Most the right way save vegetables, berries and fruits for long term- preserve them. But for this process to go smoothly and without any hiccups, you need to place the prepared ingredients in absolutely clean jars. After all, on their surface there live a huge number of microbes that can cause fermentation in the pickled product, which will lead to its spoilage.

Based on this, we can conclude: proper sterilization of jars at home is an essential condition for the preservation of delicious boletus, crispy boletus, juicy tomatoes and other delicacies prepared with love.

The acidic environment that we create for salting is optimal for the proliferation of harmful microorganisms.

During sterilization, water is heated above 100°C, and at this temperature all microbes die. Violation this process and the start of fermentation are manifested by swelling of the lids and cloudiness of the brine.

Stage 1: preparing jars for sterilization

The following simple steps will help you avoid incidents when canning food:

• Be sure to inspect the jars for chips and cracks. Even through a small chip in the neck area, air will enter the jar, which will lead to spoilage of the product, swelling of the lid, and possibly its rupture.
  A damaged jar may burst when exposed to boiling water.
• Wash the jars thoroughly with detergent and then dry.

It is not recommended to sterilize wet jars.

Stage 2: sterilization of jars

Since progress does not stand still, the list of sterilization methods is constantly growing. Let's look at 8 of the simplest and most interesting methods.

Above the Ferry

This is the oldest method that has come down to us from our grandmothers. However, it remains the most effective and reliable.

• You can sterilize steamed jars in different ways: Using a simple kettle.
• Place the prepared jar on the spout of the kettle, and while it is boiling, sterilize it. To disinfect a liter jar it will take 10 minutes, a three-liter jar will take 15. Using a saucepan and a sieve.
  Perhaps some people still have special lids with one or more slits for the neck. It is more convenient to install cans on them, and hot air does not escape into the environment.

Pros: quality, availability.

Flaws: It is inconvenient to remove jars from a teapot or sieve, there is a risk - you can get burned.

In water

Boiling is the most common method of sterilizing containers.

Place a wooden board, towel or folded gauze at the bottom of a spacious, deep saucepan, place glass containers upside down, fill with water to the brim so that the jars are completely immersed in it, and boil for about 15 minutes.

The jars should not touch each other, so it would be more logical to place gauze between them.

Advantages: efficiency, you can sterilize as many jars at once as will fit in the selected pan, you can boil the lids along with the container.

Flaws: It is inconvenient to remove hot jars; hard water can cause the formation of salt deposits on the walls of the container.

In the oven

This is a type of steam sterilization. The jars are placed loosely on a baking sheet and heated in the oven for 15 minutes. They must be moist!

The temperature during the heating process should not go beyond 200°C. At the end of the procedure, the glass container is left to cool directly in the oven, since it can burst if there is a sharp temperature dissonance.

Pros: The oven temperature is higher than boiling water, capacity.

Minuses: The oven takes a long time to heat up, but this can only interfere with bulk preparation of canned food.

Microwave

The fastest and easiest way to sterilize containers. But remember that the microwave warms up food or liquid, so pour a little water into each jar so that it rises about 2 cm above the bottom.

Important! Do not heat containers without water or metal objects - lids - in the microwave.!

In an 800-watt microwave, the container will be crystal clear in just 5 minutes.

Advice! Three liter jars do not fit in standard home microwave ovens, try laying them on their sides.

Advantages: simple, very fast and “conscientiously”.

Flaws: Lids need to be sterilized separately, limited capacity.

In a steamer

A steamer is an extremely useful household appliance.

And even in such a matter as disinfecting cans, she is able to help out her mistress.

All you need to do is place the container in the steamer with the neck down. You can do it right with the lids, but not on the jars, they must be open!

Pros: speed, ease.

Minuses: inconvenient to handle a large number of containers, only for small cans.

In a slow cooker

Another innovative method! The jars are placed upside down on a steaming rack and heated for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size, in the “steam” mode.

Advantages: simplicity, speed of heating the steamer, quality.

Minuses: Only one container can be disinfected at a time.

In a convection oven

An air fryer can also serve you well when canning food. The jars for sterilization are placed on the lower grill, a little water is added to them and heated for 15 minutes at a temperature of 150 °C.

Pros: speed, no need for control.

Flaws: small number of containers processed simultaneously.

In the dishwasher

This method is convenient because the dishes can be loaded with pre-wash base. The jars are simply placed in the dishwasher, the temperature switch is turned to the maximum level, more than 60 ° C, and the “glass” is washed without any cleaning agents.

Lids can be placed there too.

Pros: no need to be distracted, but free time can be devoted to preparations.

