A simple trick to save your homemade preserves when jars don't seal

Canning is a traditional method of preserving food that allows you to enjoy the taste of summer all year round. However, even experienced home canners may encounter the problem of jars not sealing correctly. What should you do when the lid doesn't seal after pasteurization? There's a simple and effective way to solve this problem, which my grandmother has been using for years.

Making homemade preserves for the winter is a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Many of us love the taste of summer fruits and vegetables, which can accompany us during colder days thanks to the canning process. This simple method allows us to enjoy homemade jams, pickles, and compotes throughout the winter. Although canning seems easy, sometimes we encounter problems, such as jars not sealing correctly. But grandmother always has a solution — she uses a screwdriver to save the preserves from spoiling. This traditional method might be surprising, but it is highly effective.

Jars not sealing can be a fairly common problem with various causes. The most common ones are:

• Insufficient pasteurization temperature: If the temperature inside the jar does not reach the appropriate value, the air will not be removed, and the lid will not seal properly.
• Inadequately tightened lid: If the lid is not screwed on tightly enough, it may prevent a vacuum from forming.
• Dirty jar rims: Food residues or grease on the rims can make creating a tight seal between the jar and the lid challenging.

It may be surprising how a screwdriver can help in the kitchen, but it is a tool that has been saving homemade preserves for years. If the jar doesn't seal after pasteurization, it doesn't necessarily mean the preserves are lost. A simple trick comes to the rescue — gently prying the lid with a screwdriver. How does it work?

How to save a non-sealing jar with a screwdriver?

1. Prepare the jar: Before screwing on the warm jar, make sure the rims are perfectly clean.
2. Leave room for air: Leave about 1.25 centimetres (half an inch) of free space between the lid and the jar's content.
3. Pry the lid: Gently pry it with a screwdriver to remove the air underneath it.
4. Screw tightly: When you hear a characteristic hiss, quickly press and screw the lid tightly.

Picking the lid with a screwdriver allows the air inside the jar to escape. This creates a vacuum, which causes the lid to adhere tightly to the jar, forming a sealed closure.