How to know when canning lids are no good?

[Annabellaa]

Good morning!

I recently had to buy new mason jars for canning. I know not to use the same seal/lid more than once but buying new jars I assumed I could use the lids that come with the jars. But the out of package jars are closed soooo tightly that the seal on the lid looks indented. Are they still safe to use? Has the seal been compromised? I don’t understand why they are close so tightly. Usually buying new lids the red band is not indented and completely flat.

 

[Eroica]

Those lids should be good to can with. If you boil them to sanitize them, the indentation should go away. I've come across those kinds of lids before and the jars with those kinds of lids do seal.

 

[Sally PB]

^^Good advice.

If you think they may be compromised, you could use a couple of lids from the jars, and the rest new, out of a box. Mark them if you need to, to know which is which. If the ones from the jars don't seal, then that could be cause to worry. If they do, then I'd feel confident that the rest would be ok.

 

[Annabellaa]

Those lids should be good to can with. If you boil them to sanitize them, the indentation should go away. I've come across those kinds of lids before and the jars with those kinds of lids do seal.

Perfect thank you! I haven’t had to buy jars in years so it was just odd to see and I wasn’t sure.

 

[Annabellaa]

^^Good advice.

If you think they may be compromised, you could use a couple of lids from the jars, and the rest new, out of a box. Mark them if you need to, to know which is which. If the ones from the jars don't seal, then that could be cause to worry. If they do, then I'd feel confident that the rest would be ok.

That’s a good idea, I hate to waste brand new lids (they’re definitely not cheap lol) so it wouldn’t hurt to try them out in comparison

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Why not contact the company and ask? Include the picture you posted here. That way you'll be sure, and if the seals are compromised there's a good chance they will send you a box of new lids. I wish they would sell their jars with the lids turned upside down, with the seal compud turned up away from the glass. Then there would never be any doubt. Perhaps you could suggest this to them.