Minuses: the temperature is very low, which means some microbes can survive. It is better to use ordinary steam.

Stage 3: sterilization of lids

Like jars, lids are checked for cracks, damage and rust. Typically, threaded caps require replacement annually.

The most convenient way to disinfect lids is to put them in boiling water and warm them up. You can boil half a saucepan of water in advance solely for this operation.

If you are sterilizing jars in the oven, place them in there along with the lids. But you should not put metal objects in the microwave.

Stage 4: re-pasteurization

Even the highest quality sterilization of jars will not satisfy every housewife. Some people need additional insurance and therefore re-sterilize the jars along with the preparations. In canning, this process is called pasteurization.

For pasteurization you will need a large saucepan, preferably with a thick bottom. If the container is too bulky, use a basin.

The bottom of the selected container is covered with any cotton cloth or a wooden board is laid, and prepared jars are placed on top, loosely covered with a lid.

At the end of pasteurization, the jars are removed from the water one by one and immediately rolled up. Until they cool down, it is best to store them upside down.

Summer is not only the time for vacations, but also the time to prepare twists for the winter. And so that the prepared preserves do not swell ahead of time and your work is not in vain, you need not only to be able to screw the jars, but also to sterilize them correctly.

It is advisable that you have electric oven with temperature selection function. In this case, the lids can be sterilized together with the lids, but only those that do not have rubber bands and can be screwed on.
Rubberized lids cannot be disinfected in this way, due to the possible drying, melting and rupture of the rubber under the influence of high temperatures. They will have to be boiled separately in water, as described in the previous method.

1. Preheat the oven to 110-120 degrees.
2. Wash the jars and lids using baking soda and place them on a wire rack. There is no need to wipe the container. Place dry jars upside down and wet jars with the neck up so that all moisture can evaporate without hindrance.
3. One and a half liter containers must be sterilized in the oven for 20 minutes. Classic three-liter jars - half an hour. Half a liter will last about 12 minutes.

The advantage of this method is that when you sterilize the jars, the pans below are boiling, and the lids are also boiling. And any of them.

1. The size of the pan used depends on the number of jars. Therefore, calculate and try on yourself. Have you chosen? Great! Pour in water and put on fire.
2. Rinse and clean jars and lids using baking soda. The lids can now be thrown into the pan.
3. Let the water boil, then place a metal colander or large sieve on top. Check the structure for stability. Banks must be placed upside down.
4. To sterilize half-liter jars, it is enough to steam for about 10 minutes, one-and-a-half liter jars for 20 minutes, and three-liter jars for half an hour.
5. A sign that the jars have been sterilized are voluminous drops of water that should form from the steam. After waiting the required time, carefully pick up the jars and place them upside down on a clean, non-terry towel to allow any droplets to drain.

Sterilizing jars in water

1. Wash the jars and lids with a new sponge and baking soda.
2. To boil cans you will need either a large saucepan or an enamel bucket. It all depends on your needs.
3. In any case, fill the container with water, put the jars in there, put it on the fire and bring to a boil.
4. Five minutes in boiling water is enough to sterilize the jars.
5. The jars should cool on their own, so when taking them out, do it extremely carefully, trying not to get burned. Place the container, neck up, on a soft towel.

The delicacies given to us in summer and autumn can be preserved in an edible state for a long time. What kind of homemade preparations do culinary magazines offer us?

But just knowing a delicious recipe is not enough. To ensure that vegetables, fruits and berries preserved during the winter do not spoil, you also need to know how to sterilize jars. Sterilization is necessary so that canned foods do not spoil during storage and do not harm our health when consuming them.

We already know how our mothers and grandmothers sterilized jars for homemade preparations. They were kept for several minutes over steam. Steam sterilization is the most proven method of processing products and containers before preservation. But this procedure is quite labor-intensive and not very pleasant, since the room in which sterilization takes place is filled with moist and hot air. And in the summer it’s already quite hot. Modern household appliances provide us with modern ways to sterilize jars, for example, they can be sterilized in a microwave, double boiler, dishwasher or in the oven.

For any type of sterilization, only well-washed jars without cracks are suitable. The neck should not be chipped. Also choose your canning lids carefully. The covers must be smooth, clean, without signs of rust, with a new rubber gasket. If you like to use screw-on lids when canning, then make sure that the inner surface of these lids is free of scratches and rust, and before you start canning, check that the screw-on lids fit tightly to the neck and do not twist.

How to sterilize jars in the microwave

You can sterilize jars in the microwave in the following way:

- Pour a little water into each so that the bottom is covered with water by about 1 centimeter.

— Place the jars in the microwave for a few minutes at high power of about 750 watts.

