A screwdriver's secret: Ensuring your homemade preserves seal
Canning is a traditional method of preserving food that allows you to enjoy the taste of summer all year round. However, even experienced home canners may encounter the problem of jars not sealing properly. What should you do when the lid doesn't seal after pasteurisation? There is a simple and effective solution to this problem, which my grandmother has been using for years.
23 August 2024 15:33
Making homemade preserves for the winter is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Many of us love the taste of summer fruits and vegetables, which can accompany us during colder days thanks to the canning process. This simple method allows us to enjoy homemade jams, pickles and compotes throughout the winter. Although canning seems easy, sometimes we encounter problems, such as jars not sealing properly. But grandmother always has a solution — she uses a screwdriver to save the preserves from spoiling. This traditional method might be surprising, but it is extremely effective.
Why won’t the jars seal?
Jars not sealing can be a fairly common problem caused by various factors. The most common ones are:
- Insufficient pasteurisation temperature: If the temperature inside the jar does not reach the appropriate level, the air will not be removed, and the lid will not seal properly.
- Inadequately tightened lid: If the lid is not screwed on tightly enough, it may prevent a vacuum from forming.
- Dirty jar rims: Food residues or grease on the rims of the jar can make it difficult to create a tight seal between the jar and the lid.
A screwdriver - an unexpected hero in the kitchen
It may be surprising how a screwdriver can help in the kitchen, but it is a tool that has been saving homemade preserves for years. If the jar doesn't seal after pasteurisation, it doesn't necessarily mean the preserves are ruined. A simple trick comes to the rescue — gently prying the lid with a screwdriver. How does it work?
How to save a non-sealing jar with a screwdriver?
- Prepare the jar: Ensure the rims are perfectly clean before sealing the warm jar.
- Leave room for air: Leave about 1.25 centimetres of free space between the lid and the jar's content.
- Pry the lid: Gently pry it with a screwdriver to remove the air underneath it.
- Screw tightly: When you hear a characteristic hiss, quickly press and screw the lid tightly.
Prying the lid with a screwdriver allows the air inside the jar to escape. This creates a vacuum, causing the lid to adhere tightly to the jar, forming a sealed closure.
