It is the oil/grease from the salt pork - only 1 very small 3/4" piece is recommended and preferably it is pre-cooked and degreased. So how much did you add? As air is evacuated from the jars during processing some of the greasy liquid can be siphoned out over the rim and into the canner.

The potential problem is the greased seal over time "could" allow bacteria to grow there, break the seal and ruin the contents. If they were mine I would wash the entire jar, seals and all, in hot soapy water with a bit of vinegar added to cut the grease and remove as much of it as possible. Wait to do this until 12 hours after canning.

Store without the bands/rings so that it will be easy to monitor the seals as needed.

Dave

The problem is not the film on the jars it is the salt pork. You have added fat to the jars of food. That is not a safe thing to do. Fat surrounds the food and can allow botulism to grow. The fat can survive processing. It sort of "blankets" the botulism spores.
Never add fat, bacon, etc. to any recipe or method unless it says to !
No bacon in green beans, etc.
There are a few tested recipes with added salt pork, etc. They key word is "tested".

So its that time of year for Linda to freak out about botulism on every post again...

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/beans_tomato_molasses.html

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/beans_baked.html

Sorry I forgot to add this link.

See the NCHFP instructions for Canning bean with pork, ham or bacon.

Note: Fill jars three-fourths full with hot beans. Add a 3/4-inch cube of pork, ham, or bacon to each jar, if desired. Fill jars with heated sauce, leaving 1-inch headspace.

That small amount is allowed Linda Lou.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - Canning Beans

I typically have a film on my lids as they dry when removing from the canner. It doesn't matter what I'm pressure canning. When I remove the rings, and wash the jars and lids, it's gone. As Dave suggested, wash the rims, but don't put them back on the jars, you don't need them, unless you are giving a jar as a gift and at that time, apply the clean rim.

It's normal when you open the lid, to smell the food you canned.

Ball Book says, "You may notice a slight decrease in the food/and or liquid levels. This happens as food shrinks from heat processing. It may also result from a siphoning of the liquid during processing.

After the jars have cooled 12 to 24 hours, test the lids to determine if a vacuum seal has formed. The best method for testing a seal is to press the center of the lid to determine if it is concave, then remove the band and gently try to lift the lid off with your fingertips. If the center does not flex up and down and you cannot lift the lid off, the lid has a god vacuum seal. Listen for a "ping" whe the lids seal."

Plus when you wash the jars, that lid should be nice and tight and only budge with a can opener.

Sounds like you are trying to do everything right and the folks hear will help you, so don't be afraid to ask questions.

Congratulations on your new skills! It get's addictive!!!

June Lynn

I am not freaking out. I happen to be a very trained person in food preservation safety. That is what I do as a profession.

I am fully aware of those recipes. However, you will notice they have tomato products added which change the ph level of the food, making them more acidic than plain canned beans. That is the difference. It IS a safety issue when you add the fat to plain beans.

You did not take that into consideration.

I figured out what happened when I examined the lids closer. and yes you are right! It's one of the only energy intensive things I can think of that I am addicted to. :)

The film was from a little bit that escaped the funnel when I removed it clumsily. When I looked closer at the bands and lids, I found, much to my relief that they were clean just before the edge of the lid. When packing, I wiped the rim, but neglected that little bit on the threads and the little bit of dribble that fell when I lifted it.

Slaps his forehead...

So far, as you guys mentioned, the seals are rock solid and I can lift the jars without fear :) It's also been about 24 hours now. My mother told me actually to let em sit for a week in the pantry and check the seals at the end, so this is the plan as well.

As far as the salt pork goes, I used a VERY small amount. I read in the manual that fat will climb the walls of the jar and contaminate the seals, so I was miserly on the meat :)

Things are more scary when you pay attention in health class about food born pathogens :) This is why canning is a thrill lol. At least till I am more comfortable with it I suppose.

Thanks for all the good advice and to Linda, I feel your concerns. I added an extra five minutes to the process time just to be safe.

Nice to meet new friends
Dr Chocobo

Glad to hear it all worked out ok. But FWIW Linda Lou is right - I didn't even think about the added tomato juice or the vinegar in the other recipes so I'll slap my fore head right along with you. :)

Best to leave it out in the future. You can always add it after you open the jars and heat them up to eat. I'd love to be able to put a slice of bacon and a handful of onions in with my green beans but have to be content to add them to the pan prior to serving instead.

Dave

Well its a small trifle, but one must be safe :) emergency rooms are expensive :) Next time I think I will do that. Takes only moments to add meat at serving time :)

I popped one open and ate it tonight and boy was it good. No ill effects. I just had to taste the results of that day's efforts. Now I want to can more. It's amazing all the recipes I've been finding around the net. Ive found there are certain logics inherent in the cooking times of different things. Ive never seen a proper recipe yet for meats and meat related items that cooks for less than 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts. This seems to be the golden rule for both meats and beans of different kinds in most cases. You know, that saying IS correct, "Cooking is an art. Canning is a science"

It would be nice if I had the data on how they arrive at cooking times for the different foodstuffs. With this, and a bit of research, one could develop safe recipes. It would seem to me that the ingredient that takes the longest to can in your recipe determines the cook time, adding more or less depending on food density.

Please, don't try to take the food with the longest processing time and use that.
It takes scientists in a lab and at least $10,000 to test a recipe. It goes up to $50,000. Those are not typos...
Just because a food tests at a certain ph level to start with doesn't mean that is the ph level months later. It does and can change ph as it sits.
They also use density meters, theromcouples, all kinds of things when they test. Please, leave the making up of recipes to the specialists.
One of the number one rules in safe canning is NEVER make up your own canning recipes.
I am trying to keep you safe, drchocobo.