VBoulden Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Below are some links to the photos of my first "batch" of canned tomatoes I made from Roma tomatoes we grew in our garden. Please take a look and give me some feedback. Is there too much "air" in these? Or does the space that appears to be "air" in these jars represent a vacuum? Note: The seals appear to be perfect and a slopped down slightly, like they should be. http://extras.veronicaboulden.com/cans.jpg http://extras.veronicaboulden.com/air.jpg What do you think? The seal in the photo at the link below "buckled" a little during the canning process, but still appears to be intact. Should I be concerned about this seal if it doesn't show any other signs of concern? http://extras.veronicaboulden.com/lid.jpg I used a hot water bath and a recipe for packing tomatoes with "no water" and a processing time of 85 minutes... Yes, 85 minutes!!! :001_huh:That seems long. But, like I said, I just started, so I followed the directions in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving to a T (I think). Is this too long of a processing time? Do you have another recipe or method to recommend instead? Note: I will be busy today, as the inlaws are coming to town, but I will try and get back to answer any questions. Any feedback, however honest, would be much appreciated. I want my family to be safe eating what I make. Thanks. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 I'd throw the buckled one away. The rest look normal although my tomatoes generally get sucked to the top and drop down after a time in storage. Store them someplace dark so they stay nice and red.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Your tomatoes look lovely to me. My MIL who has canned them for years, her tomatoes looked like that. So did my peaches when I canned them. The one that buckled...I wouldn't chance it...I would eat those first, and stick them in the fridge until I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Don't eat the buckled one but as long as you can feel that the lids sealed, the others should be okay. I always feel the center of lid to make sure it hasn't "popped' before opening a jar. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrystal Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 I agree with everyone else, throw the "buckled" one away. The other looks fine. I have never processed anything for 85 minutes. Maybe because they were raw packed and the recipe was for a saucy tomatoe so you were cooking the tomatoes in the jar? I don't have that recipe in my Ball book or my USDA book. Great job on the canning. Now enter a jar in the fair and earn a ribbon. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alenee Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 They look great! The three jars in the middle could've had a little more in them but overall, you did a nice job. "They" say to leave a half inch of headspace in the jars. Mine looked like yours my first time around. Now I'm okay with packing them a bit more tightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Below are some links to the photos of my first "batch" of canned tomatoes I made from Roma tomatoes we grew in our garden. Please take a look and give me some feedback. Is there too much "air" in these? Or does the space that appears to be "air" in these jars represent a vacuum? Note: The seals appear to be perfect and a slopped down slightly, like they should be. http://extras.veronicaboulden.com/cans.jpg http://extras.veronicaboulden.com/air.jpg What do you think? The seal in the photo at the link below "buckled" a little during the canning process, but still appears to be intact. Should I be concerned about this seal if it doesn't show any other signs of concern? http://extras.veronicaboulden.com/lid.jpg I used a hot water bath and a recipe for packing tomatoes with "no water" and a processing time of 85 minutes... Yes, 85 minutes!!! :001_huh:That seems long. But, like I said, I just started, so I followed the directions in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving to a T (I think). Is this too long of a processing time? Do you have another recipe or method to recommend instead? Note: I will be busy today, as the inlaws are coming to town, but I will try and get back to answer any questions. Any feedback, however honest, would be much appreciated. I want my family to be safe eating what I make. Thanks. :D Mine buckle like that when I can homemade saurkraut. My mother tells me that it's normal but to use those jars first and to put them in the fridge or freezer until I'm ready to use them. Soooooo, refridgerate (freezing would break the jar now) and use too. Spaghetti for dinner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Rittenhouse Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Don't throw the buckled one away. Put it in the frig and make spaghetti sauce this week from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VBoulden Posted August 31, 2010 Author Share Posted August 31, 2010 I cannot tell you how grateful I am to come home, log on and get such great feedback! I didn't know what to do... didn't know if I should eat them or throw them away... I was in limbo. Thank you ladies for taking the time to look at the pics and post! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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