Home canning is a great way to preserve fruits, vegetables, and more. But when you’re done processing them, sometimes you can lose water or canning liquid. This can be a pain because it means your food isn’t covered anymore.
There are a few reasons why this can happen while you’re canning. Read through these common causes and solutions from Blain’s Farm & Fleet to learn why your canning jars are losing their liquid.
1. Packing incorrectly – You need to pack your food snug, but not so tight that the jars are hard packed. However, you also don’t want food packed too lightly. Leaving a proper amount of headspace and room for canning liquid or water is very important.
2. Canning starchy food – Some starchy food, such as corn or peas, can absorb all the canning liquid in your jars. If you’re canning any starchy vegetables, be sure to account for this, and add extra liquid to the jars.
3. Putting rings on too tightly – Canning rings need to only be finger tight. If you crank them on too tightly, it will make it harder to release air from the mason jar.
4. Letting jars stay in too long – This applies to pressure canning. Don’t let your jars sit in the pressure canner after they’re processed. If you keep them in the canner for longer than necessary, they can continue to cook and possibly boil over. Take the lid off the canner when the pressure gauge gets back down to zero or the lid lock goes down.
5. Taking jars out too early – It’s also important to not take the jars out too early. Let them sit in the canner until the gauge is back to zero or the lock goes down. This will give the jars enough time to depressurize.
6. Jars aren’t fully covered – This applies to water bath canning. Jars need to be completely covered with boiling water while they’re being processed in a water canner.
At Blain’s Farm & Fleet, you’ll find everything you need to start home canning. From canning jars and lids, to pectin and canning spices, you can preserve you favorite vegetables, make homemade jam, and more. Visit our Canning Blog for more tips, buying guides, and recipes.
