Is y apple butter bad?

September 19, 2009 8:09 PM

I have just opened a new jar of apple butter. It was not very difficult to open at all, which surprised me. Perhaps I am paranoid, but there is also a little bit of dried apple butter under the lid of the jar. Does this mean that air got in the jar? I didn't can it myself or anything, so I have no idea when it was done. It smells fine, but that obviously isn't foolproof. Do I need to throw it out?
posted by itsonreserve to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

Anecdotally, I've noticed less-moist apple butter under the lid of new jars of the stuff before. I'm guessing it's fine but of course it's hard to make that judgment call over the internet.
posted by Phyltre at 8:11 PM on September 19, 2009

OH DEAR GOD IT'S fine.

I'd only worry if the lid was bulging and/or a foul smell was present. Otherwise, nom away.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 8:28 PM on September 19, 2009

Best answer: Almost any jarred item I've ever opened has had slightly dried stuff under the lid - salsa, jam, pasta sauce, etc. That's no reason to worry.
posted by LionIndex at 9:12 PM on September 19, 2009

Response by poster: I did not hear a vacuum whoosh, which was my concern, but maybe I just didn't hear it.

@ Cat pie--While you're probably right, you never want to mess with anything in a jar, bulging and smells do happen, but botulism can occur with no signs whatsoever in some cases. Word to all my ServSafe certified Mefites!
posted by itsonreserve at 9:23 PM on September 19, 2009

Apple butter is neither scarce nor expensive. If you have the slightest doubt, and you do or you wouldn't be asking us, throw it out.
posted by Daddy-O at 10:52 PM on September 19, 2009 [1 favorite]

Best answer: if you didn't hear the suction I'd toss it. And I say that as someone who is pretty lassie fare about eating things my wife would toss.

It may well be fine, but it seems there is just too much unknown.
posted by edgeways at 12:53 AM on September 20, 2009

If it's going to make you worried to eat it, just don't eat it. If you're not going to spend time thinking about whether or not it was ok after you've consumed it, go ahead and have some.
posted by k8lin at 8:58 AM on September 20, 2009

Please read up the botulism illness-and-death-from-spoiled-food figures if you are really worried. You probably have bigger things to worry about.
posted by Idcoytco at 10:28 AM on September 20, 2009

lassie fare

laissez-faire

Throw it out. Make your own. Apples are cheap right now; making apple butter is fun.
posted by heatherann at 1:15 PM on September 20, 2009

When in doubt, throw it out.
posted by Slinga at 10:07 PM on September 20, 2009