How to sterilize jars and lids - sterilization of blanks from. Ways to sterilize jars and lids in boiling water, steam, microwave, dishwasher

Proper sterilization is the basis for long and successful storage of seaming, so it is important to know and follow the basic rules of sterilization. Many people make seams for the winter, and by and large There is nothing complicated either in sterilizing the jars and lids themselves, or in sterilizing jars with blanks. But those who have decided to prepare food for the winter for the first time may have many questions. How to sterilize jars? How many vegetables should I put in a jar? How much marinade should I add? How much water should be in the pan? How to take a hot jar? And how to properly sterilize jars with blanks? What is considered sterilization time? I will try to answer these and many other questions from beginners in this article.

Any preservation begins with the preparation of vegetables and fruits. Wash the vegetables thoroughly in cold running water. If these are cucumbers or other vegetables that have had contact with the ground, then washing with a soft brush will not be amiss.

Place the washed vegetables or fruits in a clean enamel bowl, let the water drain and let the vegetables dry. Wash the greens no less thoroughly; the same requirement applies to drying.

How to sterilize jars and lids

Before sterilizing, be sure to wash the jars, even if they seem crystal clean to us. Jars and lids are washed with baking soda under running water. If the dishes are very dirty, first wash with kitchen soap, rinse, and then wash with baking soda.

The simplest and most trouble-free method of sterilizing jars and lids, which our grandmothers used, is boiling.

So, put a clean pan of water on the fire. Before putting the jar into boiling water, we first warm it up so that it does not burst. To do this, put some boiling water in a cup and carefully pour the water over the jar.

When the jar is warm, place it in boiling water. It is not at all necessary that the jar be placed in a standing position; it is convenient to place it on its side, which is why a wide pan is usually used to sterilize jars. We turn the jar so that it is thoroughly sterilized inside and outside on all sides.

We sterilize each jar for 2-3 minutes. Sterilize the lids in the same water for 2-3 minutes.

Carefully remove the hot jars from the water, leaving no water inside. The jars usually dry out instantly. Place the sterile jars on a clean table. Cover the jars with sterile lids.

How to sterilize jars with blanks

With clean hands, place washed and dried vegetables tightly in jars up to the shoulder line. The blanks cannot be laid all the way to the top; you should always leave a gap of at least one and a half to two centimeters. This is due to the fact that when heated, all bodies increase in volume (ordinary physics). If you place it all the way to the top, the contents of the jar will begin to spill out during sterilization.

We cover the jars with lids to prevent dust, midges, lint, human saliva, etc. from getting inside.

Prepare the marinade as indicated in the selected recipe. Usually on liter jar 1.5 cups of marinade is used, but it can be less, depending on how tightly the vegetables are packed. It should be remembered that sea salt, iodized salt, and “Extra” salt are not suitable for seaming. We take the usual one rock salt. The marinade should boil well.

If indicated in the recipe, first pour the vinegar into the jar, and then the marinade.

Pour the boiling marinade into a jar with vegetables, be sure to leave a gap of one and a half to two centimeters, and the marinade should cover the vegetables. Cover the jar with a lid.

Usually the marinade is not poured into all jars at once, but one at a time. This means: pour the marinade into the first jar with the preparation, cover it with a lid, and set it to sterilize in boiling water. Then pour the marinade into the second jar, cover with a lid and place in the pan, then a third, and so on as many times as the jars will fit.

After sterilizing and sealing the first batch of jars with blanks, we repeat the entire process for the second batch: prepare (boil) the marinade, pour in one by one and set to sterilize.

What is needed to sterilize jars with blanks

For sterilization by boiling, a fairly large and wide saucepan is usually used, into which several cans/bottles can be placed. We pour the required amount of water into it, which we measure in advance; this is where knowledge of Archimedes’ law comes in handy. Put the pan on the fire.

When the water boils, place a clean towel on the bottom to avoid direct contact of the glass with the hot bottom of the pan.

We place the jars with the preparation on a towel. Pay attention to the water level in the pan. The water should not reach the neck of the jars by about 2 centimeters.

We place the jars in and remove them from the boiling water using special tongs, which are called “canning jar tongs.” It is advisable to purchase them, especially since they are inexpensive. These tongs are convenient for gripping hot jars, which greatly simplifies the task of sterilization.

