How long does jar sterilization take? How to sterilize jars? All possible ways
Sterilization is the removal of all types of microorganisms and fungal spores from objects. This procedure must be performed responsibly, otherwise winter preparations and any other products will deteriorate and become hazardous to health.
When sterilizing by any method, in order to get an excellent result, you must adhere to the general principles:
- Integrity. In other words, there should be no cracks and chips on the dishes, otherwise it will be dangerous to store food in it. Damaged containers must be disposed of.
- Sterilized containers should be taken with clean, dry potholders or a towel. The container is hot after sterilization, so you can just burn your hands.
- After sterilization, place the jars on a dry, clean cloth with the neck down so that harmful microorganisms do not get into them as they cool. You can turn the container over immediately before filling.
- The containers should be filled with a blank, the temperature of which is close to the temperature of the container. Otherwise, the glass will crack, and you will ruin your products, and you may also cut your hands.
- The jar should always be taken by the sides with both hands so that it does not slip out and break.
Sterilization in boiling water
This is one of the common ways to sterilize glassware at home. It is necessary to take a wide pan, fill it with water less than half the volume, and immerse the jars filled with water there.
After that, bring the water to a boil on the stove. Usually sterilized in a container with a volume of up to one liter. The operation time is 10-15 minutes from the moment the water boils.
In the oven
The next method, which is widely used by experienced housewives, is the sterilization of glassware in the oven. The difference of this method is that the use of water and steam is excluded. This is dry sterilization.
It is necessary to put the jars in a cold or slightly heated oven. If the containers are dry, they are placed upside down. Banks with residual water should be placed upside down to evaporate it. You can install several cans of different sizes at once. Place the containers on a wire rack or on a baking sheet. The oven must be heated to 150 degrees. Sterilization time, depending on the volume of the container, is 10-30 minutes.
Ferry
A proven method for preparing containers for decades is sterilizing them over water vapor. Our grandmothers also used this method. You need to take a pot or kettle.
You will also need a special stand, which can be purchased at a hardware store. The stand has a recess for one or more jars, depending on the width of the pan. In the absence of a stand, you can also use a simple double boiler or a grid that protects against oil splashing when frying.
If you are using a conventional (non-electric) kettle, the stand is not required. It is necessary to pour water into the kettle and place the jar upside down instead of the lid.
The processing time of the dishes from the moment the water boils depends on the volume of the container and ranges from ten minutes to half an hour.
In the microwave
The most modern tool for preparing cans for canning is a microwave oven. This method has many advantages. The most important of them is high speed. At the same time, there is no steam in the room in which the treatment is carried out.
To process dishes in the microwave, it is imperative to pour a little clean water into it (up to two centimeters from the bottom). Empty containers should not be placed in the microwave oven. Sterilization is carried out at maximum power for 1-8 minutes. During this time, the water will boil, and the germs on the surface of the dishes will be destroyed by steam.
The amount of dishes placed depends on the volume of the microwave oven. Two-, three-liter jars, if they do not fit, can be put on their side. At the same time, it is necessary to pour enough water into the jar so that it does not spill out.
Important! The magazine "Miss Purity" recalls that it is absolutely impossible to sterilize iron lids in this way.
In the dishwasher
This is the simplest and effective method, however, not all homes have such a device.
Banks are placed on two sliding shelves of the dishwasher. Then the machine must be set to the mode with heating to the highest temperature and turned on.
Advice! Dishwashers are much more capacious than microwaves and ovens. However, in them it is often impossible to set water heating above 80 degrees, or even less. Therefore, there are some doubts about the quality of sterilization by this method.
You can prepare food for preservation while the dishwasher sterilizes glass containers. The longer this process takes, the better.
cold way
A known method of processing containers for canning alcohol. Is it possible to find other similar means of cold sterilization at home? It is recommended to use vinegar.
