Mmmmm, habanero jelly. So good, it’s worth the jelly on the floor, the permanent chili heat under my fingernail, and the smoke alarms going off (Note for next time: do not walk away for 2 minutes. You’re a big girl and you can hold it until you turn the stove off).
What I need to know is, when does the little popper button in the jar lid get sucked in? I can’t remember if it should have happened by now, during the 10 minutes of boiling, or will happen upon cooling.
I realize there is enough sugar and vinegar to keep it preserved for a while (how long?) but I want to be super sure it’s sealed and safe.
It will pop after you remove it from the boiling water. It could take from immediately up to several hours. Most canning recipes tell you to let the product sit undisturbed for 24 hours before moving it elsewhere. If properly sealed, it can keep indefinitely, but it’s probably best to use it in the first couple of years.
Dumb question. Again.
If the button goes down, does that mean it’s sealed and good to go without refrigeration?
If not, how long does pepper with a shitload of sugar and vinegar last in the fridge?
I get that you are not the FDA or USDA or anyone I can pursue legal action against.
It depends on the product, but something with that much sugar should be shelf safe. Dill pickles must be refrigerated, but bread & butter pickles don’t. Unless what you’re making is specifically called a ‘refrigerator’ or ‘freezer’ jelly, it should be fine on the shelf. You did follow the USDA recommendations for canning, right? Sterilized the jars and all that?
I ran them through the dishwasher with the sterilize setting on the night before, but they were upside down on the counter overnight. Whatever managed to get in there in that time is probably still there, but the jelly was super hot when I filled the jars, and I boiled them afterward.
How about the lids? They should at least be dipped in hot water, and probably handled with rubber gloves or with a lid magnet made for the purpose.
I misspoke about the dill pickles. It really all depends on how you prepare them. We don’t use a canning bath for ours, just hot liquid and refrigeration. Helps keep them from being soggy.
So good, it’s worth the jelly on the floor, the permanent chili heat under my fingernail, and the smoke alarms going off (Note for next time: do not walk away for 2 minutes. You’re a big girl and you can hold it until you turn the stove off).