How To Sterilize Canning Jars

Learn 5 proven ways to sterilize empty canning jars, plus how to sterilize full jars!

Learn 5 proven ways to sterilize empty canning jars, plus how to sterilize full jars! Let's talk about sterilizing jars in the oven, microwave, slow cooker, dishwasher and on the stove. We will also share interesting recipes for winter preparations.

For reference, let's say that sterilization is a quick and simple process that will allow the preparations that you have spent your time, effort, wonderful products to cook, will not deteriorate during storage. For sterilization, use washed glass jars and bottles without chips.

 

1. Oven sterilization

This method is longer than others, but you don’t have to do anything, the oven will do everything for you! And your banks will be scrupulously cleaned. Start sterilizing jars 30 minutes before they are to be used. You can also put metal lids on a baking sheet and send them to the oven with jars.

Turn on the oven to heat up to 130 degrees. Line the baking sheets with a double layer of parchment or newspaper (you may not cover it). Arrange clean jars neck up on baking sheets so that they do not touch each other. Leave the jars in the closed oven for at least 20 minutes. Select the jars using oven mitts or mittens, when ready, place on a fireproof surface or board, fill and twist.

Recipe. Lecho in large pieces for the winter

 

In this cooking option, lecho vegetables are coarsely chopped, and not pierced with a blender. The amount of bell pepper and onion, as well as spices, can be adjusted to your taste. The main thing is that the total mass of vegetables remains the same, but the mass of tomatoes should be unchanged.

Rinse 4 kg of tomatoes, cut into four parts, cutting out the stalks. Wash 3 kg of bell pepper, cut coarsely, select seeds. Peel 1 kg of onion, cut into half rings. Put the vegetables in a saucepan, add 2 tbsp. l. salt, half a glass of sugar, 50 ml of 9% vinegar, 300 ml of vegetable oil. Stir, bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Pour the finished lecho into sterilized jars, leave warm until cool, then carry to the cellar.

2. Sterilization in the dishwasher

Sterilizing in the dishwasher is beneficial if you need a large number of jars at once. The owners of the dishwasher with the "Sterilization" function were especially lucky. Just follow the instructions.

If there is no such function, then you will have to check whether the machine heats up to 70 degrees. Do not sterilize in a dishwasher, the maximum mode of which is 60 degrees, this is not enough.

So, load the jars and lids into the dishwasher, set the washing mode with the highest temperature (at least 70 degrees). The jars may be dusty, but not contaminated. You don't need to add detergent! Time your wash so that the wash is finished when your jam, cucumbers or other preparations are ready for canning.

3. Sterilization in a slow cooker

It is very convenient to sterilize jars in a slow cooker: the oven does not need to be heated, the stove is completely provided for pots with blanks, the multi pan is equipped with a special tray for steaming - just what you need for cans.

Pour a liter of water into the multicooker pan, put the lids in the water. We set the bowl for steaming and on top - jars neck down. We turn on the "Steam cooking" program for 10 minutes. At the end of the program, we select the jars with tacks on a clean towel, we select the lids with a slotted spoon.

Recipe. apple hrenader

 

Original fresh appetizer of apples and horseradish. Suitable for spreading on bread, marinade for meat and chicken, and also as a spicy sauce.

Peel 150 g of horseradish root and 50 g of garlic. Wash 2 kg of apples and cut into large pieces, cutting out the seed box. Pass apples and vegetables through a meat grinder. Add 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil and 1/4 tsp. turmeric, blend with a blender to the desired consistency. Add salt and sugar to taste, stir. Put everything in a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, then pour into sterilized jars. Cool and store in the refrigerator.

4. Microwave sterilization

A liter or smaller jar is placed in the microwave. Therefore, this method is suitable for those who do not preserve blanks in large containers.

Sterilize jars in the microwave as follows. Place washed but not dried jars in the microwave at full power for 30-45 seconds. Use immediately as directed. Attention! The jars are hot, pick them up using a thick towel or kitchen mitt.

To sterilize lids in the microwave, pour water into a bowl suitable for such use, put metal lids there without bends, cracks or rubber bands. Turn on full power for 5 minutes. Then select with tongs and dry on a clean towel.

 

5. Sterilization on electric or gas stove

Sterilization on the stove is convenient because you can boil even very tall and large jars and bottles. True, the number of sterilized jars will limit the size of the pan, which we will use for this.

So, let's begin. Place a large saucepan on the stove, filling it one-third full with water. Bring to a medium boil. Put metal lids for jars into the water, then place a special pot or steamer on top. Put the jars on it with the hole down, sterilize for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove the jars with a thick kitchen towel or oven mitts and set them upside down first, then turn them over onto a clean towel to dry. Select the lids on the towel with a slotted spoon. Do all this just before you fill the jars with blanks.

Some sterilize small jars and lids by placing them near or over the spout of a boiling kettle. Banks and lids are scalded with steam, after which they must be dried. With this method of sterilization, you need to be extremely careful not to burn yourself.

Recipe. Jam from apples and pears against colds

 

Jam made from pears, apples, ginger and herbs will be the most delicious cure for a cold. And it's easy to cook.

Wash 600 g pears and 600 g apples, remove seeds and cut into small cubes in a saucepan. Add 60 g of grated fresh ginger root without dense fibers, zest and juice of one lemon, add 1 kg of sugar, a few pureed cardamom seeds, a couple of pinches of cinnamon, a sprig of rosemary. Stir and leave for 10 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes after boiling, stirring occasionally. Choose your rosemary and pour the jam into sterilized jars. Cool and store in a cool place.

Sterilization of full jars

When you place the hot blanks in clean jars, you can (and sometimes) need to additionally sterilize them. The need to sterilize filled jars is usually indicated in the recipe.

So, fill hot sterilized jars with boiling jam, salad or other preparation for the winter. Place the filled jar in a saucepan of hot water, first lining the bottom with a kitchen towel or installing a round metal grate. The jar can be covered or screwed with a sterilized lid.

The water in the pan should be up to the shoulders of the jar, but not less than 5 cm from the bottom of the pan. Boil the jars for 10-30 minutes depending on the volume, then carefully select, tighten the lids and leave for 24 hours in a warm place (wrapped in a blanket) until completely cool. Then store in a cool dark place.

 

Sterilization time for jars with blanks:

half-liter jars - 10 minutes,

liter - 20 minutes,

3 liter - 30 minutes.