It is necessary to take a half-liter jar, pour cold boiled water into it up to the shoulders. Then add 7 tablespoons of 70% vinegar. Get a sterilizing solution.
The container, as usual, must be thoroughly rinsed, then pour the resulting solution into it, close the lid and shake well for twenty seconds. After that, the solution must be poured into the next jar and the process repeated.
After sterilization of the container, it is necessary to hold it upside down for some time so that the liquid glass from the walls. The prepared solution is enough to process fifty cans.
This requires a wide pan, on the bottom of which a clean towel or any cloth is spread. Then you need to arrange the jars filled with products and covered with lids so that they do not touch each other. After that, carefully pour cool or slightly warm water into the pan, so that the water does not reach the lids by about two centimeters. Then bring it to a boil.
Advice! When pasteurizing, do not put jars on the bottom of a pot of boiling water. Due to the temperature difference, the glass may crack.
Processing time depends on the volume of cans and is approximately 10-15 minutes. Can be sterilized longer.
Then the containers with the contents must be carefully removed from the water using a special tool that is commercially available and rolled up with a machine.
When the jars are sterilized, filled and rolled up, they must be turned over and placed on the lids. Hot canned food is recommended to be placed on a wooden surface. To slow down the cooling process, the jars should be wrapped in a warm blanket or outerwear. When the blanks have cooled, you can remove them to a permanent storage place.
In order for the work to be carried out not in vain and the prepared products do not deteriorate, it is necessary to carefully process the lids.
They also need to be washed first with a sponge and soap, baking soda, or dish shampoo. After that, the lids are placed in a container of boiling water and kept for two minutes.
Lids that are used to seal canned food must be in perfect condition. On their surface there should be no traces of rust, scuffs and dents. Rubber bands must be selected according to the diameter of the lid.
These are the most famous simple ways sterilization. Apply them on the farm. Choose the method that is most convenient for you.
Cleanliness of jars for blanks is the most important thing. How to sterilize jars in the oven, microwave, over steam, boiling water? Summer is a troublesome time for gardeners, not only because there is a lot of work on the site, but also because you want to save the grown crop for the winter, please yourself and your loved ones with delicious, crispy cucumbers, fragrant jam, refreshing vitamin juice or compote. And we cook, pickle, salt - we prepare for the winter everything that we have grown in the garden. You can't do without sterilization.
Banks treated in this way will safely store our harvest. How to do it right? I will introduce you to different methods of sterilization. There are probably others...
How and how to wash glass jars, lids
First of all, let's talk about how and what is better to wash jars and lids. I will share my experience.
I carefully inspect all the jars that need to be sterilized. No cracks, chips - everything must be intact.
If you use dishes with threads, then it is advisable to check before filling it with jam whether the lid will tightly “hug” the jar, whether it will leak.
After all, how do we do it. We keep threaded jars, and the lids from them usually fail immediately after use. For conservation, we have to buy new ones. It happens that threaded jars, especially if they are imported, have a smaller neck diameter than lids. How to check if they are suitable for each other?
To do this, fill a glass container with water, you can cold, wipe the outer surface dry. The lid must also be dry. Close the jar with a lid as tightly as possible. Then shake it several times over the table. If the lid does not fit snugly against the neck, then you will notice drops of water on the surface of the table. You can run a dry hand along the outer edge of the cap, where it should be adjacent to the neck - to check for leaks.
Do not be lazy, check all jars for compatibility with lids.
Have you checked? Everything is fine? Fine!
First, I fill all containers intended for canning with water. I fill up to the top, up to the neck. Ordinary tap water, cold or warm. They will stay like this for 2-3 hours. What is it for? And in order for all the dried solid invisible particles of dirt to get wet - it will be easier to wash them off.
I wash them, the old fashioned way, with baking soda powder. I don't use any other detergents. The smallest particles of soda are better than any abrasive cleaner at cleaning dirt from the walls of glass jars. In addition, soda is easily washed off, does not leave any odor, and does not remain on the surface of the glass.