What is considered sterilization time?

After placing the jars with the preparations in a saucepan with water, increase the heat. When the water in the pan boils again, note the time. This will be the beginning of the sterilization time countdown. The water in the pan should boil, but under no circumstances should it get inside the cans, so we adjust the heat in a timely manner.

In what order should you remove and roll up jars after sterilization?

We remove the jars from the boiling water in the same order in which they were placed in the pan. First we take out the one that was set to be sterilized first, and immediately roll it up. We take out the second can, roll it up, put the lid down, take out the third, etc.

If you take all the jars out of boiling water at once and only then roll them up, the sterility of the workpiece may be compromised, because no matter how quickly you roll them up, the last jars will still have time to cool down and pick up unsterile air from outside.

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 prematurely and your work is not in vain, you need not only to be able to screw the jars, but also to sterilize them correctly.

As a rule, jam and , apples, currants, cherries, plums and other fruits and berries, as well as cucumbers and tomatoes, are pickled or pickled in glass jars. And before the actual canning process, they must be disinfected. And this must be done correctly, otherwise everything will be in vain.

There are several ways to sterilize jars. We have selected 4 of the most effective, easy-to-follow and time-tested methods that will keep your curls safe and sound.

  1. Check the jars thoroughly for integrity. They should not have chips, abrasions, nicks or cracks. Such containers increase the risk of an unfavorable outcome.
  2. It's the same story with lids. It’s better not to save on them and buy new ones.
  3. When purchasing lids, be sure to check them. The screw caps must not show any damage. And on those with rubber bands, check, in addition to visual integrity, the presence of these very rubber bands.
  4. Yes, jars also need to be washed before sterilization, but not with the usual dishwashing detergents, because they are harder to wash off. They are also harmful to human health, especially when stored for a long time. Arm yourself better soda, laundry soap and always a new sponge.

Sterilization methods

So, let's finally get down to the methods of sterilizing jars. Next, we described each option step by step.

Sterilizing jars in the microwave

Remember that the lids cannot be placed in the microwave, so you will have to boil them separately later.

  1. Wash jars and lids with a clean sponge using baking soda. Wipe dry with a clean, non-terry towel.
  2. Throw the lids into the water and put on fire. After the water boils, hold for another 6 minutes.
  3. Pour filtered water into the jars so that it fills no more than 2 cm from the bottom.
  4. Now put them in the oven for about 6 minutes, setting the maximum power of your microwave. The main thing is that the water that you poured into the jars boils and evaporates, thereby sterilizing them with steam.

It is advisable that you have an electric oven with a 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.

Probably the easiest and most energy-efficient way to sterilize jars for winter preparations.

  1. Wash the jars and lids with a new sponge and baking soda.
  2. To boil the cans you will need or large sizes saucepan or enamel bucket. It all depends on your needs.
  3. In any case, fill the container with water, put the jars in it, 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 main stage in canning, perhaps, can be called sterilization of jars. Since without this stage our preparations simply will not be stored, we simply must know.

Let us immediately note that there are several ways to sterilize jars, and if your family knows only one, improve your knowledge, maybe you will like our options better.

So, we select the required number of cans for our preparations. They must be without cracks or chips. Wash the jars well; you can use regular baking soda as a detergent.

How to sterilize empty jars?

First, we'll figure out how to sterilize empty cans. Here are the most popular methods.

How to sterilize jars by steaming

This method can be called the most “ancient”. Even our grandmothers sterilized jars for a couple. What will it take?

  1. Take a pan of water and cover it with a net, splash screen or divider. Instead of these devices, you can find a saucepan attachment with recesses for 1 or several cans at once at a hardware store.
  2. Place the jar upside down in the recess. Boil water in a saucepan. This way the steamed jars are sterilized. Instead of a saucepan, a kettle is also suitable, where instead of a lid we put our mesh or nozzle.
  3. How long does it take to steam sterilize jars? Volumes of 0.5 and 0.75 are sterilized in 10 minutes, 1 liter – 15 minutes, 2 liters – 20 minutes, and 3 liters – 30 minutes. But many housewives do not adhere to the specified time frame and sterilize jars for no more than 15 minutes.

