where to post canning questions

[Live_to_cook]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum to post a canning question. This is Live_to_cook's wife. I can't figure out how to sign on under my own signon so I'm using his.

I forgot to sterilize my tops and rings while making jam and I'm not sure if I've just ruined the entire batch and need to use it right away or if it's okay. I'm processing it in a hot water bath now.

Can someone tell me which forum to post these kinds of questions on or, if you've got canning advice...please advise away.

Thanks.

tollhousegoddess

[shroomgirl]

If the tops are new and they should be, the hot water bath should take care of it......just my two cents and not based on anything but alot of past canning experience.

[Live_to_cook]

Thank you. I'll take that experience and use it

wife to Live_to_cook

Kathy

[marmalady]

Shroom's right, they should be okay in the hot water bath.

BTW, I never use a hot water bath for my jammies and jellies; I use the old wax seal method, and it works just fine. I don't like the overcooked taste I get in the water bath. You just have to be sure you get a good tight seal with the wax; sometimes two or three applications of wax are needed.

[chiffonade]

Thorough washing of jars, etc. and the canning process itself should take care of nasties. Assuming your product was screaming hot when it was ladled into the jars - I don't think many germs can survive that.

Make sure the seal buttons are down and the sealing process was successful. This becomes even more important if the jars were not sterilized prior to use. If any of the seals were compromised, I'd wonder about the safety of contents - fridge and consume ASAP.