Sterilizing Jars

[rostess]

I normally just wash my jars hot soapy water and add hot contents whilst jars still hot- put lids on and they vacuum themselves in. Is this enough?

That's what I normally do too, but for some reason my lids wouldn't create a vacuum.

[zebraa]

I am getting into preserving this chrissy and this is what I am doing

putting the jam jars and lids in a water canner to sterilise - I am using a big stock pot with a pasta boiler - could use a cake rack - need to have perferations as jars have to be off the bottom. Bring to the boli and boli for 5-10 mins. I do this wile I am makign the jam. Get them out with tongs  and put them on a clean tea towl to dry.

I make the jam etc (I don't overcook it - I bring it to a rolling boil at Varoma temp for 1 min then let cool for 5-8 while stitting Reverse soft so that the fruit will settle nicely) then I pop the jam in the jars, put the lids on tight and put them in the water bath with water covering by 3 cm. I bring to the boil and boil for 15-20 mins then bring them out and leave them to dry on a tea towl (not anythign cold or they will crack) then store them.

This seems to be what we are meant to do nowdays from the research I have done. This way for eg I can make lemon curd and it shoudl keep for 3-4 months without opening - once opened it needs to go in the fridge.

These links are good:

water canning method http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html

lemon curd http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/nchfp/factsheets/lemon_curd.pdf

[Cuilidh]

That looks to be a really informative site Zebraa, thanks for the link.

[zebraa]

yeah, I have bookmarked the site - it looks fabulous!

[consumerate]

pop the jam in the jars, put the lids on tight and put them in the water bath with water covering by 3 cm. I bring to the boil and boil for 15-20 mins then bring them out and leave them to dry on a tea towl (not anythign cold or they will crack) then store them.

This is what I do but I wrap the jars in tea towels before they go in the water bath and then leave the jars to cool in the water bath for an hour or so to avoid cracking and burns.