How to sterilize jars in the microwave

  1. Pour 2 centimeters of water into 0.75 and 1 liter jars. If the volume is larger, accordingly, pour a little more water. We put the jars in the microwave, select the power 900-1000 W. We put the jars without lids! Sterilize the jars in the microwave for 5 minutes, the water should boil.
  2. An important point is that there must be water in the jars, otherwise they will burst. 2 and 3 liter jars are sterilized on their sides, but water must be poured.

How to sterilize jars in the oven

This method has become the favorite of many housewives. In the oven you can sterilize jars of any size and in any quantity, as far as the oven allows. This method differs favorably from sterilization in the microwave in that the lids can also be sterilized.

  1. Wash the jars and place them directly wet on a baking sheet or mesh upside down in the oven.
  2. Heat the oven to 150 degrees, as soon as the oven warms up, sterilize the jars for the required time: 0.5 and 0.75 liters - 10 minutes, 1 liter - 15 minutes, 2 liters - 20 minutes, 3 liters - 25 minutes.

Along with the jars, you can also put wet lids on the grill, but only metal ones and without rubber inserts.

Sterilizing jars in a pan of water (boiling)

  1. To sterilize jars in a saucepan with water, take a large saucepan and place jars filled with water filled up to the neck. We also pour water into the pan itself so that the jars stand up to their necks in water.
  2. We bring the water to a boil and sterilize it in the same time as the previous method: 0.5 and 0.75 l - 10 minutes, 1 l - 15 minutes, 2 l - 20 minutes, 3 l - 25 minutes. You can also boil the lids along with the jars.

How to sterilize lids

Since you don’t want to bother with sterilization for a long time, many housewives strive to choose a method that how to sterilize jars and lids together.

  1. Before sterilizing, carefully inspect the lids to ensure they are intact and without visible damage. The lids along with the jars are sterilized in the oven, in boiling water, and by steam (where the jar stands on a mesh and the lids are sterilized in boiling water).
  2. The lids can be prepared separately - boiled in a small saucepan with water.
  3. The sterilization time for the lids is 10 minutes. To avoid getting burned, remove hot lids with meat tongs.

Whatever method you choose to sterilize jars, be careful. It's easy to get burned by hot cans! Use kitchen towels or oven mitts. And now the jars can be filled with our preparations and closed with lids.

How to sterilize jars with blanks

Also, jars are sterilized directly with the preparations. Let's find out how to do this.

How to sterilize jars with preparations in boiling water

This method is the most common.

  1. Place a towel on the bottom of a wide pan and place the jars with the ingredients on top.
  2. Pour water into the pan at the same temperature as the workpieces themselves. If the water is cold or very hot, the jar will burst. The water should reach the hangers of the jars.
  3. We cover the jars (do not roll them up!) with lids, bring the water to a boil and sterilize as much as indicated in the specific recipe. If the time is not specified, then usually 0.5 and 0.75 jars are sterilized for 10 minutes, 1 liter - 15 minutes, 2 liters - 20-25 minutes, and 3 liters - 30 minutes.

Don't forget that the jars are very hot!

How to sterilize jars with preparations in the oven

The same manipulations are carried out in the oven. Sterilizing jars in the oven is considered very convenient.

  1. We place jars with blanks on a wire rack or baking sheet. The oven should be cold or slightly warm.
  2. Place lids on top of the jars. Bring the oven to 120 degrees. We sterilize according to the recipe. Again, if the time is not specified, then sterilize 0.5 liters for 10 minutes, 0.75 for 15 minutes, 1 liter for 15-20 minutes.
  3. We take out the jars with kitchen mittens and hold on to their sides.

Frequently asked questions about sterilization

Are jam jars sterilized? Do compote jars need to be sterilized?

All jars for preparations are sterilized! It is this procedure that guarantees that your preparations will safely reach the winter and will delight you with their taste. Thanks to the high temperature, the jars literally become sterile, hence the name of the procedure.

How to sterilize salad jars? How long does it take to sterilize jars of cucumbers?

Each recipe must indicate the time for sterilization of a specific workpiece. If it so happens that you forgot to indicate the time, pay attention to the methods of sterilizing jars with blanks just above. The time depends on the sterilization method and the volume of the jar itself.

