Fill and Cap Jars

What happens here

Carefully remove the pre-warmed Mason jars from the pressure canner, ensuring they are hot. Transfer them to your clean workspace, such as a stainless steel cart, aligning them. Place a canning funnel on the first jar. Add one flat teaspoon of salt to each clean quart jar. Then, carefully pour the hot, skimmed tomato juice into each jar using the funnel, leaving approximately 1/2 inch of headspace from the rim. After filling, use a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to thoroughly wipe the rim of each jar. This step is crucial for ensuring a proper, airtight seal. Finally, use the magnetic lid lifter to retrieve a heated lid from the small pot and place it onto the jar, followed by a ring. Screw the ring on until it is hand-tight, meaning snug but not overly tightened (not 'gorilla tight'). This allows air to escape during the canning process and prevents jars from cracking.

Goal: Prepare jars with salt, fill with hot tomato juice, and seal them with lids and rings for pressure canning.