One more detail. I always use a new sponge to wash blank jars. There should not be any fats, food residues from dirty dishes on the sponge.
I don't fill the lids with water. Just wash them thoroughly with warm water and soap or dish soap to remove the factory grease.
By the way, if you use old, previously used lids that have retained the smells of previous preservations - after washing, fill them with water, where add the juice of half a lemon or a little vinegar, soak for 15-20 minutes. The smell will disappear. After that, they can be sterilized.
How to sterilize jars in the oven
Honestly, sterilizing jars in the oven is my favorite and most reliable way to prepare for the process of harvesting for the winter. I use them almost exclusively.
It is, in my opinion, the simplest. You can sterilize several jars at once.
Washed jars - I do not dry them - I put them inside the cold oven with their necks down. What is this for? Our water is hard. If I put them upside down, then, evaporating, the water will leave whitish traces of hardness salts at the bottom. Harm, of course, no, but purely aesthetically I do not like it.
I try to place the jars inside the oven so that they do not touch each other. Why, it is difficult for me to explain, but in practice it sometimes happened to me that, placed right next to each other, they burst when heated.
Then I turn on the oven, first I set the regulator flag to a minimum, and after a while I increase the temperature to 150-180 ° C. I usually look at the oven door. After turning it on, it fogs up. But as soon as the door glass becomes transparent, I mark the time. It should take at least 5-10 minutes after that. After that, I turn off the oven, and open the door a little so that the jars begin to cool. After such calcination, they are very hot, it is dangerous to immediately pour marinade or compote there - they will burst.
I take them out of the oven, using oven mitts so as not to burn myself.
How to determine whether marinade or compote can be poured? Very simple. I try with a wet finger, like an iron - it will hiss, it means it's too early to pour - the can may burst - let it cool a little. And it doesn’t hiss, so it’s time.
How good is this method of sterilization? Good for its simplicity. There are a lot of recipes that advise pouring boiling marinade over jars of vegetables or fruits several times. Then drain it. Then boil it again. And pour again. The method of sterilization in the oven allows you to pour the marinade once.
But I put vegetables or fruits inside a hot sterilized container, also hot. It is important! To do this, I blanch them. For example, cucumbers or tomatoes, spices (dill, horseradish, carrots, all sorts of leaves) put in a colander, dip several times (in time it turns out 5-20 seconds) in boiling water - it boils in my other saucepan. The larger vegetables or fruits, the longer it takes for them to warm up well. And small ones (dill, spices, garlic, cherry tomatoes, others) are enough to blanch for 2-5 seconds. Hot vegetables, spices are then laid out in calcined containers. If the recipe calls for it, then I add vinegar, citric acid. I fill it with boiling marinade up to the very neck, so that there is as little space as possible for air in the jar. I put a boiled lid on top - I roll it up with a manual seamer or twist it. To be sure that nothing will explode, I wrap it with a blanket until the morning.
Nothing explodes!
I have mastered this method not so long ago. All thanks to a friend who invited me to her dacha. Her harvest was good. She was engaged in canning right at the dacha. She doesn't have an oven, either gas or electric. Microwave only.
Of course, I heard that this can be sterilized, but in practice this method has not yet been tried.
It turned out that everything is very simple.
The most important thing in any method of sterilization is cleanliness.
Pour a little water into clean jars - 1-2 cm high from the bottom. We put them inside the microwave. We choose the power for the microwave oven 700-800 watts. Sterilization time - 2-3 minutes.
What is happening? The water inside the jars boils, they are steam sterilized.
If jars with a capacity of 500-700 ml are placed inside the microwave while standing, then a 3-liter jar should be placed lying down, also after pouring some water. Furnace power, sterilization time is the same.
