Why are My Jars Popping After Canning?
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Have you ever pulled jars out of your canner, only to hear them start popping immediately? It can be a little confusing โ is that a good sign, or did something go wrong? How long does it take for the lids to pop?
What to Do When Your Canning Jars Start Popping Right Away
Todayโs question came from Anne, who wrote:
โI was putting up some pepper jelly. As I was taking my jars out of the water bath โ after 10 minutes โ my seals started popping. What went wrong? Will I need to toss this batch?โ
Thatโs a great question, Anne! Letโs talk about whatโs actually happening.
When do You Hear the Popping Sound?
If your jars start popping as soon as you take them out of the canner, thatโs usually a good thing. That โpopโ is the sound of your jar sealing as they cool. It means the air inside the jar is contracting, pulling the lid down tightly.
Sometimes youโll hear that sound right away; other times, it takes a few minutes or even longer after the jars are on the counter. Either way, itโs normal.
When It Might Be a Problem
If, however, you notice lids popping up โ as in, unsealing โ thatโs a different story. Once your jars are completely cool, check each lid:
- The lid should be slightly concave (curved downward).
- When you press the center, it should not flex up and down.
If any jars didnโt seal, refrigerate those and use them soon. The rest can go on your pantry shelf.
What to Do Right After Processing
When you first take your jars out:
- Set them on a towel or rack on the counter.
- Leave them alone โ donโt touch the lids or press on them.
- Let them sit until completely cool (usually 12โ24 hours).
Once cool, you can remove the rings and check the seals. The popping sound is simply part of the sealing process. If the lid is on securely you’ve got a good seal.
The Bottom Line
If your jars are popping down as they cool โ perfect! Thatโs what you want to hear.
If theyโre popping up or coming unsealed, youโll need to check those jars and possibly reprocess or refrigerate.
So next time you hear that satisfying pop right after canning, just smile and know itโs a sign of success.
Happy canning!
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. Iโm 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 ,itโs 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.