How long does it take to sterilize jars?

If they are sterilized empty, then usually it is: 0.5 and 0.75 l - 10 minutes, 1 l - 15 minutes, 2 l - 20 minutes, 3 l - 25 minutes.

If the jars are already filled, then: 0.5 and 0.75 are sterilized for 10 minutes, 1 liter – 15 minutes, 2 liters – 20-25 minutes, and 3 liters – 30 minutes.

See the information above for more details.

At what temperature should jars be sterilized?

If water is used during sterilization, then the jars are sterilized precisely while it is boiling.

If the procedure is carried out in a microwave, choose a power of 900-1000 W. Set the oven to 150 degrees.

I hope we've covered this thoroughly enough. how to properly sterilize jars, if you have anything to add, we are waiting for you in the comments!

In order for the conservation, in which you have invested a lot of work, to be perfectly preserved in autumn-winter period and lived up to expectations it is necessary to take care of sterility glass containers.

Before sterilization, be sure to make sure that the container is in perfect condition, that is, check it for defects such as chips and cracks, special attention focus on the neck of the jar.

The jars must be thoroughly rinsed in a soda solution.

You should not use foaming detergents, as they form a film on the surface of the glass, which can negatively affect the quality of future canned food.

In addition, you need to inspect the lids; if you take screw-on lids, it makes sense to take new ones.

Mistresses use several time-tested options sterilizing jars at home.

  1. The most popular type of sterilization of jars is the use of pans in which a sieve is installed or a small pallet, and the cans are already placed upside down on it. When the liquid boils, it releases steam that hits the glass, so it takes about 15 minutes to sterilize the container. The jars are pulled out onto a clean cloth without turning them over.
  2. One of the most convenient methods of disinfecting jars is roasting them in the oven. Place well-rinsed jars, without wiping them, bottom up on a wire rack in the oven and select a temperature of 160C. It is advisable to warm the jars for several minutes until they dry.
  3. Many housewives process container in the microwave. To do this, you need to pour a few millimeters of water into the bottom of the container and leave it in a running microwave for five minutes, choosing an operating power of 700-800W. If several cans are processed in one batch, the duration of the procedure should be increased.
  4. Suitable for use as a sterilizer steamer. To do this, place the jar bottom up in a double boiler and hold it, selecting the “cooking” mode for about 15 minutes. This is the most comfortable option for small cans.

Sterilization of caps

The final stage of container preparation is disinfection of lids. When using screw caps, they must be boiled for 10-15 minutes, shortly before sealing the canned food. Place the treated lids very carefully, best with a boiled fork or tweezers.

In the case of using glass jars with metal clamps, the lids are prepared simultaneously with the jars, the rubber seals are boiled and installed on the jar immediately before sealing.

It is important to remember that you cannot use used lids, because changed shape and scratched lids can cause canned food to spoil.

Pasteurization

Disinfecting jars in a pan with ingredients is called pasteurization. Often, before the product is hermetically sealed, canned food is pasteurized. Similar to simple sterilization, in this case the pasteurization time is also calculated in relation to the volume of the jars and can take from 10 to 30 minutes.

The jars filled with the preparation are covered with lids and, without rolling them up, they are placed in the pan, checking that the jar is stable.

Be careful that the walls of the jars should not touch. The jars must be placed on a special wooden grid or towel so that the water does not reach 1.5-2 centimeters to the top.

Before the water begins to boil, the jars must be heated so that they do not burst when immersed in boiling water and pasteurized in boiling water for 10-30 minutes.

After pasteurization is completed, carefully remove the jars from the pan without opening them and seal them with a sealing machine. The sealed jars are turned upside down, this will allow you to see if there is air access into the jars, leave to cool.

In case of use special cans glass lids, pasteurization is carried out differently. A seal should be placed on the necks of jars filled with blanks and sealed.

Heat the liquid in a saucepan to 55-65C, having previously placed a towel or wooden grid on the bottom, after heating, place the jars so that the water covers the lids.

Bring water to a boil and boil for the required time. Then carefully remove the jars and leave to cool. The lids should fit tightly to the jars.

We wish you delicious results!