Tin cans.—Put tin cans in cold, clean water to cool them; change water as needed to cool cans quickly. Take cans out of the water while they are still warm so they will dry in the air. If you stack cans, stagger them so that air can get around them.
Day-After-Canning Jobs
Test the seal on glass jars with porcelain-lined caps by turning each jar partly over in your hands. To test a jar that has a flat metal lid, press center of lid; if lid is down and will not move, jar is sealed. Or tap the center of the lid with a spoon. A clear, ringing sound means a good seal. A dull note does not always mean a poor seal; if there’s no leakage, store the jar and check it for spoilage before use.
If you find a leaky jar, use unspoiled food right away. Or can it again; empty the jar, and pack and process food as if it were fresh. Before using jar or lid again check for defects.
When jars are thoroughly cool, take off the screw bands carefully. If a band sticks, covering for a moment with a hot, damp cloth may help loosen it.
Before storing canned food, wipe containers clean. Label to show contents, date, and lot number—if you canned more than one lot in a day.
Wash bands; store them in a dry place.
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Label jars after they have been cooled.