar would crack up the side, except that there was possibly an unseen weakness in that particular jar.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

I keep my jars in the oven on the lowest temp. That way they aren't in the way while I'm working on a canner load.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Good idea, Granny!


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## Solarmom (Jun 17, 2010)

I keep mine in the oven too, but after I've filled them and waiting on the next load. Is this ok to do?


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