Why are My Jars Popping After Canning?
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What happens when you’re taking your jars out of the canner and they start popping immediately? What do you do? What does that popping sound when canning mean? Hi! My name is Sharon Peterson, and I’m with SimplyCanning.com where you can find home canning tutorials, tips and tricks, and online classes. Please join me there, and I will help you get your pantry filled.
Video Transcript – Edited for Clarity
Today’s question comes from my inbox. This is from Anne. Let me read her question. “Sharon, your canning article will be very helpful in the future. I have a question that I hope you have an answer to. I was putting up some pepper jelly. As I was taking my jars out of the water bath–oh, 10 minutes–my seals started popping. What went wrong? Will I need to toss this batch?”
So Anne’s concern is that as she’s taking the jars out, they’re already popping. As most canners know, that popping sound when canning is a good thing. I did want to clarify with her. When you say popping, do you mean they’re making a popping sound? If so, that’s good. But if you mean the lids are popping up and unsealing, then you’ll need to check those seals.
A Popping Sound When Canning – Is It Normal?
When you’re taking your jars out of the canner, sometimes they will immediately start popping. Generally, you’ll put them on the counter and after a few minutes, they’ll start popping. The popping sound when canning is a good thing IF it indicates that this lid is popping down. Just leave the jar on the counter. Ignore the popping sound, or you can even watch them and see lids going up and down. When they are totally cool, check that lid. Make sure the seal is down, then you know that you have a good seal.
The popping sound immediately is not a problem. Don’t start pushing on the lid. Don’t touch it. Just put it on the counter. Let it pop. When they are completely cooled off, make sure the lid is sealed.
I hope that was helpful. You guys have a great day. Come visit me at SimplyCanning.com, and we will see you in the next Canning Chat. Bye.
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Page last updated: 11/19/2020
I sell my jelly’s and if my jars get in the sun the seal will pop. I see others selling and they don’t have this problem
I’d assume the jars are simply warming up in the sun, and your seals are not secure. Did you process them in a water bath? Look at your process and make sure the jars are being securely sealed. You could also talk to other sellers and see if there is something they are doing to mitigate the sun.
Also my kitchen ceiling fan was on could that he why
You shouldn’t intentionally put a fan on the jars to cool them so it could be that the ceiling fan accidentally caused issues.
Ok so one of my jars of chicken popped up and not thinking I pushed it down..did I mess up.the process..does that mean it didn’t seal correctly even before I touched it? Do I wait till it cools THEN refrigerate and eat later? Or refrigerate immediately
Hi Sharrice, I’m getting to this late. I’d have gone ahead and put it in the refrigerator right away. Unless the jars are still very hot, then you could wait until they cool down a bit.
I have been pressure canning for 1.5 yrs today I canned bone broth. When I releases the lid after pressure was down the lids started popping. I’m used to that but there were 7 jars and it was like a continuous popping noise 20 or more times, maybe like the lids were going up and down? I have never experienced this. I have left them in the canner and put the lid back on ajar as I was wondering if my porch room air was too cool ,it’s around 48-51 deg
I have had that happen to me too one time. It’s strange watching those lids go popping up and down. (mine were on the counter already). I think you did the right thing in waiting a bit to take them out of the canner since it was pretty cool in your room. As long as they sealed in the end it is fine. You might want to mark them so you can watch the seal and check it before you use the jars.