You can sterilize jars in the microwave because the water inside boils and begins to evaporate. The same sterilization of cans with steam occurs. Microwave sterilization time depends on the number of jars you put in the microwave at the same time, and can take up to 5 minutes.

Sterilizing in the microwave is quite quick both in terms of time and due to the fact that many jars can be sterilized at the same time. The room in which sterilization takes place is not filled with moist air. The only drawback is that three-liter jars are too tall for many household microwaves and may simply not fit.

How to sterilize jars in a double boiler

Place the jars in the steamer with the neck down and turn it on to the cooking mode for about 15 minutes.

The water that is poured into the steamer begins to boil, and the cans are sterilized with this steam.

By the way, you can also place not only jars, but also lids in a steamer for sterilization.

Sterilizing using this method is very convenient. Little time and effort is spent. But it is possible to sterilize jars in a double boiler if it is spacious enough. If you can only place one in a steamer, then sterilizing in a microwave is faster and more economical in terms of energy consumption.

How to sterilize jars in the oven

— If you plan to sterilize jars in the oven, then after washing them, do not let the water drain from the jars, but immediately place them in the oven.

— Turn on the oven to 160 degrees.

— Jars must be sterilized until all droplets of water have evaporated and the glass becomes completely transparent. This will take approximately 10-15 minutes, but be careful not to overdo it.

This method of sterilizing jars is the most affordable and most convenient for many housewives. Almost everyone can sterilize jars in the oven, since almost every home has an oven. In addition, many jars can be sterilized in the oven at the same time. The only thing that is required from you is attention, because if there is severe overheating, the glass may burst.

How to sterilize jars in the dishwasher

I myself have not used this method of sterilizing jars, but they say that it is also quite simple and effective.

— Jars prepared for sterilization are placed in the dishwasher.

— Then the dishwasher is turned on to the hottest setting.

In terms of capacity, dishwashers are higher than the microwave, steamer or oven mentioned above. But the dishwasher cannot be set to a very high temperature. Therefore, there are some doubts about the quality this method how to sterilize dishes.

But if you have not yet prepared vegetables or fruits for canning, then you can calmly do this preparation while the jars are being sterilized in the dishwasher, since no control on your part is needed over this process.

The last thing I want to tell you about, in order to avoid unpleasant situations, is that banks are afraid of strong temperature changes. For example, glass can easily break if hot jar You will put it in a cold sink or, conversely, put a hot snack or jam in a cold container.

Now you know modern ways to sterilize jars. The choice is yours.

Hello, dear readers of the blog “Secrets of the Brownie”. It's time for home. To ensure that your supplies are well stored, cucumbers do not explode, jam does not turn sour, tomatoes do not become moldy, you must not only follow the technology for preparing homemade preparations, but also ensure that the jars are properly sterilized. How to properly sterilize jars, which sterilization method is better, how long it takes to sterilize jars, how to sterilize small jars - you will find answers to these questions in my publication.

Whatever method you use to sterilize jars, you cannot avoid the stage of preparing jars for sterilization. What does it consist of?

First of all, it is necessary to check the integrity of the cans, reject cans with chipped necks or cracks. These jars are not suitable for preparations; it is better to throw them away or use them only as containers for storing bulk products (tea, cereals, herbs).

Then you need to check whether you have lids for these jars, and how tightly they seal the jars. If you use screw-on iron lids or plastic lids, there is no need to replace them every year, but be sure to check their tightness. Take a jar, pour water into it, thoroughly wipe the jar clean of water, screw the lid on as tightly as possible, turn it over and shake the jar over a paper napkin. If there are drops of water on the napkin, then such a lid will not suit you, it will leak.

Also, when using metal lids, be careful not to rust spots, scratches, concavities. Damaged lids are not suitable for winter storage.

When using lids with rubber bands, pay attention to the elasticity of the rubber band; old, long-stored rubber bands tend to dry out and crack. Such lids are also not suitable.

After the inspection of the jars and lids, you must thoroughly rinse them with a new sponge using baking soda. You can soak the jars in water and soda for several hours. It is soda that helps not only clean the jars well, but also eliminate any odors. If you happen to not have baking soda at home, you can wash the jars with laundry soap or unscented dishwashing detergent. In all cases, the jars need to be rinsed well; I prefer to do this under running water.

Methods for sterilizing jars

There are several ways to sterilize jars at home.

Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups:

• classic;
• modern.

Our grandmothers also used classical methods of sterilization.

This includes steaming cans, boiling cans, and treating with potassium permanganate.

