Hey all,

My wife and I moved here to Lancaster about 4 years ago. this is our
first year gardening and canning in our new townhome in the area of
Maytown PA. The water here is extremely hard, I'm pretty sure that the
new instahot hot water tap I put in last April is shot from limescale.
I never really thought much about until today when I was sterilizing
jars for tomato sauce. When I pulled them from the caner they were
covered with what looked like bubbles. It wasn't until i let them cool
that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice? I assume my best
bet would be to get bottled water for processing. I am only doing pint
jars so it's not the end of the world but a water softener is a year
away in the budget

Ray

"Madcat" > wrote in message
...
> Hey all,
>
> My wife and I moved here to Lancaster about 4 years ago. this is our
> first year gardening and canning in our new townhome in the area of
> Maytown PA. The water here is extremely hard, I'm pretty sure that the
> new instahot hot water tap I put in last April is shot from limescale.
> I never really thought much about until today when I was sterilizing
> jars for tomato sauce. When I pulled them from the caner they were
> covered with what looked like bubbles. It wasn't until i let them cool
> that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice? I assume my best
> bet would be to get bottled water for processing. I am only doing pint
> jars so it's not the end of the world but a water softener is a year
> away in the budget
>
> Ray

actually, a couple of glugs of regular white vinegar in the water will do
the trick.

I do it all the time,

kathi

"Madcat" > wrote in message
...
> Hey all,
>
> My wife and I moved here to Lancaster about 4 years ago. this is our
> first year gardening and canning in our new townhome in the area of
> Maytown PA. The water here is extremely hard, I'm pretty sure that the
> new instahot hot water tap I put in last April is shot from limescale.
> I never really thought much about until today when I was sterilizing
> jars for tomato sauce. When I pulled them from the caner they were
> covered with what looked like bubbles. It wasn't until i let them cool
> that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice? I assume my best
> bet would be to get bottled water for processing. I am only doing pint
> jars so it's not the end of the world but a water softener is a year
> away in the budget
>
> Ray

We have similar problems. Add a few TBS of vinegar to the canner-water when
you can. That should work. Your jars wont come out sparkling clean but they
wont be covered in minerals either.

In article
>,
Madcat > wrote:

> Maytown PA. The water here is extremely hard, I'm pretty sure that the
> new instahot hot water tap I put in last April is shot from limescale.
> I never really thought much about until today when I was sterilizing
> jars for tomato sauce. When I pulled them from the caner they were
> covered with what looked like bubbles. It wasn't until i let them cool
> that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice?

Hi, Ray -
A glug of vinegar will take care of it. Easy peasy. '-)


--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

Madcat wrote:
> Hey all,
>
> My wife and I moved here to Lancaster about 4 years ago. this is our
> first year gardening and canning in our new townhome in the area of
> Maytown PA. The water here is extremely hard, I'm pretty sure that the
> new instahot hot water tap I put in last April is shot from limescale.
> I never really thought much about until today when I was sterilizing
> jars for tomato sauce. When I pulled them from the caner they were
> covered with what looked like bubbles. It wasn't until i let them cool
> that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice? I assume my best
> bet would be to get bottled water for processing. I am only doing pint
> jars so it's not the end of the world but a water softener is a year
> away in the budget
>
> Ray
Ray, put a couple of tablespoons of 5% white vinegar in your BWB pot
before you fill it. Will neutralize the lime scale and stop laying it
down on your jars, lids, and the pot.

I have the same problem here with city water and, since I've used the
vinegar, have not had the problem. I also use Lemi-Shine powder in our
dishwasher to combat it there. The only other alternative is some sort
of whole-house water softener.

In article
>,
Madcat > wrote:

> that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice? I assume my best
> bet would be to get bottled water for processing. I am only doing pint
> jars so it's not the end of the world but a water softener is a year
> away in the budget
>
> Ray

Ray, soak a washcloth in white vinegar and wipe those deposit-laden jars
clean.

See other posts about vinegar; don't be buying water for processing.
That's an unnecessary expense.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>

Thanks for the advice. Do most people use tap or bottled water for
pickles when hard water is involved?

Ray

"Madcat" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the advice. Do most people use tap or bottled water for
> pickles when hard water is involved?
>
> Ray


I use what comes out of my tap....hard well water that goes through a
softener. Add a couple of glugs of vinegar. Works great, no build up on
the jars or the canner....bottled water would be a silly and wasteful
expense, IMO...


Kathi

Madcat wrote:
> Thanks for the advice. Do most people use tap or bottled water for
> pickles when hard water is involved?
>
> Ray
Most pickles are made with vinegar so the hard water doesn't enter the
equation. I know of no one who cans with bottled water, would negate the
advantages of putting your own food by, somewhat cheaper, get what you
really crave in taste, etc.

"Kathi Jones" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Madcat" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Thanks for the advice. Do most people use tap or bottled water for
>> pickles when hard water is involved?
>>
>> Ray
>
>
> I use what comes out of my tap....hard well water that goes through a
> softener. Add a couple of glugs of vinegar. Works great, no build up on
> the jars or the canner....bottled water would be a silly and wasteful
> expense, IMO...
>
>
> Kathi
>

oops...for pickles..not the canner...heeheee...again, I use my tap water,
but our DRINKING water comes from my well, is softened and then goes through
reverse osmosis.

