Sterilizing Jars

[achookwoman]

Some lids  just don't fit the same once they are opened.  It is not easy handling a jar full of. Hot jam. 

[Cuilidh]

I always thought you had to put the lid on immediately the jam was poured into the bottle, but am I right in thinking that you can wait up to 15 minutes without any adverse effects?

[Wonder]

I've never successfully bottled anything either. Not sure what I do wrong but it's always very hit and miss, I've stopped turning them upside down as they always seem to leak  - I'm obviously not tightening the jars properly.

[achookwoman]

Marina,  the reason you put the lids on immediately is to sterilize the lids with the steam from the jam.  If you don't do this,  you have to let the jam cool completely,  before you put the lids on.  Otherwise the moisture on the lid can turn to jam moldy.

[Cuilidh]

So, if the jam is cool, do you still get a good seal?  I always boil my lids as well and put them on straight out of the boiling water.

[VieveMS]

Thanks for all your help ladies.

I've been doing a bit more research and it looks like the problem was definitely my inability to screw the lid on tightly enough 
I think one of my issues was that I had the oven too hot when sterilising the jars - in fact, both times the jam/relish mixture boiled up when I poured it into the hot jars.  The extremely hot jars therefore made it even more difficult to screw the lid on tightly enough.

Anyway, I made a batch of sweet chilli sauce today and sterilised the jars at a lower temperature (it was about 150ºC from memory although I've read somewhere that it works at 100ºC too).  I also turned the oven off about 5 minutes before the sauce was ready but left the jars in the oven until I was ready for them.  Anyway, success!  When I turned the preserving jar upside down, no spillage    I only had one jar to test as the rest of the sauce went into bottles rather than jars. 

Thanks again.

[judydawn]

Glad you worked it out Vieve.

[goldfish]

Thanks for that Vieve - Just about to put some jars into the oven now . .  I'll heed your advice!!!

[VieveMS]

Goodluck Goldfish.  I am still very much in the 'trial and error' stage but this worked for me this time.  Fingers crossed it will work for you too.

[Cuilidh]

You may have hit on my problem as well - I think my jars have been too hot - my jams, etc. always boil at the sides when I put them in, so, cooler oven from now on and keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks everyone for ideas and suggestions.

Just as a matter of interest ... if I am not sure whether I have got a successful seal or not, if I wait until everything cools then test it by opening the jar, can I get another successful seal if I use a new lid, or is that it, all over - eat the contents as quickly as I can?

[fundj&e]

  i freeze my jam 

[Cuilidh]

That sounds like a lot less hassle, Uni!

[Jamberie]

If you open the lid after the seal, you can't do it again (in my experiences anyway)....I try to feel the top of the ltd to see if it feels like it has been sucked in compared to one that it's not sterile. I've also been known to open one as a test to hear the pop sound if I'm making a few and use that one first.

[Emme]

I don't usually have the jars all that hot, if they are clean and dry I put them in the oven to warm them then pour in the hot jam till about 1/2 inch from top then I put the lid on and screw on very tightly.  Tip the jar upside down on a wooden board or newspaper leave about 1/2 hour then I turn them up the right way.  Usually you will then hear the lids make a little noise as the centre is sucked down. (They don't do this straight away)  Leave until cold.   To see if they are sealed, press in the centre if the lid does not go down it has sealed (you will be able to feel that it is indented) if the centre moves up and down it has not sealed. Like Jamberie I would use that one first.  Hope that makes sense

Marie

[goldfish]

Perfect explanation, Marie - thanks!!