Is it safe to remove the rings on jars for long-term storage of home-canned goods?
Is it okay to store the canned goods without the ring screwed on it? I know someone who removes the screwed rings off her jars once they're processed and then stores her jars with the seal lids only.
Best Answer
If the jars are properly sealed the vacuum in the jar and the waxed edge will hold the lid safely sealed. Undisturbed those jars will remain sealed until they are opened. The ring will reduce the risk of "unintentional" opening and that is really all the ring does. There are two real advantages to removing the ring once the seal is set.
- If something spoils in the jar it is likely to pop the lid open. Spoilage would give off gasses that would increase the pressure inside the jar and break the seal. This is more obvious if the ring has been removed.
- When it comes to juices, unintended fermentation is an issue. Even if raised to a temperature that is expected to kill yeast sometimes some of the little buggers get through and will ferment juices. Without the ring the fermentation breaks the seal. This prevents jars from exploding under pressure (yes, it can happen). I had a grandmother who would can grape juice, but did not want 'wine'. When the lids popped it identified the jars that had fermented, and which could be disposed (sometimes not the way grandma intended).
I prefer to leave the rings on as when the jars get stacked up in the pantry jars can get jostled and a lid may get accidentally opened, but there is nothing "wrong" with taking them off.
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Quick Answer about "Is it safe to remove the rings on jars for long-term storage of home-canned goods?"
Some people fear that if they remove the ring, the jar will come unsealed and the food ruined. This is not true. If the jar is properly sealed, removing the ring never lets the seal come undone.” Avoiding common canning mistakes.Should you leave the rings on canning jars?
BUT, the short answer to the question is still yes, you really should remove the rings. The rings are really only designed to keep the lid on during the processing and cooling part of canning. After that, they only provide a false sense of food safety, by giving the illusion of a good seal.When can you take the rings off Mason jars?
The rings DO need to stay on the jars while the jars are cooling down after processing. They should only be removed after the jars have reached room temperature.Why do people take rings off canning jars?
Rings may harbor moisture or food residue, leading to rust, mold, and vermin. Corroded bands may be difficult to remove. Rings may give you the false impression that the lids are still sealed properly.When should you throw away canning rings?
If you have canning lids that you've already used, is it safe to reuse them again? The simple answer is no: Canning lids are designed for one-time use. Using them more than once may result in your jars not sealing properly. These lids have a special sealing compound around the rim that is only good for one use.THIS is Why we remove our Canning Rings after Canning to store our Mason Jars
More answers regarding is it safe to remove the rings on jars for long-term storage of home-canned goods?
Answer 2
Yup, its perfectly fine. The seal protects the food, not the ring. At worst it makes them a little more susceptible to bumps that could break the seal (but it'd have to be a significant 'bump').
If the seal were to break and the ring were in place, the food still wouldn't be properly protected.
Answer 3
My grandmother always removed the rings because she said if there was any juice or moisture inside the ring, it would cause rust that could break the seal.
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