First attempt at canning! Tilted jars about 30 degrees when pulling out of water. If a seal forms, is it reliable?

Hello all,

As the title says, this is my first attempt at canning (peach jam), and everything was going swimmingly until it came time for me to remove the jars from the boiling water bath. I pulled them out rather haphazardly, at a slight tilt, and am now worried that I may have compromised whatever seal has formed. After extensive online searching, I know now to keep the jars completely upright, and being a crazed food safety nut, I am seriously considering processing them. Canning experts: please tell me, am I being paranoid or just careful enough? Thanks to all you wise souls!

sooj
  • Posted by: sooj
  • June 4, 2016
  • 10547 views
  • 2 Comments

2 Comments

em-i-lis
em-i-lis June 4, 2016
I've been canning for years, and I believe you're all good. If the lids "pinged shut" after you removed the jars from the water bath (by which I mean they formed vacuum seals and are now completely concave) you're fine. Test a jar by unscrewing the band and seeing what happens when you lift the jar by the lid alone. You will be able to lift a well-sealed jar without problem. If the lid comes off, that jar is not shelf-stable. Put it in your fridge and eat in the coming weeks!
I think you're good to go. Enjoy!
 
Susan
Susan June 5, 2016
Yep. A seal is a seal. I too have been canning for years and being short, I doubt I've ever pulled a jar out od my canner vertical. In fact I've never encountered that 'rule' in all my years of reading canning books, USDA manuals, etc.
 
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