Sterilizing jars in a pot of water
Take a pan, lay a napkin or a small towel on the bottom. Put jars with lids in there. If there are several of them, then lay a napkin between them so that they do not touch each other. Fill with water so that it covers everything - jars, lids. Put on fire, bring to a boil, boil for 5-10 minutes. Banks, lids are ready. They are sterilized.
This is my friend's favorite way to sterilize. No matter how I tried to convince her that, for example, using the oven to do it faster, more convenient, it was all in vain. Well, to each his own. However, this method has every right to exist.
I also use it when I preserve one or two jars. With small volumes of conservation, this method is convenient. But this is my opinion.
Dishes for steam sterilization can be different - a ladle, a kettle, a coffee pot, a saucepan - use what is more convenient for you.
The kettle is very convenient, but the design of the kettle should include a free-falling handle. Modern teapots most often have tightly fixed handles - not a single can will fit under them.
I use a steamer. Such, with petals, which is freely inserted into the saucepan of any diameter.
I pour a little water into the bottom of the pan, put a double boiler into it, straighten the petals, put the jar upside down. After boiling, I keep it over the steam for no more than 5-7 minutes. I take it off, be sure to put on mittens, potholders - otherwise you can scald your hands.
I put it on a table or stool, where a dry newspaper or towel is laid. Do not put on a wet, damp surface - the jar will burst. When it cools slightly, I put fruits, vegetables scalded with boiling water or those products (they must be hot) that I want to save for the winter.
Sterilization of jars with glass lids and metal clips
I have several of these jars, but to be honest, I don’t really like to preserve something in them. Take a lot, I think. My jars have metal clips that don't come off, so I'm afraid to put them in the oven. Suddenly the glass will burst where it comes into contact with the metal.
I usually prepare juice or fruit puree this way. In order for such a jar to close well, it is important to fill it with conservation products to the mark, not higher.
The jars come with rubber gaskets. I wash them, boil them for 1-2 minutes - no more.
I fill clean, dry containers with juice or puree to the mark, put rubber gaskets on the lids, close the clamp. And then everything must be sterilized.
I put a cloth napkin at the bottom of the pan so that the jar does not come into contact with the metal bottom. I put it, one or two or three - it depends on the width of the pan, the volume of the jar. If there are several of them, then I also lay a napkin between them. Then I fill the pot with cold water. The water level must be above the caps. Banks must be fully covered. Choose a high pot for sterilization.
During the boiling of water (sterilization), a pressure above atmospheric is created inside the jars, as if it squeezes air out through the cracks between the jar and the lid. You will notice this by the air bubbles rising to the surface of the water. The increased air pressure inside does not allow water to penetrate under the cover.
Sterilization time depends on the volume of jars. For 0.5 liter cans it is 15-20 minutes after boiling water.
Then I put the jars to cool. When they cool, the pressure inside becomes lower than atmospheric - the lid sticks. Everything. The jar is sterilized along with the contents.
We looked at several ways - how to sterilize jars in the microwave, oven, steam, in a saucepan. If you know other ways, please share. Our comment form allows you to upload a photo.
Good day to you, dear readers!!
Homemade preparations for the winter - jam, jams, and eggplant caviar, pickled cucumbers and tomatoes, pickles - we store all this most often in glass jars. Compotes and juices - in glass bottles. And before canning, all containers must be thoroughly disinfected.
There are many ways to sterilize jars. I have selected some of the easiest methods that you can perform at home quickly and easily.
- Carefully check the glass container for chips, nicks, cracks. It is better not to use imperfect jars and bottles for preservation.
- New lids are needed. After all, it will be a shame for us that our works in summer and autumn simply did not survive to winter because of poor-quality covers. Therefore, it is better not to skimp and buy new covers.
- When buying, we check the quality of the covers. Screw caps must not be bent or scratched. Lids with elastic bands should also be perfect with inserted elastic bands.
- Put the chemicals for washing cans aside. They are poorly washed off and harmful to our health. I wash the lids and jars with soda + mustard or laundry soap. We also use a new sponge for washing dishes.
