# What is this mess and what did I do wrong?



## rhaige9 (Oct 31, 2010)

So I've been processing tomatoes. I grilled a batch, and last night I put two roasting pans full of tomatoes in the oven till they were bubbling in their own juices. I did this twice. I peeled off the skins, and de-seeded. I ran the seeds and the leftover pits stuck to the skins into a wire mesh strainer, and pressed till juice was in the bowl. I ended up with a whole mess of tomatoe pulp and 7 quarts of tomato juice. I tried canning the quarts tonight. Stuck them all in my big old giant pot. Took forever to to come to a boil. The whole time rocking and making horrible noises. I let it finally come to a boil, boiled for 20 mins, took off the lid, and turned off the stove. I have a lot of floaty junk in the water, and when I pulled out the jars, this is the mess I had. One jar looks like I thought they should all turn out. All the jars seemed to have sealed fine, they are all sunk in the middle. I should add this was my first practice run ever canning except for the jelly I did last year. The tomatoes are for the salsa and spaghetti sauce I want to make from all the tomato pulp. What is this mess, and what did I do wrong?


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

Water bath canning? The jars were rocking? Is there a rack for the jars to sit on? As far as the look of the jars, it looks like the lids may have been to loose which allowed water in/tomato sauce out. They can still seal when that happens.


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## rhaige9 (Oct 31, 2010)

Yes it was water bath canning. The whole darned pot was rocking as it heated up. It's a Big pot. I could fit a whole grocery store turkey in there if I wanted to with room to spare. Like I said, this was practice. I didn't want to ruin anything, and canning just water wouldn't allow me to see if I was doing anything wrong. I did waste a lot of tomato juice, but I feel a whole lot better about that not turning out right, and the salsa or spaghetti sauce having to be pitched to the pigs. I read all the time, "Finger tighten the bands," but I think i'm still learning how tight that is. Is the, don't use my whole fist to make them tight, turn only as tight as holding a few fingers on the band will make it?


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## Pam in KY (Jul 26, 2011)

Sounds like the bands were too loose to me too. I put mine on pretty tight - but don't crank 'em on with full strength either.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

you had it to hot....once it starts boiling you can cut the heat down.when tomato product gets super hot it does that.you need a gentle boil.you can shake the jar and sometimes it will mix back together.

did you use romas or a slicer tomato?

when you get rings to tight they will buckle and bend upwards as steam has to come out of jar someway.with the lids only finger tight air escapes like this.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

National Center for Home Food Preservation | How Do I? Can Tomatoes

you will get a nicer product if you blanch first...then cut and bring tomato to a boil then fill ya jars and then process in canner.have ya water bath hot before you start jarring tomatoes.the hot tomatoes will make jars hot enough they can go straigt in the warm water in canner.

good luck.


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## danielsumner (Jul 18, 2009)

To keep your juice from separating crush a couple inches of tomatoes in the bottom of your stockpot. Let this cook awhile till it's mush. Then start adding the rest of the tomatoes. It's like magic, no juice separation in the jar. Also, always let the water get hot before putting in the jars. A splash of white vinegar it the water will also keep the haze off the outside of your jars.


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## Kato2010 (Jun 24, 2012)

Agree. There's some kind of reaction in the heating that happens that causes separation. Starting a small amount at a boil, and adding small amounts to keep it all boiling will cut that back significantly. As far as juice goes, if it separates, just give the jar a shake before you use it, and it will be fine. 

I'm going to try that vinegar trick. Good idea.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

heres what mine look like when i doing as described


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## danielsumner (Jul 18, 2009)

Here's Mine


Crushed Tomatoes









Oven Roasted









Tomato Juice


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## rhaige9 (Oct 31, 2010)

Gah, I messed up all over. lol. I knew I needed to have the tomato juice hot before I put it in the jar, and it completely slipped my brain. I didn't have the water hot when the jars went in. By looks, I only had one jar tightened enough, and water slipped in the others. One even has a lower liquid level than when we started. Good thing this was just a practice. I'll do alot better with the salsa and spaghetti sauce.


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## danielsumner (Jul 18, 2009)

rhaige9 said:


> Gah, I messed up all over. lol. I knew I needed to have the tomato juice hot before I put it in the jar, and it completely slipped my brain. I didn't have the water hot when the jars went in. By looks, I only had one jar tightened enough, and water slipped in the others. One even has a lower liquid level than when we started. Good thing this was just a practice. I'll do alot better with the salsa and spaghetti sauce.


I put my tomatoes in the jars straight from the still cooking stockpot. Fill about four or so jars and put the lids on, bans go on snug, but not tight. They can then set for awhile till there is room in the water-bath. I get amused that some will ping even before the processing.


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

danielsumner said:


> Here's Mine
> 
> 
> Crushed Tomatoes
> ...


Dude, you always give me pantry envy!


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## partndn (Jun 18, 2009)

elkhound said:


> heres what mine look like when i doing as described


And you do too!


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

rhaige9 said:


> Gah, I messed up all over. lol. I knew I needed to have the tomato juice hot before I put it in the jar, and it completely slipped my brain. I didn't have the water hot when the jars went in. By looks, I only had one jar tightened enough, and water slipped in the others. One even has a lower liquid level than when we started. Good thing this was just a practice. I'll do alot better with the salsa and spaghetti sauce.


Do you have a Ball Blue Book canning book? Please don't be insulted, but it kind of sounds like you were flying by the seat of your pants. LOL


Anyhow, canning is fun, but you've got to read, read, read and do what the experts say, or you could get hurt or sick.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Tomato Sauce & Stewed Tomatoes










Pasta Sauce










I always freeze my tomatoes right from the garden. When I accumulate enough, I put them in hot water. The skins slip right off. I strain off the excess water 7 the meat of the tomatoes gets put through the food mill or food processor.

They are then cooked in a double boiler to remove more moisture.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I don't think water from the pot "seeped in the jars". It's not uncommon for tomatoes to seperate like yours did. They will usually re-combine after they've cooled down.

As others have said, you need a Ball canning guide, or, this link:

National Center for Home Food Preservation

If you have a thumb drive, you can download that whole site to your drive and have it handy when you need it.


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

Serious pantry envy...


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

well, we put up 10 quarts of tomatoes today using the Ball Blue Book recipe for
Tomatoes- Packed in Own Juice and ours look similar to the OP's. Not nice at all.
I just turned a jar upside down and shook it (it was cool) but it separated again as soon as I had finished. 

The recipe did not call for cooking, and specified processing in a pressure canner for 25 minutes at 10 pounds. I added 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and some salt to each quart.

I am clueless- we have done a lot of canning but this is the first time we tried canning plain tomatoes.


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## mare (Aug 31, 2006)

most of my tom's that i can wind up like that but i shake them and they are fine. i just took some out awhile ago that the toms were clumped up on the top and there was some clear juice on the bottom but as they are cooling the toms are sinking. anyways it doesnt affect the flavor


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