Can I do the hot water bath a few days after filling the jars and sealing them?

[Artsymomma]

I'm very new to canning and didn't realize heating the jars and lids wouldn't be enough to protect against bochalism (sp?) I made a bunch of apple cider, salsa and butter in the last week. If I do the hot water bath now, is it too late?

[sunshine842]

Pop down to the Walmart -- pick up a copy of the Ball Blue Book -- it's pretty much the Bible of home canning:

http://www.amazon.com/Ball-21400-Blue-Book/dp/B005SK6Y1Q/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1346138685&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=ball+blue+book+of+canning+and+preserving+2012

or here: http://www.freshpreservingstore.com/blue-book-guide-to-preserving/shop/229696/

do make sure you get a recent one -- safety guidelines do change, and you want to have the most recent information to hand.

Read it.

And bookmark this site: www.freshpreserving.com -- it's the Ball website with lots and lots of information about putting things by...safely.

[chefj]

This too will help you to can safely.
http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/pub...

I have said this before. One should not rely on random people on a board to advise you about potentially deadly subjects. You need a trusted source and while many posters are are very knowledgeable you can not verify that on this site.

[Artsymomma]

Thank you all for the tips and links. I hadn't found that info when I was previously searching so I'm glad I asked. I have reprocessed everything and recanned everything, after going and buying replacement lids of course.

[AbijahL]

You can not safely can many recipes. Unless you have used an appropriate amount of acid, you're salsa is not safe to eat. In order to be safe, you really must follow the guidelines. There are no rules for canning butter. It will not be shelf stable or safe. You should freeze it.

[meatn3]

Since you are new to canning you'll find this site extremely useful:

http://nchfp.uga.edu/

[janniecooks]

Simple answer is no, you cannot do what you want to do. You must empty all the jars, wash and sterilize the jars and lids again, and reheat the contents so they are bubbling. Then refill, seal and process the jars.

The alternative is to keep your products for a short time in the refrigerator. Without the water bath processing, your products will not stand up to long term storage.

[ericaskitchen]

Hi Artysmomma,
-Don't think you have to worry about the vinegar, but I would recommend pouring the salsa and butter(? -not sure what this is) back into a pot and reheating to a boil. (Re)pour into sterilized jars, and then go ahead and can (according to directions). If you don't want to go through that, another option is to freeze, but most of your foods sound like they would be better canned in jars. It's time-consuming, but worth the extra time not to worry about botulism!