Today's article:
How to sterilize jars in the microwave
With this method, the lids are boiled separately in a saucepan.
- Wash jars and lids with mustard and baking soda. Wipe with a clean towel.
- We set the lids to boil separately on fire for 5-7 minutes.
- We fill the jars with clean water 1-1.5 cm from the bottom.
- We put the jars in the microwave for 4-5 minutes at a power of 700-800 watts. The water in the jars boils and steam sterilization takes place.
How to sterilize jars in the oven
One of my favorite ways. It is probably the simplest one. You can sterilize jars with lids.
But it is worth noting that with this method there must be an electric oven with a thermometer. And sterilization lids are suitable, which can be twisted.
For lids with rubber bands, the rubber band can dry out and burst or melt. Such lids must be boiled separately in water.
- Preheat the oven to 100-120 degrees Celsius.
- Wash jars and lids well and place on wire rack. Banks can not be wiped. Place dry jars upside down. Wet jars are placed with the neck up so that all the water evaporates.
- Leave in the oven for 15 minutes. This time is for jars with a capacity of no more than 700 gr. For three-liter jars more time is required - 20-25 minutes.
How to steam sterilize jars
Too convenient way sterilization of containers, when only 1-2 jars are needed. It is also convenient that you put the lids into the pan, put a sieve or colander on top, on which the jars are sterilized. But I will start talking about this method in order.
1. We take a pan. The size of the pan depends on how many jars you will sterilize on it. The larger the pot, the more cans will fit on it. Pour water into it and put on fire to boil water.
2. Wash jars and lids well. We put the lids in this pan and boil together with the jars.
3. When the water boils, put a sieve or steel colander on top. Place the jars upside down on a sieve.
4. Boil jars like this: up to 700 grams - 6-8 minutes, liter and two-liter jars - 10-15 minutes, three liters or more - 20-25 minutes.
5. The jars were well sterilized when large drops of water from the steam appeared on them. We remove the jars and put them upside down on a clean towel to drain the water.
How to sterilize jars in water
Perhaps the easiest way to sterilize canning jars.
- Wash jars and lids with laundry soap.
- Pour clean water into a large saucepan or enameled bucket and put on fire.
- Put lids and jars in a saucepan.
- Boil jars for 6-7 minutes.
- Carefully, so as not to burn yourself, we take out the jars and lids and put them upside down on a clean, ironed towel.
Video - how to sterilize jars with blanks
And below is another way to sterilize jars in the oven, but with blanks.
That's all the simplest ways to sterilize containers for conservation. Successful and delicious preparations for the winter!
Before you start sterilizing jars, do not forget about their preparation. Discard all dishes with broken edges and cracks, wash the soda containers well from dust, dirt and particles of past blanks, both from the inside and from the outside. And how the sterilization of cans itself takes place and with the help of what methods - we will tell you further.
Steam jar sterilization
The most proven method by which jars are sterilized by housewives all over the world. To use it, you will need to purchase a special device at the hardware store, if you do not already have it - this is a sterilization circle. Instead of a circle, you can also use a metal grid.
Take water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. The jar to be sterilized must be turned upside down and placed upside down on a circle. Now place the circle on a pot of boiling water. Sterilize 5-7 minutes. To remove it later from the circle, grab it by the sides with oven mitts and place it upside down on a dry towel.
In order not to waste time while the jar is being sterilized, metal jar lids can be immersed in the same boiling water.
If you have an ordinary kettle with a long spout without a whistle, then you can steam sterilize the jar by putting it directly on the spout. And the lids can be boiled in the kettle itself.
Dry method: in the oven
Sterilizing jars in the oven is extremely simple. The jar should be turned upside down and placed on a wire rack in the oven. Turn it on and start heating up to 120-150 degrees. When the temperature rises to the desired level, leave the container in the oven for 20 minutes. Then turn off the oven and let it cool down along with the jar. Metal jar lids can also be sterilized by placing them side by side on the wire rack.
