I take the rings off for storage. In my humid basement, they tend to rust and are hard to get off. After cooling, I take off the ring, rinse off the jar and store. I use the boxes the jars come in to store and stack one box on top of the other. Or use a piece of cardboard to separate the stacks.

If your storage area is cool and dark, you can store product for at least a year, if not two (or even longer). The only thing I've noticed with longer shelf storage is things like marmalade and light colored jellies can darken. Doesn't affect the taste (at least, I can't tell the difference) or the safety - they're just not quite as pretty.

You did pressure can the corn, beets and green beans, correct? I don't know of any safe method of canning banana bread, but I'll wait for the experts to chime in here.

Rodent (what a name! ha ha), I see that you've been a member for over 8 years and, hopefully, you have read hundreds of messages to/from members. One basic necessity, if you don't have it already, is to purchase and read the Ball Blue Book (available everywhere ... i.e. WalMart). The book is updated regularly, and you want one of the very newest books for accurate information.

Barring actually purchasing the book, you can gather lots of information by going to the website. You will learn which fruits/high acid produce need a water-bath processing and which vegetables/low acid produce will require a pressure canning process. (Note: prior to your eating any of the vegetables, please read to make certain you've canned them properly. It can be deadly if not done properly.)

Good luck. Keep reading this forum, if you haven't already, and enjoy the Blue Book and website's information and recipes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ball website

Banana bread is NOT safe to can.
Yes, you can bake it in a canning jar and put a lid on it, but it is NOT safe for long term storage. You should eat it immediately (there, now you have an excuse...LOL).
But seriously, it's not safe. And for some reason, there are lots of recipes for it on the internet.

Please tell us you pressure canned the corn, beans and beets (unless pickled, then they're OK in BWB).

In addition to the Ball Blue Book, the link below is a reliable source for canning instructions, info and recipes.

Botulism is nothing to play games with. You can't see, smell or taste it and can KILL you!

Things aren't the same as "they used to be" as far as science, the bacteria out there, products available (i.e. 20% vinegar). Processes have changed and been updated over time.

Stay safe!
Deanna

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP

Banana bread??? No sorry, not approved as safe. Per NCHFP:

Can I can bread or cake in a jar?

These products are not recommended for canning; choose recipes that you can freeze. In fact, most of these products are not really "canned." The directions call for baking in the jar and then closing with a canning lid. Many recipes for quick breads and cakes are low-acid and have the potential for supporting the growth of a bacteria like Clostridium botulinum if it is present inside the closed jar. One university's research showed a high potential for problems. You will see these products made commercially; however, additives, preservatives and processing controls not available for home recipes are used. Canning jar manufacturers also don't endorse baking in their canning jars.

On the rings, I agree with malna. The standard recommendation is to remove the rings (aka bands) for storage. Several reasons, rusting being one of them.

Plus you are supposed to wash down the outside of the jars well after processing and to do that you have to remove the rings anyway so you might as well leave them off. Food, molds and mildews can get trapped under them.

Most importantly, if they are removed and the contents goes bad for some reason the lid will just pop rather than the jar exploding. ;)

I too sure hope you pressure canned those green beans and corn!!! Otherwise you need to throw them away.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP

I like leaving them on. However, the rings can rust if the contents was vinegar salt based pickles. I allow the rings to stay on as they help to protect the lids from accidental injury, which can pop the vacuum and leak. All lids today have that small dimple bump in the middle or are slightly convex. Once they are on processed jars, the lid gets pulled into the jar slightly and will make the lid look concave, or the dimple will be concave. If you want, you can also remove the ring after they cool and screw a plastic cap over the lid to protect it. That way, you don;t have any rust issues and once opened the lid will still offer a tight seal. Using the plastic screw caps alone will not give you a liquid tight seal.

In Canada the best canning book is the Bernardin canning and freezing guide. You can get the order form on one of the box tabs on the lids or in cases of jars

The jars can shatter in the oven and may break when you open the door and throw glass all over you.
Please, do not do this, not only for the issue of botulism, but due to possible shattering glass. They are not meant for oven heat.
Hope you use a safe recipe for your salsa, too. Lots of them floating around that do not have nearly enough added acid to prevent botulism.
Same for pickle recipes. Also, lots of misinformation out there on not having to process pickles, etc. All foods need processing if stored on the shelf.

