Followed Ball’s recipe to a T, got rid of air to the best of my ability and left ½” of head space. I checked seals this morning and they are sealed but I noticed the apple sauce had taken over the head space and there appears to be some small air pockets in the body of the jars Relatively new to canning and this was my first time with something that wasn’t bathed in vinegar, so just want to check and see if this is normal.
by SmallTownDisco
6 Comments
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If you followed the recipe you should be good. Based on my own experience the thicker the apple sauce the harder it is to get the air bubbles out. If you’re really paranoid, put them in the fridge and plan to eat them. But visually based on the pictures and information you provided, everything looks good!
I learned the hard way that half an inch is the fullest it can be with applesauce. I used the same recipe and it should read as a generous half inch. I never measure and just use the line on the jar and say close enough but I was a little over that line on 2 jars and it bubbled over after I removed the jars from the water bath and I have to reprocess 2 jars.
This is very normal. Depending on the variety of apples and how the growing season was, apple pulp can retain a surprising amount of air trapped within tiny spaces. Sometimes I can minimize it by adding water and simmering more before filling the jars, but it can be hard to retain the balance of a good texture that way. I usually leave a bit of extra head space, not quite 3/4” for applesauce to account for the swelling air. Another added step that can help minimize the risk of siphoning is to take your canning pot off the heat and let the jars rest for 5-10 minutes in the cooling water before pulling them out.
This is totally normal. I’ll do it multiple years with apples from the same trees and some years this happens, most years it doesn’t. As long as the seal is good, you’re absolutely fine.
Did you De-bubble?