Beware of temperature differences: so that your jars do not crack, you can only put them in the oven when dry. For the same reason, do not take them out of the oven immediately, but wait until they cool down a bit.
Sterilize in the microwave
Sterilization of jars in the microwave will also come out for you, only this time it will not work out dry. When the microwave is operating, the air does not heat up, but the water heats up, so before putting the container in the oven, pour some liquid into it. We need dry jars - put a small container of water in the microwave along with the jars. Then turn on the microwave for 3-5 minutes.
A large jar will not fit in the stove, so it should be turned on its side, also not forgetting to add water inside.
But sterilizing the lids in the microwave is fraught with its failure, so the traditional method of boiling in water remains here.
The easiest way: in the dishwasher
Many housewives carry out sterilization in dishwasher, although there is still controversy about this method: some believe that this sterilization of jars is very effective and simple, but others argue that this method cannot guarantee complete sterilization. However, we will tell you how to sterilize jars in the dishwasher: all you need to do is load the jars into the machine without adding any additional products and set it to the highest temperature. But it is better to boil the lids on the stove.
The dimensions of the dishwasher are much larger than the size of the oven, or even more so the microwave, so more containers can be processed in it at a time, but it is also impossible to achieve such a high heating temperature in it.
How to sterilize jars with potassium permanganate
You can also sterilize dishes with potassium permanganate.
Dilute potassium permanganate in water to obtain a bright color solution. Pour the solution into jars and add warm water to them. Close them with lids and leave the solution for ten minutes.
After this time, the containers should be turned over and put with the neck on the bottom, holding the potassium permanganate inside for another five minutes. After that, drain the potassium permanganate, rinse the dishes thoroughly and scald them with boiling water.
You can see with your own eyes how jars are sterilized using the following video:
Take it, tell your friends!
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How to sterilize jars at home
Cap sterilization
If you use screw caps, simply boil them in water for 10-15 minutes right before closing the jar of vegetables or jam. Boiled lids must be taken carefully - with the help of boiled tweezers.
If you have jars with glass lids and iron clamps, the lids can be prepared along with the jars, and the seals boiled and installed on the lid with clean tweezers before seaming
Pasteurization
Quite often, ready-made canned food is pasteurized before being hermetically sealed. Cover the filled jars with lids without rolling them up, and place the pots with water on a wooden grate or towel on the bottom so that the water does not reach the lids by 1.5–2 cm. −40 minutes. Remove the jars from the pan, without opening the lids, put on the table and cork immediately. Turn the rolled jars upside down and refrigerate.
Jars with glass lids close a little differently. First, cork the filled jars so that the rubber ring is placed between the lid and the neck, close the lids. Place the jars on a wooden grate or a towel in a saucepan with water preheated to 55-65 ° C, which should cover the jars with lids. Bring water to a boil and boil for 15-20 minutes. After sterilization, remove the jars from the water and place to cool. Glass lids stick tightly to the cans: to open such a can, release the spring and pull the tab on the rubber ring.
How to sterilize jars: video
How to sterilize jars with blanks
Do not use old lids. Internally scratched or even slightly warped screw caps will eventually spoil your canned food. Buy new ones!
Do not use vacuum lids for long term storage. Lids with attached vacuum pump are convenient, but practice shows that they do not last long - just a few months. In addition, the slightest unevenness of the neck can cause air to enter and depressurize canned food.
Do not carelessly wash vegetables and fruits. Before canning, they must be washed very thoroughly. It is most reliable to use two containers: rinse the vegetables several times and transfer them from one container to another.
When pasteurizing ready-made canned food, do not place jars on the bottom of a pot of boiling water. glass can break! To prevent this from happening, put a wooden grate on the bottom of the pan or lay a cloth napkin. After that, place hot jars on a wooden surface.
Now you know how to properly sterilize jars! Happy and delicious home cooking!