I admit I'm confused. I'm just not sure I'm understanding exactly what you mean.

Did you put the filled jars in lower-temperature water then brought the canner up to the boil and at that point started counting the time? If so, there are no worries about inadequate processing.

However, if you processed at 140 degrees, that would be a problem.

Regardless, dilly beans do often float. It may be due to air in the food. This will happen more often with raw pack. Or it may be air not released after product is packed in the jar.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Using BWB Canners

Agree with Carol. And the lower water temp issue is "down to about 180", not 140.

Hot pack works best.

Dave

Carol - I admit, I'm a bit confused also. But - I have been doing a bit of reading about cold packed foods - needing to be at near temperatures to the canning water. At least that is my understanding.

I filled the sterilized hot jars from the canner (with raw cold packed beans) filled jars with hot boiling liquid per Ball Book recipe -then replaced jars into cooled down water - returned canner water to boil and processed for recommended time.

Not sure where I got the information to have canner water at cooler temps - but will backtrack - perhaps on the National Center for Home Preservation website.

I doubt that I cooled it to 140 tho - 180 sounds better - but then 180 might also be for hot pack. Sorry - I'm confused about this thing - cold pack temps. Perhaps because I'm reading much about packing fruit juices lately.

Bejay

It sounds like you're OK Bejay. The NCHFP site I linked to says put raw-pack jars in 140 degree water and hot pack in 180 degree water then bring to a boil. I think if you re-read the instructions in the link it will all come clear.

It's not unusual to be confused. Canning is confusing sometimes.

Carol

Thanks Carol - I needed that!

Although, on re-reading that site, I find the reference is for fermented foods, i.e. beans, pickles, etc. I had been doing those previously, and became a bit confused.

I definitely see that information is for FERMENTED pickles and/or other vegetables, and is an alternative to keep them from becoming soft or mushy. I can see the reasoning for not wanting to subject them to further cooking in the canner(with keeping canning water temp at 140- that is).

I opened a jar of my beans but found them a bit soft - so will definitely go back to doing regular string beans the usual way. They were better last year - but I also used some purchased dill weed instead of growing my own.

As usual - I am so grateful for all of your help.

Love this forum.

Bejay

You do use water to start with a 140 degrees for a raw pack food, 180 for a hot pack food. (There is no such thing as cold pack...) This is to prevent thermal shock so the bottom doesn't fall of the jar.
Then, bring the water to a boil with the jars in the canner, and process for the proper time in the boiling water.
Wait an additional 5 min. with the lid off before removing the jars.
Do you lay the jars on the sides, then pack the beans ? You will get more in the jar and have less floating.
Sometimes it is the variety of the beans or the freshness of them that will affect the floating. Often dilly beans will plump back up after sitting for a while.
For crispness, you can always soak in icewater before packing them in the jars. That, or use pickle crisp/calcium chloride in the jars.
The low pasteurization is a pain to do ! Have to keep an eye on it the entire time, with a thermometer in the pan.
Then, it is only safe for certain foods. I cannot see that the quality was any better than just a regular boiling water bath. The low pasteurization requires a longer time, too, so it really doesn't make things easier, in my opinion. It wouldn't be safe for the dilly beans, anyway.

I agree with Linda Lou. The link I provided deals only with general boiling water bath procedures. It does sound as if you confused those instructions with low-temperature pasteurization, which as you mentioned applies to a limited number of fermented products. Not all pickles qualify. Dilly beans don't.

I've used low-temperature pasteurization. It can be a pain, but only use it on recipes that specify its use.

So you start out at 140 with raw-pack but then raise the temperature to a boil and count processing time from that point. It's just the same-old same-old.