Sterilization of jars with potassium permanganate

Dilute a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, pour it into clean jars, filling them halfway, then add warm water to the top, close the lid and let stand for 10 minutes. Then turn the jar over and let it stand for another 5 minutes. Drain the potassium permanganate, pour boiling water over the jar and you can use it.

This method is suitable for sterilizing any jars, but currently it is almost impossible to find potassium permanganate.

Steam sterilization of jars

You will need a pan of boiling water and special tools that can be purchased at a hardware store.

I have had an aluminum circle with a hole inside that has been in good service for many years. You can install both small and large cans on it. Now there are devices for 3 cans, but you can use a regular oven rack or an oil splash screen, which is used during frying in a frying pan.

To sterilize several jars, it is better to choose a pan with a wide bottom. It is enough to pour water into a pan, bring it to a boil, put a wire rack on top and place the jars on the wire rack and steam them. At the same time, you can lower the lid into the pan for sterilization.

Steaming time varies for cans of different sizes.

How long to sterilize steamed jars

for 0.5 and 0.75 l for at least 10 minutes;

for 1 liter at least 15 minutes;

for 2 liters for at least 20 minutes;

for 3 liters from 25 to 30 minutes.

If you accidentally did not record the time, then the end of sterilization of the cans with steam can be determined by appearance banks. At the beginning of sterilization, the jar is covered with drops of water, when sterilization ends, the jar becomes dry.

We place the sterilized jar on a clean, preferably linen cloth, bottom up, and remove the boiled lids with a clean fork and leave them on the cloth. inside down. In this state, the jars remain sterile for up to two days.

The advantage of this method is that the jars for the blanks can be prepared in advance. In addition, this method can be used to sterilize both large and small jars.

Sterilizing jars over a kettle

A variation of sterilizing jars with steam is sterilizing jars over a kettle. This method can be used to sterilize both large three-liter jars and small ones. Find out how to do it correctly from this video.

Boiling cans in a saucepan

This method is suitable for sterilizing small jars. This method can process several cans at once.

Take a large saucepan, place a wooden wire rack on the bottom (if there is no wire rack, you can put a towel folded several times) and place the jars on it, pour cold water and heat on the stove until the water boils. After boiling, “cook” the jars for at least 5 minutes. You can immediately sterilize the lids.

This method is good because the jars can be prepared quickly, but the downside is that such sterilization is not ideal and is only suitable for those recipes that require further sterilization of the homemade product.

The methods described above have one significant drawback for me - there is a lot of steam and heat in the kitchen, in addition, it is easy to scald with boiling water, so lately I have been preferring modern “dry” methods of sterilizing jars.

Sterilizing jars in the microwave

Pour water into clean jars, filling the jar one-third full. Turn on the microwave for 5 minutes at 800 watts. The water will boil, sterilization will begin with steam, but there will be no steam room in the kitchen.

Sterilizing jars in the microwave is one of the most convenient ways to sterilize jars, but it is mainly suitable for small jars. Bottles can also be sterilized, but you need to place them on a barrel with the required amount of water.

Sterilizing jars in an electric oven

This method is convenient when you need to prepare a lot of jars. My oven fits 4 three-liter jars or 12 liter jars at once.

Sterilization is not difficult. I put the washed jars on a wire rack in a cold oven, heat the oven to 120 degrees and leave the jars for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven.

To prevent jars from cracking when heated, do not place jars tightly together and do not heat the oven above 120 degrees.

Sterilizing jars in a slow cooker

It is ideal to use a multicooker that has a “steam” function to sterilize jars. Pour water into the multicooker bowl, place a basket for steaming dishes, lay out clean jars and turn on the desired mode and set the time to 10 minutes.

This method is convenient because you can immediately sterilize both jars and lids.

Watch a video about sterilizing jars in a slow cooker.

How to sterilize small jars

Small jars can be sterilized:

• steamed;
• in boiling water;
• in the oven;
• in a slow cooker;
• in the microwave;
• in a steamer;
• just pour boiling water over it, provided that the workpiece in the jar will be subject to further pasteurization (heating to 90 degrees) or sterilization.

A variety of sterilization methods are suitable for sterilizing small jars. Choose any method that is more convenient for you.

Today you have become acquainted with classic and modern methods of sterilizing jars, learned their advantages and disadvantages, and you can choose which method is best to sterilize jars for blanks.

Lately I prefer recipes without sterilization, using only well-sterilized jars.

I invite you to check out my favorite recipes:

I wish you successful home preparations for the winter.