Bernardin is the same as Ball in the US. Here, we also have a Ball made jar called Golden Harvest, essentially the same thing. Ball jars are NOT heat treated PYREX, and cannot take the heat and thermal shock of an oven.

Thanks all for all the information.

Yes I used a pressure cooker by mirror. It only held 4 pints at 1 time, and 3 quarts at 1 time. I do have a Ball book and I seen a recipe for hot salsa I wanted to try (had to go buy one).

I havent taken the rings off the jars and I didn't know I had to wash the jars after they are done, so I guess I have a job to do today.

My mom used to can but she lost her sight and moved to Oregon to where she could get good health care and now I am on my own. This is the first year of canning for me, with help my my daughter who is 8.

Guess I'll go get my jars and wash them done.

I have them store in a dark room but it is not cool, it's kinda warm, will that hurt anything?

Thanks again

Unless the presure cooker is designed for use as a pressure canner, you should not use it. That might explain wht only a few jars fit in it. The smallest pressure canner is the Presto 4 quart jar capacity canner. Then the next holds up to 7 quarts, or more pints. Unless the jars have leaked and you notice the contents in the canning water, there is usually no need to wash them. If you do wash/rinse, remove the rings first. If I had that issue here, I would remove them, rinse the rings and allow them to dry as well as the filled jars. After they dry, I reattach the rings, but only 2-3 finger tight. The Ball plastic lids are great when you hate seeing a canned item in the fridge having a rusted or leaky metal lid.

Rodent, (great name) Don't forget to check out ANNIE'S SALSA! It get raves on this forum! There's a lot of post on it. I made it and folks love it!

I got Rodent from my sister, she's called me that since I was around 5 years old.LOL

I didn't realize that there was a difference in a pressure canner and a pressure cooker. I've been canning in a pressure cooker with a 10 psi. What will that do to the food? I dont want to feed my kids anything that will harm them. All the recipes I have so far required a 10psi.

Ken perhaps you don't feel the need to wash the jars when finished processing and leaving the bands on is your choice of course. But the standard canning instructions do call for doing both. For those new to or inexperienced at home canning it is best to follow the standard instructions. You'll find it is a part of nearly every approved canning recipe.

Personally I would never store jars that have not been at least wiped down well after processing nor would I even consider leaving the rings in place. Learned both the hard way.

rodent - someplace cool and dry provides better long tern storage. Heat speeds up decomposition and can encourage the growth of molds and mildews.

If you processed 4 pints and 3 quarts all at one time then yes, your pressure cooker is large enough to safely use as a pressure canner. However please understand that pressure cookers and pressure canners are NOT the same thing. If it will only hold 3 quarts at one time then it isn't a pressure canner and all of the processing times given would be invalidated. Heat up and cool down time is computed into the processing times and a small pressure cooker heats up too quickly and cools down too quickly so the required time is never achieved.

Dave

I didn't realize that there was a difference in a pressure canner and a pressure cooker.

Yep big difference. That is why you see the smaller ones sold labeled as "pressure cookers" while the large ones are labeled "pressure canners".

I've been canning in a pressure cooker with a 10 psi. What will that do to the food?

It isn't the # of lbs. that is in question, it is the processing times. Using a small pressure cooker to process means that your foods weren't processed long enough. Since the small cookers heat up and cool down so much faster the amount of time that the food is actually processed is shortened by as much as 10-20 minutes.

EX: if the recipe calls for PC @ 10 # for 30 mins. the actual processing time is more like 60 mins. That 30 mins. in the recipe begins only after the canner has come to a boil, vented steam well for 10 mins, the weight is put on, and the canner comes up to 10 lbs. You then run it for 30 mins. turn it off and let it cool down to zero, remove the weight, wait 10 mins. then remove the lid. So the actual processing time from the time the jars go into the canner until they are removed is almost 60 mins.

Your little cooker cuts that time by almost half. See the problem?

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - How to Pressure Can Guidelines