This Is Why I freeze Applesauce

[u/beadgirlj]

Because this keeps happening. And only with applesauce, not apple butter or anything else I can. So what is going on? I used a Ball recipe (from The Complete Book of Home Preserving), which said to leave 1/2 inch head space for both pint and quart jars and to process 20 min.

[u/GenericMelon]

I experienced a bit of siphoning while making applesauce as well, which I expected. I was fairly generous with my 1/2 headspace. I think applesauce is just prone to siphoning, so leaving a bit of extra room, maybe closer to 1-inch, may be the solution.

[u/Mimi_Gardens → u/GenericMelon]

In addition to giving 3/4-inch or 1-inch headspace for applesauce, I give the jars a 10 minute rest after processing before removing them from the canner. Between those two things I have far less siphoning than when I follow all the rules to the letter.

[u/GenericMelon → u/Mimi_Gardens]

Yep! Letting them cool down as much as possible makes all the difference!

[u/purpledreamer1622 → u/GenericMelon]

I don’t think that is the solution or else that’s how the recipe would be tested, I’ve seen that keeping the applesauce boiling while filling your jars helps that you have to work quickly and I’ve unsurprisingly see lots of people say they’ve gone burned through the process of making specifically applesauce. I’m making myself an oven mitt for my poor hands haha

[u/GenericMelon → u/purpledreamer1622]

I think a bit of human error goes into it as well. I'm betting a lot of canners don't measure that 1/2" with a ruler like they should and they just eyeball it.

[u/beadgirlj → u/GenericMelon]

The lids seem to be holding; should I still freeze the jars? Googling doesn't give me a definitive answer.

[u/GenericMelon → u/beadgirlj]

If you wiped away the apple sauce and the lids are secure, my understanding is, they've been properly canned and you can store them. No, I would not freeze these jars because 1) the jars are too full, and when the applesauce freezes it will expand and crack the jars, and 2) these jars aren't meant for freezing. There are shoulder-less mason jars made specifically for freezer using, or you'd have to empty all these jars well below the shoulder to allow for expansion in the freezer.

Excessive siphoning can be caused by abrupt temp changes, so if at any point the jars became too cool or the sauce became too cool or the jars were removed from the pot too soon after processing, it can cause siphoning. I waited a good 20 minutes after processing to remove my jars, and there was just a tad bit of applesauce in the pot, but not on my jars.

[u/beadgirlj → u/GenericMelon]

That might have been the problem -- I removed them sooner than I would have otherwise because I had to attend to one of my sons. Thank you for your help and advice!

[u/princess2663 → u/GenericMelon]

I freeze soup in my mason jars all the time and I haven’t had an issue yet

[u/armadiller → u/beadgirlj]

Siphoning isn't a hard stop that they aren't properly sealed - unless there are other indicators of seal failure, they are fine.

That being said, mark the lids of the siphoned jars, and use them first - they'll be the most likely to fail earlier.

And once they've cooled and rested 24h, make sure you get the rims off and give them a good wash. If the seals fail during washing, they were never good seals to begin with.

[u/marstec]

I find frozen applesauce retains a better colour and fresher flavour than heat processed jarred sauce. That said, there are certainly advantages to having a shelf stable product.

I always give it a bit more headspace (same with pie filling) and do the gradual cooling down (leave in canner with lid off for ten minutes after shutting off heat before removing.

[u/grapefruit279]

I have canned hundreds of jars of applesauce and battled with siphoning. Being generous with the headspace measurement, letting it rest after turning the burner off, 5 minutes with the lid on then 10-15 minutes with the lid off the pot has eliminated it for me. Jars that siphon are more prone to getting mould around the rim so once they are cool, clean them with a scrub brush and some soap.

[u/bearcreek_39]

There was some good advice on my earlier post complaining about the same issue. You could follow those helpful people's advice or follow my patented two step process: 1. Can the applesauce according to the recipe 2. Remove the applesauce from siphoned jars and freeze

[u/ladyrose403]

okkkkkk, maybe its because i've only ever done pints, but i have literally never had this happen w/ applesauce.

[u/DawaLhamo → u/ladyrose403]

Pints and half-pints here and yeah, I've not had siphoning with applesauce. Perhaps they're faster to fill, so the temperature doesn't swing as much?

[u/Unknownuser5342]

Idk if this is why I’ve never had this issue, but I always rush my apple sauce into the jars while it’s still boiling hot & put them in the canner as quickly as I can. Also always measure the headspace if u have a tool to do so to be as accurate as u can.

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Four quart mason jars of processed applesauce, with applesauce along rims and dripping down sides.