large air pockets after canned

[gettinoutofdodge]

I canned split pea soup with ham. It thickened during canning and now has large air pockets in the jars. There weren't any prior to canning. I used the recipe out of Jackie Clay's new canning book. They sealed fine.
Are they okay?
Thanks,
allison

[NCLee]

I don't have the definitive answer as I haven't seen her recipe nor canned this combo myself. However, based on your description of the results I'd be concerned. If foods are too dense, the temperature in the center of the jars may not rise high enough for long enough to assure safety of the product. That's why it isn't recommended to can mashed sweet potatoes or butternut squash soup, for example.

How does her recipe compare to this? Is there any difference in procedure?
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_04/beans_peas_shelled.html

Sounds like that either the peas were not rehydrated enough and/or there wasn't enough water in the jars.

Unless someone comes along who can give you a definitive answer, I'd freeze what you've canned. just to be safe.

Lee

[bjacobson]

I canned up some pea soup using the Ball Blue Book recipe. When it came out of the canner it was still a thick liquid state, but by the next morning it had pretty much became solid (could turn jar upside down and it stayed put in the bottom of the jar). It seems that yours may have been just a little to thick when it went in the canner and reached that getting totally thick state too soon. Which as NCLee mentioned may have made it too dense for proper heat penetration. Freezing would be your safest bet, but make a mental note of what consistency it was and try for a little thinner next time and it should be fine.