Carol

I prefer the pasteurization method for my Dill Pickles. It is a bit more work as the temp of the water must be maintained at 180-185 degrees for 30 minutes while processing the jars. The thermometer stays in the canner throughout the process and the canner lid stays off. My pickles always turn out wonderfully crisp.
As for Dilly beans, I find it easier to pre cut all the beans to a size 1 inch below the top of the jar. As Linda Lou suggested, lay the jar on its side and make sure you fill all the spaces. Fill with vinegar solution to within 1/2 inch from the top. The beans will be covered with 1/2 inch of solution. Proceed with the HWB.

I really like the straight-sided 12-oz. jelly jars for dilly beans and pickled asparagus. It's an ideal size for us and being taller, the jars work well for longer beans or spears.

Carol

Whew - I think I'm OK. Guess I got into reading about "pasteurization" somewhere - and it scrambled my head for awhile. I've been doing fermented beans and cukes and plain dilly beans lately - and guess I need more learning.
The dilly beans are OK - from reading your posts.

I think the 12 oz. jelly jar idea is great for processing the longer beans. They didn't appeal to me as much for use in jams - just too big for our family. We have a problem consuming the small ones - especially if its citrus.

I ordered some juice bottles from Weck this month and looking forward to canning some juices. So far, I've been freezing juice, but these small bottles are so cute. Any one have any "experiences" to pass along. I intend to do some reading before I jump in. The thought of making wine is in the future (still waiting on my grapes to get a bit bigger).

Bejay

I haven't used the juice bottles. I have used their small tulip-shaped jelly jars. The glass is very heavy and the jars are well-made. It'd been a long time since I'd fiddled with the rubber gaskets and lid, and the clamps take some getting used to. It was a slower process. But they sealed beautifully. They are a quality product.

I placed an order directly with Weck USA (out of Chicago, IIRC) and also ordered some of their larger straight-sided jars to use for steamed breads. (Not for canning, of course). They also offer plastic caps in a variety of sizes to use once the jars are opened. Very handy.

They included a nice little canning booklet in the order. Good people to deal with.

Carol

When I cold pack the jars with beens, they are stacked vertically inside the jars. Packed firmly. Then I add the brine and even if they float, the whole bundle will rise a little. I like using regular mouth jars as they taper and so it helps to keep the beens down. Once opened, they can get cut. I do the same with pickled garlic scapes. If you use the Ball plastic caps with a regular metal lid, as opposed to the plastic caps alone, they are not leak tight by themselves.

The metal caps from Classico pasta sauce jars are perfect to recap opened canned foods. They have a seal inside which prevents tipped jars from leaking. The white Ball caps are nice also at about $.60 each. The wide mouth cost a bit more. Peanut butter lids work if used with the flat metal lid.

I keep a lot of likely-looking jars, bottles and caps (read: packrat), and whenever I need a cap rumage through my stash, and usually find one. I do have a great half-gallon glass jar (fermenting) but for the life of me can't find anything to seal it with. Hence, I use it with a "brine bag" when doing sauerkraut or other brine pickles. I think it might be a pickle jar with an original metal with rubber insert type cap.

Carol - I agree the Weck jars look very solid to me, and looking forward to learning how to use them (clamps, rubber rings, etc.). It sounds a bit silly ordering special type canning/glass ware for juices, but somehow I just couldn't bring myself to canning/drinking juices in a jar that had a screw type lid. (Brainwashed I guess).

Bejay

One reason I ordered the plastic caps is Weck jars aren't threaded (I guess that's obvious since they use clamps) and being metric I just haven't run across any other lids I could re-purpose for them.

Carol

My neatly packed Weck order came with the lids - I didn't order them especially. (Nice folks to anticipate my need for them after opening - as I never would have thought of it at this juncture).

After opening the box, reading the material, it occurred to me that they would need "something" - so I frantically searched through the "popcorn" stuffing and came up with 4 nice packs of caps. I agree, nice folks to do business with.

I also had another "brainstorm" - because I noted that the wine bottles from Paul Masson, also looked like Weck creations. Imagine my enthusiasm when I thought I could also use the clamps, etc. to can in the wine bottles. Alas, the "metrics" are not the same.

Back to the drawingboard eh?

Bejay