How to sterilize a 3 liter jar. How to sterilize jars and lids - sterilization of blanks from
Before starting to prepare various pickles and preserves, any housewife must first properly sterilize the jars.
The sterilization process is simple, although it takes an extra five to seven minutes. However, despite the time spent, you will protect yourself from problems with cloudiness or souring of the cans later during storage.
So, how to sterilize jars at home? Let's look at the most common and convenient methods.
Preparation
Wash the jars with soap and water to remove dirt and dust from the inside. Sterilization will not remove dirt from jars!
Steam sterilization of jars.
There are also several variants of this method.
Option 1
For this method, we will need a special circle for sterilizing jars, which is sold in all dishware and hardware stores and costs from 15 to 50 rubles (see photo). There are circles for one can, and there are for three cans.
We turn the jar over and place it neck down on a circle (as in the photo). And this circle, in turn, is placed on a pan in which water is boiling.
We also throw metal lids into the pan with water, which we will then use to screw the jars on (as in the photo).
How long does it take to sterilize jars using this method? Five to seven minutes and turn off the heat. We take the jar by the side walls with a towel or mittens, turn it over and place it on the bottom on a prepared towel, on which it will continue to stand until we twist it.
Remove the lids from the pan with metal tweezers. If there is no such thing (although every woman has one), then we take it out with two forks and put the lid upside down so as not to contaminate the part with which we will screw the jar.
Option 2
We turn the jar over and “put it on” the spout of the teapot. For these purposes, you need to have a teapot with a long spout so that the jar can hold on it well enough. And the spout should not have a whistle, otherwise steam will not escape through the closed spout and the jar will not be sterilized. We also throw metal lids into the kettle and boil.
Option 3
Similar to the first option. We turn the jar over and place it in a small ladle with boiling water. A circle is not needed, since the jar stands on the ladle with its neck. By the way, in this photo I am sterilizing a jar in a similar way on an induction cooker. A very convenient option.
Sterilizing jars with steam does not kill all germs, since the steam temperature is only 100 degrees. But those microbes that can cause pickles to sour are completely killed at this temperature. Therefore, feel free to use this method without fear of anything.
How to sterilize jars in the oven (dry method)
This method is also very simple. But it requires certain precautions.
Place clean and dry jars in the oven, turn on the heat to maximum and sterilize at maximum temperature. Place metal lids on the grill nearby.
How long does it take to sterilize jars using this method? 10 minutes at maximum temperature.
Then open the oven and let our jars cool.
Attention:
in this method, the jars are heated to temperatures above 250 degrees. Therefore, they may crack if they are placed in the oven while wet, or if they are immediately removed from the oven. Be sure to let the jars cool for five minutes. And take them with a dry towel or mittens so that they do not crack due to temperature changes.
How to sterilize jars in the microwave
This is another way to quickly sterilize jars at home.
Simply place a clean jar in the oven and turn the microwave on high.
Sterilization time is five minutes.
Attention.
There is one “but” here! In this case, on the contrary, you should pour a little water into the bottom of the jar. For what? The fact is that the waves from the microwave heat up the water, not the air. The water in the jar boils, and the walls of the jar are sterilized with steam. If you place a dry jar, it will not be sterilized in the microwave.
And further. Metal lids cannot be sterilized in this way, so as not to damage the microwave. We'll have to boil them again.
Sterilization in the oven and microwave
The good thing about the method of sterilizing jars in the oven is that you can process several jars at once, without spending a lot of money on the sterilization process.
First of all, the jars must be washed well and then placed in a cold or preheated oven on a wire rack. If the jars are dry, place them upside down, wet ones upside down so that the water has time to evaporate. At a temperature of 150°C, 15 minutes will be enough.
For filled jars, the oven sterilization method is also suitable. Preheat the oven to 100°C, place the filled jars on the rack, but do not cover with lids. Note the time - for 0.5 liter cans it will take 10 minutes, and for liter cans - 15 minutes. Remove the jars from the oven and seal immediately. Turn the rolled jars upside down to cool completely.
