kittriana said: Ummm, kiddoes, we remove the lids to store canned jars. The reason is that the rims can unseal the jar and spoil the foods. The rims are only there to help while the vacuum is being pulled.
I tighten the rims when the jars are still hot. They stay in the pot until morning. Then I check it for concavity of the lid - that's the three or four day probation, touching every top every day and checking for bubbles. Only then do I take off the rings.
Is there some advantage to taking them off sooner?
I didn't always.
In fact, I recently found four uncircumcized jars of overlooked chutney from 2006, when we participated in a weekly farmers' market. (No way would I be able to sell de-ringed jars!) I threw the contents away, though it seemed perfectly fine. Never had any trouble, whether the rings were on or off.