Sincerely, Nadezhda Karacheva

Sterilization of jars is an important stage in food preservation. Only high-quality and properly prepared containers will ensure the safety and good taste of the products. You can sterilize containers in several ways: steamed, in the microwave, in the oven. The main thing is to observe all the nuances and subtleties of the process. There are also methods that allow you to carry out the procedure with an already filled container. How to properly sterilize cans for preservation?

Preparation

Before you begin sterilization, prepare the containers. Inspect the jars for chips and cracks. If there is the slightest damage, do not use such a container: it may burst during the process of filling or pouring boiling water.

Wash the jars thoroughly. Dishwashing detergent will not work in this case. If there is severe contamination, use soda or mustard powder and the hard side of the sponge. After washing, rinse the container well and place it with the neck down on a towel to drain excess liquid.

For a couple

This is the oldest and effective method, which has been actively used by housewives over the past decades. This method, despite its simplicity, requires compliance with a certain sequence of actions.

First of all, prepare a large-volume pan (this will allow you not to monitor the amount of liquid during processing). Fill the container halfway with water and place it on the stove. Wait until it boils and place a special grill or stand on the pan. Place the jars upside down to allow steam to enter.

The duration of sterilization depends on the volume of the container. So, it is enough to process half-liter and liter jars for 4–7 minutes, and three-liter jars should be steamed for at least 12–15 minutes. After the procedure, the walls of the jars should be absolutely transparent, clean and dry. If there are streaks or drips on the surface, then most likely you did something wrong.

Immediately after sterilization, fill the containers with the preparations, add water and close the lid, which should also be treated by keeping it in boiling water for a couple of minutes. If several jars are steamed at once and it is not possible to fill them at the same time, place them neck down on a dry, clean towel and turn them over just before filling.

In the oven

Using the oven you can process containers simultaneously different sizes, which significantly saves time. In addition, this method allows you to sterilize metal lids. However, you should first pull out the rubber inserts - they deteriorate when exposed to high temperatures.

To sterilize jars in the oven, place clean, dry containers upside down on a rack. Close the door and turn on the oven at +150 ⁰C. The duration of processing depends on the volume of the container and its quantity, but on average it is 10–25 minutes.

In the microwave

The modern method of sterilization involves the use of a microwave oven. The main advantage is the absence of steam in the kitchen and the ability to process several containers at a time.

To sterilize, follow simple steps: pour a little water into clean jars (2 cm from the bottom), place the container (if only one large one fits, lay it on its side), select a mode with a power of 700–800 W and turn on the microwave. The duration of processing depends on the number of containers and its size. It will take 2 minutes to sterilize one small container, and to process one 3-liter jar or several small ones it should take 4-5 minutes.

Boiling

A fairly simple and effective sterilization method is boiling. Place the jars in a large bowl and add water until they are completely covered. To avoid contact and possible impacts, line the containers with gauze or thin towels. Bring the liquid to a boil and maintain this mode for 15 minutes.

Sterilization with blanks

You can sterilize already filled jars in a microwave oven. This method is suitable for preserving whole fruits. Fill the container with vegetables and fill it halfway with brine. Cover with a nylon lid and microwave for 2-3 minutes. Then take out the jars, top up with boiling brine and seal with metal lids.

Sterilization of filled jars is suitable for canning vegetables.

You can properly sterilize jars with blanks by boiling. To do this, prepare a large container (saucepan or basin), cover the bottom with a towel and pour in some water. Place jars filled with vegetables or berries. Make sure that the temperature of the water in the basin and containers with preservation is approximately the same, otherwise a sudden change may cause the glass to burst. Bring the liquid to a boil and sterilize for the period specified in the recipe.

You can also process it in the oven. To do this, heat it up a little, place the containers with the workpieces with the neck up on the grill and bring the temperature to +120 ⁰C. Sterilize the jars for 10-20 minutes and then close the lids.

Other methods

There are other, less known, but equally effective methods proper sterilization cans at home.

• Wash the container well with soapy water and then with vinegar. Then wash them in clean water and put them to dry upside down on a clean towel. You can start filling only after the container is completely dry.
• You can also sterilize jars in the sun. This is the simplest and most economical method. Place clean containers on the windowsill so that they receive maximum sunlight. Leave them for a few hours and then start preserving. Ultraviolet rays kill most bacteria and germs that may be on the walls of jars.
• If you have a steamer, use it. Place the washed jar on a special grill over steam and hold it for 10–15 minutes.
• You can sterilize jars in the dishwasher. Fold the container and start the device, selecting the maximum temperature setting. Do not add any detergent. After the end of the program, take out the prepared jars and fill them with vegetables or fruits.

You can properly sterilize jars at home using various methods. The main thing is to prepare and wash the containers well, as well as observe the required processing time.