Kathi

"Madcat" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for the advice. Do most people use tap or bottled water for
> pickles when hard water is involved?
>
> Ray

Pickles. Stuff plus acidity or vinegar, salt, sugar and flavorings.
I do have filtered water and use it for drinking and preserving &
icecubes. I use tap water in the bwb, plus a slug of white vinegar. The City
assures us our tap water is fine, just fine, but my coffee & tea tastes
better with the filtered stuff.
I wonder if we got anyone from Ft. Stockton on here? Last time I was thru
there, the tap water was pretty bad. I wonder if that affects pickle taste
very much? If one does have brackish tap water, would a little more garlic &
herbs counter the taste? Or cider vinegar if possible? Or a slug of wine?
More food for thought.
Edrena

So I processed my tomatao sauce tonight and all 6 jars sealed. No
Limescale at all. Thanks for the advice.

the pickle question. I was asking about water for the brine not
processing.

Ray

"Madcat" > wrote in message
...
> So I processed my tomatao sauce tonight and all 6 jars sealed. No
> Limescale at all. Thanks for the advice.
>
> the pickle question. I was asking about water for the brine not
> processing.
>
> Ray

Like I mentioned before, if vinegar dissolves the scaly particles or holds
them in suspension, would it affect the taste? And since most pickles are
pretty sour, pretty herby/garlicky or otherwise flavorsome, could we notice?
I do notice the difference between filtered water & tap for coffee and tea,
but the flavors there are more subtle? I might not be saying all the right
words, but do you get where I'm coming from?
I like the idear of filtered water for pickle liquids, but I doubt I could
even tell the differments, maybe. I do have a pretty good nose. I could not
afford to buy bottled water for same however.
Edrena

On Sep 2, 7:25*am, "Kathi Jones" > wrote:
> "Madcat" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > Hey all,
>
> > My wife and I moved here to Lancaster about 4 years ago. this is our
> > first year gardening and canning in our new townhome in the area of
> > Maytown PA. The water here is extremely hard, I'm pretty sure that the
> > new instahot hot water tap I put in last April is shot from limescale.
> > I never really thought much about until today when I was sterilizing
> > jars for tomato sauce. When I pulled them from the caner they were
> > covered with what looked like bubbles. It wasn't until i let them cool
> > that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice? I assume my best
> > bet would be to get bottled water for processing. I am only doing pint
> > jars so it's not the end of the world but a water softener is a year
> > away in the budget
>
> > Ray
>
> actually, a couple of glugs of regular white vinegar in the water will do
> the trick.
>
> I do it all the time,
>
> kathi

I've tried putting vinegar in my canning pot and then my canning rack
started to rust. I couldn't scrub off all the rust in the joints and
then every time I used it, the problem just got worse! I ended up
getting a new canning rack and not using vinegar in the BWB. Did I
use too much vinegar or can I buy a coated canning rack somewhere?

Thanks!

Libby

"Libby" > wrote in message
...
On Sep 2, 7:25 am, "Kathi Jones" > wrote:
> "Madcat" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > Hey all,
>
> > My wife and I moved here to Lancaster about 4 years ago. this is our
> > first year gardening and canning in our new townhome in the area of
> > Maytown PA. The water here is extremely hard, I'm pretty sure that the
> > new instahot hot water tap I put in last April is shot from limescale.
> > I never really thought much about until today when I was sterilizing
> > jars for tomato sauce. When I pulled them from the caner they were
> > covered with what looked like bubbles. It wasn't until i let them cool
> > that I realized it was mineral deposits. any advice? I assume my best
> > bet would be to get bottled water for processing. I am only doing pint
> > jars so it's not the end of the world but a water softener is a year
> > away in the budget
>
> > Ray
>
> actually, a couple of glugs of regular white vinegar in the water will do
> the trick.
>
> I do it all the time,
>
> kathi

>I've tried putting vinegar in my canning pot and then my canning rack
>started to rust. I couldn't scrub off all the rust in the joints and
>then every time I used it, the problem just got worse! I ended up
>getting a new canning rack and not using vinegar in the BWB. Did I
>use too much vinegar or can I buy a coated canning rack somewhere?

In my 2 old Presto pressure canners the canning racks are steel and
they are rusted. This makes no difference as in pressure canning the
water level doesen't get anywhere near the lids so there is no chance
of canning water which would be carrying rust from contacting the
food and creating an off-taste. The rust is not deep enough to
seriously compromise the rack integrity.

In my 21 qt BWB canner the canning rack is chromed steel. Chrome
does not rust (at least, not a high quality chroming job). If you scrub
with a Scotch Brite or some such, you will scratch the chrome off and
expose the steel under it, which will rust. If your rack started rusting
at the joints then the steel rack, after the welding operation, was not
properly prepped before the chroming operation, and the chrome
on your rack was too thin at the welded joints. This is probably to be
expected since these types of products are manufactured quickly for
sale to consumers who will only buy the cheapest thing available.
The thing to keep in mind is that a little rust at the joints is just
cosmetic and isn't going to affect the food taste, resist the urge to
"clean" it.

If I were you I would be more concerned with what the lime is
doing to the inside of your pipes. If the buildup is that bad that
your seeing it in jars only after a few times of use, you probably
by now have an 1/8th of an inch of buildup of scale in all your
water pipes. Your townhouse builder should have been shot
at dawn for not putting a water softener in the house when it was
constructed. You should prioritize a softener, frankly.


Ted.