# May have made a canning mistake - need advice



## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

About a month ago I made 3 quarts of spaghetti sauce. Since it was mostly tomatoes I waterbathed it for 45 minutes. Did not take into consideration it also contained onions, garlic and olive oil. Should I throw it out?


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

I'd like to hear opinions about this too.

Personally, it scares me too much to risk it, but on the other hand, I grew up eating nothing but water bathed canned goods. Including spaghetti sauce with added vegies and garlic etc..
The real reason it scares me is 1) I'm scared to death of hurting my grand daughter. And 2) If anyone gets sick from something we canned, I don't think the lovely one would ever help can or eat anything home canned again. She is very Leary of canned stuff. She is getting better about it in the past few years though.


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## AdmiralD7S (Dec 6, 2012)

SouthCentralUS said:


> About a month ago I made 3 quarts of spaghetti sauce. Since it was mostly tomatoes I waterbathed it for 45 minutes. Did not take into consideration it also contained onions, garlic and olive oil. Should I throw it out?


You're very likely to get both answers here . My opinion is that it's only 3 quarts, so throwing it out isn't a big loss (especially when compared to the possibility of botulism since it wasn't pressured canned). However, if you're trying to use it to save money, you could also just pop those 3 jars, smell it to make sure nothing funky too funky is going on, and then reprocess them properly; that'll ensure that anything that might have been going bad in there is gone. Since you didn't pressure-can the first time, I wouldn't be worried about onions/garlic/etc getting too soft/mushy/etc.


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## RevWC (Mar 28, 2011)

Throw them away...

Tomatoes: Dip in boiling water, then cold water, and peel; skins should slip off easily. Cut in half or leave small ones whole, and pack into jars, pressing them down to make juice. Cover the tomatoes with their own juice and add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each pint, or 2 tablespoons to each quart. (The lemon juice is added to insure there is enough acid inside the jar to kill bacteria.) To each pint jar, add 1/2 tsp. salt; add 1 tsp. salt to each quart. Be sure you leave 1/2-inch headspace, and process pints and quarts for 85 minutes. You can also process tomatoes in a pressure cannerrocess both pints and quarts for 25 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure. Note from author: I prefer to use a pressure canner to can tomatoes and tomatoe juice; it goes a lot faster.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Several years ago I'd probably have said to go ahead, let it go and eat it but I've gotten a little more conservative since then. I'd toss it out and chalk it up to experience.

If you are only afraid of botulism a good long cooking should break down the toxins and make it safe to eat but it's not worth the health of your family to take the chance.

It's better to be safe than to have a tragedy.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Not all tomatoes are equal*

I would be very hesitant to eat that myself. The reason some foods can be water bathed is due to the acidity, and most tomatoes contain quite a bit of acid. I read somewhere that a few varieties, maybe newer types, do not contain as much acid. I don't know.


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

RevWC said:


> Throw them away...
> 
> Tomatoes: Dip in boiling water, then cold water, and peel; skins should slip off easily. Cut in half or leave small ones whole, and pack into jars, pressing them down to make juice. Cover the tomatoes with their own juice and add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each pint, or 2 tablespoons to each quart. (The lemon juice is added to insure there is enough acid inside the jar to kill bacteria.) To each pint jar, add 1/2 tsp. salt; add 1 tsp. salt to each quart. Be sure you leave 1/2-inch headspace, and process pints and quarts for 85 minutes. You can also process tomatoes in a pressure cannerrocess both pints and quarts for 25 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure. Note from author: I prefer to use a pressure canner to can tomatoes and tomatoe juice; it goes a lot faster.


Do you need the lemon juice if you're pressure canning?

AND, I've always wondered, after SHTF, what will I use when lemon juice isn't available?


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

Thanks to everyone. I had almost made up my mind to trash them but thought I would ask. Better safe than sorry. Will not make this mistake again. Only about $3 lost, no big deal.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> I would be very hesitant to eat that myself. The reason some foods can be water bathed is due to the acidity, and most tomatoes contain quite a bit of acid. I read somewhere that a few varieties, maybe newer types, do not contain as much acid. I don't know.


That's my understanding. I have a chart that puts tomatoes just on the edge of being acidic enough to water bath, but notes that quite a few current varieties aren't acidic enough and have to be pressure canned. I'd rather be safe than sorry, too.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

The scientific answer is that the botulism toxins that can make you sick are completely destroyed by thoroughly boiling for 10 minutes (actual temp required is lower) and then eating or preserving another way like the fridge. This of course won't kill botulism spores but they don't make us sick, we eat them all the time because they are everywhere (which is why we have to pressure can in the first place). The exception to this is infants which is why under one year are not recommended to eat honey.

In reality, you are not out much by tossing them :dunno:


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

jeff47041 said:


> Do you need the lemon juice if you're pressure canning?
> 
> AND, I've always wondered, after SHTF, what will I use when lemon juice isn't available?


If you pressure can, PH is not an issue so nothing has to be added.

When TSHTF and you dont have lemon juice, vinegar works just as well. Use distilled white and it will be more taste neutral, the neutral vinegar can compliment the tomato taste if you dont over do it.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

I don't use olive oil in my sauces but I always use the water bath method and nobody has ever gotten sick.

I always add the salt and either lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid.

BTW, citric acid is my long term additive choice to sit on the shelf in the event lemon juice isn't available.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ball-Citric-Acid-Additive/20469602


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> BTW, citric acid is my long term additive choice to sit on the shelf in the event lemon juice isn't available.
> http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ball-Citric-Acid-Additive/20469602


And around here it can be had for half price after 'canning season' even though there's a lot of shelf life left.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Good point with the citric acid, another way to get it cheap is as brewing supplies. It is not as popular as some of the other powdered acids but most places have it.


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

I think I'd have to agree with most of the others. I wouldn't risk getting sick. My neighbor lady doesn't do ANYTHING in a pressure canner and says "We've never gotten sick." Which means to me that they've been lucky not smart. I don't do anything in water bath other than fruit and jam.


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## rhiana (Aug 5, 2013)

I'd toss them just to be safe. Wouldn't want to risk your health over only $3.


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