You can read the official recommendations here: This method of canning or sterilizing isn’t approved by the USDA, nor is it safe. Readers have told me that they sterilize their jars/process jars in the dishwasher and/or oven. The downside to a longer process time is pickles that aren’t as crisp, and fruit juice that has lost the fresh fruit flavor (though I think a 5-10 minute process time wouldn’t make a dramatic difference in flavor, but it should be considered nonetheless).īecause I live above sea level at 3000 feet elevation, I have to add 15 minutes to all my canning times (5 minutes for every 1000 feet)- I’ve never faced the option choosing to sterilize OR increase the process time. If I were canning a recipe where the process time was 5 minutes, I would rather add 5 minutes to the processing time and meet the sterilization requirement that way, rather than go through the steps of sterilizing separately. To properly sterilize jars, they must be submerged in boiling water for ten minutes. However, if you are canning a recipe that calls for processing time that is less than 10 minutes (some juices in jars smaller than a quart, perhaps, like cranberry) the official recommendation is that the jars be sterilized first. Most water bath canning recipes require a 10 minute processing time, so most of the time, you would not have to sterilize your jars first, because they will be sterilized as the jars process in a boiling water bath or the steam canner. This heat is enough to kill the germs that any sterilization step may kill as long as the processing time of the water bath recipe in question is 10 minutes. Acid is one of the other factors that makes canning “work.” All water bath canning recipes are high in acid. The high acid environment is the high acid raspberry jam, dilly beans, or salsa canning recipe that you’ve prepared. Water bath canning brings the inside of the jars (and thus the food) to over 212 degrees, which kills spoilers (microorganisms) in the high acid environment. One of the factors that makes canning “work” is heat. Sterilizing jars before canning is topic I’m asked about often and I wanted to write a post to clarify when sterilizing jars is necessary when canning, and when it is not. Let us explain the process of sterilizing canning jars in detail.This post will explain why you don’t need to sterilize your jars before canning- except when you do. At the same time, it is a simple process to achieve. Sterilizing the canning jars is a vital and crucial step in the process of canning. When you work with sterile canning equipment, you eliminate the overall risk of molds or bacteria growing on your produce after the process of canning. In this post, let us help you unravel how you should sterilize the canning jars to obtain the best results out of your canning efforts. While you might be all excited about canning your favorite veggies and fruits, one important aspect is to sterilize canning jars before you begin the canning process. Most importantly, check that the rubber seals have not corroded in any way.Įnsure that you have access to all the right ingredients, equipment, and knowledge about the best home preserving methods to achieve the desired results. Check for any cracks in the glass and make sure the lids are rust-free. Pull those dusty boxes of jars out of storage and give them a good “once over”. As the harvesting season approaches, it is important to get your canning essentials ready, and this means checking and sterilizing canning jars.
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