Jam - What does it mean if the top doesn't pop in when it cools?
I just made jam (again) and some of the tops haven't popped in despite being mostly cooled. I made jam earlier in the week and the same thing happened, though I accidentally popped one top in when I touched it. Should that one be discarded? and what do you think about the others that haven't popped in at all?
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10 Comments:
If the lids didn't "pop" it means they didn't seal properly. And if just touching it caused the seal to break, that's an issue too. You should probably re-process them to be on the safe side. Nobody wants botulism.
unarata at 1:21PM on 09/12/09
Most likely there was something on the rim of the jar that prevented the rubber compound from sealing during processing. You have 2 choices. You can empty the jam out into new, hot jelly jars and using new lids with impeccable canning procedures reprocess the jam or you can just refrigerate the unsealed jars and use within a few weeks. Botulism isn't so much an issue with high acid-high sugar items like jams but they won't last long on the shelf. The jam will either beigin to ferment (not very tasty) or grown mold on the surface (not very pretty).
kathyvegas at 2:20PM on 09/12/09
Won't get botulism, which grows in an environment without oxygen. Since these didn't pop, they've got oxygen.
You could just store them in the fridge, and they'll keep a very long time - maybe until next year, in fact.
If you're not processing them (not actually necessary with jam, though it will last longer, potentially, if you do process) then they may have been too cold when you put the tops on.
The most likely problems are:
1) some jam on the rim of the jar, so the seal wasn't tight
2) lids that were too old, so the rubber wasn't soft enough (have the lids sitting in simmering water when you're getting ready to fill the jars)
3) An imperfection in the jar
4) jam that was too cold.
Oops - I now see kathyvegas has said all this. I agree with her.
lemonfair at 3:09PM on 09/12/09
Not only do you have to reprocess but you need to boil the product, re-sterilize the jars, toss the lids you used the first time, re-warm new lids, and do your processing. You can re-use the bands.
therealchiffonade at 8:27PM on 09/12/09
Always clean the glass jar tops and make sure your lids are hand tightened, not too tight just hand turned to where they stop. When you boil your jars (when you do this normally again) throw the lids in too. The boiling helps make the seals pliable and they seal easier.
For now take the lids off and toss the seals out, start with fresh seals and drop them in the processing water for about 25 mins then reprocess the jam. Set the jars on a kitchen towel when they are done and leave them alone for 2 hours. You want to see that dimple and or hear the ping or you have to keep it in the fridge.
JerzeeTomato at 9:15PM on 09/12/09
Thanks for all of the great info!
Now that you mention it, the jam had started to cool by the time I filled the last couple of jars. So maybe that was part of it. I did boil the lids and all, but I hadn't thought about how the heat makes the rubber soften. Very useful information because some of the lids may have cooled by the time I closed them up before putting the filled jars into the water bath too. Lesson learned!
yayfood at 10:43PM on 09/12/09
@yayfood - the jam has to be hot when you top it with a lid (if you're not processing) because you're counting on the the heat to expand the air pocket, (force some air out of the jar), and then create a partial vacuum when it cools, which pulls the lid tight on the jar so it seals. When you process the jam the air will bubble out of the jar and you will have an even better vacuum.
This is also why you need to have the bands tight enough to hold the lid on securely, but not so tight that air can't get out of the jar (this is hand tight, but not as tight as you could probably make it). When the lid has sealed you'll notice that the bands are loose.
If you are processing the jars you also don't want them to seal ("ping") before you get them in the water bath. This all works so much better with two people, so one can fill the jars, clean the rim, set the lid and band on, hand tighten, while the other manipulates jars so they're in front of you, and gets them into the water bath just as soon as the band is tightened.
What kind of jam you making?
lemonfair at 8:17AM on 09/13/09
Earlier in the week it was wild plum jam and yesterday it was a combination of strawberries and raspberries from the farmer's market.
It shows how much I've learned from this community! last spring I was asking is anyone could recommend a good supermarket brand of jam.
yayfood at 10:10AM on 09/13/09
LOL @yayfood....I actually remember your post. I think I even responded to it. Congrats for making your own!
kathyvegas at 11:10AM on 09/13/09
yayfood - that's great. What a wonderful world opens up in front of you now. Raspberries with blueberries makes a wonderful jam, btw.
lemonfair at 11:21AM on 09/13/09