Have reviewed several past headspace posts, and admit I am still confused, as many seem to reflect somewhat different advice. Made these about 2 weeks ago, using this recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/263781/raspberry-jam-without-pectin/
The jars all sealed, but I'm not unsure if they will be safe to eat over the next 12 months or so, or whether I just need to pitch these?
Three jars of no pectin raspberry jam with significant headspace
by Ineedmedstoo
5 Comments
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The recipe calls for 1/4 inch of headspace. Is that what you filled it to? If you filled it properly and it siphoned out in the canning process you should be ok. Check the seal and store without the rings so you’ll know if the seal fails. If you didn’t fill them enough before the water bath that can be a problem as there may be too much air left in the jar to ensure a proper vacuum seal. Extra air can also cause the jam to turn brown.
Jam is relatively safe, lots of fruits have high enough acid to can on their own, and then you add sugar and lemon juice which further preserve and acidify it. It will go moldy if not preserved properly, which can make you sick, but it’s also pretty easy to tell when that happens and isn’t deadly for most people. It’s much less likely to harbor botulism than lower acid foods.
Have you tested the seals? Sometimes they will ‘seal’ but it’s looser than it should be. Try lifting the jars solely by their lids and see if they stay on. Siphoning is normal but can also cause the seals to be weaker if food gets trapped under the rim. And it usually doesn’t happen to every jar. The evenness of the headspace in your jars makes me think they likely weren’t filled properly. If the seals are tight I would at least assume a shorter shelf life due to the extra air being in there and use them within the next couple months. As always though when in doubt throw it out.
Headspace is a measurement you take BEFORE processing. It’s not something you measure afterwards as there will be cooling of the product and often siphoning. I often make cold packed peaches and I use a headspace tool to measure, but after removing from the canner and cooling each jar can look different and it’s not a reflection of bad headspace to start with. The question here would be if you had 1/4 inch headspace prior to canning. It does seem unlikely to me that your jam had that much siphoning. Your jam should be what looks like about an inch higher in the jar. Google headspace ruler for canning – it’s like a set of 1/4 inch steps you use by resting one of the steps on the rim of the jar and having the product touch the top of the ruler. This might also help, but it doesn’t have a picture of a headspace ruler: [https://www.healthycanning.com/the-role-of-headspace-in-home-canning/](https://www.healthycanning.com/the-role-of-headspace-in-home-canning/)
All very helpful info, thank you. Planning on just getting rid of it all to be safe. Will look into one of those specialty ruler before starting a new batch, just to make sure.