# DO some jars crack during processing?



## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

Today I made some really tasty Peach and Habanero Jelly.
I got the white peaches from a neighbor and bought the peppers today at the local flea market. I didnt make alot as I was testing the recipe out.
Boy does it taste good tho so here is the recipe if anyone is interested

3 cups diced peaches
6 peppers diced
1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 oz pectin

mnnn mnmnn mnnnn

Anyway I filled 2 small jars (used saved from something I bought at the store) that I thought Id keep in the fridge.

I had a used Ball Pint Mason Jar and a set of new lids and rings. I thought I'd can just the one pint and send to my Dad who lives in Florida.

I put the jar in a large pot of water on the stove. Right as it was about to start boiling I pulled the jar out and filled it with the hot peach jelly that I had simmering in a pan. I tightened the lid, placed back in the pot which was starting to slow boil and walked away. About a min later I heard a noise from the pot, went to investigate, and darn it if the jar didnt crack all the way around the bottom and all the jelly was coming out. 

Did I do something wrong or does this thing just sometimes happen?

thank you for the help


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## PixieLou (May 1, 2010)

Was the jar sitting directly on the bottom of the pot? Jars are prone to crack if sitting directly on the bottom. You need to elevate the jar a bit - either on a canning rack, a cake rack, some extra canning bands, or even a dish towel.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Agree about the need to elevate the jars if you didn't. But when the jars bottoms crack around the bottom like that it is due to thermal shock and caused by the difference in the temperature between the water in the canner, which was much hotter, and the jar and its contents. Guidelines say to heat your water in the canner to 180 degrees and no more. Yours was 212 if it was already starting to boil. That's a 30 degree or more difference since your peaches were just simmering.


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## crispin (Jun 30, 2010)

Yes the jar was sitting on the bottom.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

Another problem with it sitting directly on the bottom is bubbles will form directly under the jar and cause it to rapidly bounce up and down - I don't think they handle that type of pounding well. 

I routinley bring my water up to boiling and then turn it down while I fill the jars, then put them back in (on a rack or towel) and turn the heat back up. Never had one crack from doing that. BTW - I don't mean to do this, usually I'm not paying enough attention and I've got a full boil going before I know it.

The only jars I have had crack were 4 wide mouth quarts I use for yogurt. I use the canner to sterilize them, so didn't even get any pressure and over time(like from the 3rd to the 5th use) four cracked - right along the bottom. I figure someone dropped the box on an edge and those four jars got damaged. I have not had problems with the other 8 and they have been used several times since.


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## PNWest (Mar 15, 2010)

Somewhere along the time line; I seem to remember my elders/ancients claiming the all jars had a definate life. Most of these jars were boiled in a copper boiler, but my mentors figured about 10 boilings in the life of a jar.

Don't quote me, but jars do break. Some are just mismade. But always use a trivit when canning. Your jelly sounds great. Enjoy.


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## rugerman1 (Mar 8, 2010)

PrestoÂ® Pressure Canning Frequently Asked Questions


> *Q. Why do jars break during processing?*
> A. Jars break during processing for the following reasons:
> â¢ Canner became dry during the processing period. This is caused by either a steam leakage in your canner, which means you need a new part, or by using insufficient water for the processing period.
> â¢ Commercial jars (peanut butter, mayonnaise, etc.) were used instead of the recommended glass home canning jars.
> ...


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

PNWest said:


> Somewhere along the time line; I seem to remember my elders/ancients claiming the all jars had a definate life. Most of these jars were boiled in a copper boiler, but my mentors figured about 10 boilings in the life of a jar.
> 
> Don't quote me, but jars do break. Some are just mismade. But always use a trivit when canning. Your jelly sounds great. Enjoy.


I am using jars from the 1930's still, year after year
I have more problems with chips in the tops from not being careful enough storing them


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## upnorthlady (Oct 16, 2009)

No matter how hard you try to do everything just right, sometimes jars DO crack! I had one crack this year so far. That's 1 jar out of 175 so far.


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