The method of sterilizing jars in a microwave oven requires even less time. However, there are some subtleties here. Do not place empty cans or metal objects in the microwave. Therefore, only jars can be sterilized in the microwave, without lids. To prevent the jars from bursting, place a glass of water on the rotating stand. Or, alternatively, pour some water (approximately 50-70 ml) into the jars themselves. In this case, sterilization will take 2-3 minutes, at full power.
Sterilization in boiling water
You will need a few important items. Firstly, one large, heavy saucepan, 15-20 liters. The main thing is that it is wide and can fit 3-4, or preferably 5, cans. By the way, both jars and lids can be sterilized at the same time, on two burners. A small saucepan or heavy saucepan is suitable for sterilizing the lids. And the most convenient way to get them out is with tongs with wide blades.
Prepare in advance several clean “waffle” towels, paper napkins and a rolling machine. Set aside the required number of tin lids with rubber rings. Take extra so that you have extra caps on hand if necessary.
First, you need to wash the jars well: soak them in warm water with the addition of soda, preferably for a couple of hours. Then wash with a brush and detergent, rinse with cold water and dry. Then place the empty jars upside down in a saucepan about a third filled with warm water. If there are several cans, you need to put a wire rack on the bottom of the pan to prevent the cans from hitting each other. Bring water to a boil and sterilize jars for 5 minutes. Remove, wrap in a towel folded in three lengthwise, and place to dry on paper towels.
Prepare the lids. Wash tin lids and rubber rings in warm water and detergent. Rinse and dry, then insert rings into each lid. Go around the edge to press firmly. After this, lower the lids into boiling water. Sterilize for 5-7 minutes, then remove the lids with tongs, transfer to a waffle towel and let dry.
Next, fill the jars with some kind of preparation, using a machine, roll them up with tin lids. The lid should be pressed tightly, but should not turn. Turn the closed jar upside down and place it on a towel until it cools completely.
If you are sterilizing jars filled with food, then pour cold water into the pan and heat it to about 30°C. Place the jars filled with the ingredients in the pan. The water should cover the jars by half, or better yet by ¾ of the volume.
If jars are closed with glass lids with a metal seal, they are sterilized closed. If the lid is tin, then the jars are sterilized open and closed after sterilization. If there are several cans, place a wire rack on the bottom of the pan to prevent the cans from knocking and bursting in the process.
Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low: the water should barely simmer during sterilization. The sterilization time will depend on the volume, consistency of the workpiece and the acidity of the finished product. The more acidic and thinner it is, the less time is required for sterilization and vice versa.
Small jars, up to 0.5 liters in volume, are sterilized in 5 to 15 minutes. Liter jars - from 15 to 30 minutes, two-liter jars - from 20 to 40 minutes, and three-liter jars - from 30 to 50 minutes.
When the desired time has passed, remove the jars from the pan. Place on a towel and roll up, sealing with tin lids. Make sure that the lid is tightly rolled and does not rotate. Turn the closed jar upside down and place on towels to cool completely.
They prepare for winter in the summer, and in the case of canning - in late summer - early autumn. Some housewives grow vegetables and fruits themselves, while others, on the contrary, buy them. But the main question remains common - how to sterilize jars? Or more precisely, how to do this so that the seams do not swell and explode.
It is necessary to prepare for the canning process. Check jars and lids for defects, cracks, or chips. If you use reusable screw caps, they should be free of rust. If they are originally painted, the paint layer should not be damaged, otherwise the corrosion process may begin. Disposable seaming caps must be smooth and have a rubber gasket. Rust is also not allowed. Go ahead.
An important point before the actual sterilization process is to rinse the jars under hot water to rid them of dust and protect them from temperature changes so that they do not burst.
Sterilizing jars is an important step in canning. After all, it happens that an incorrectly followed sterilization procedure can ruin the entire canning process. And literally the next day you will have to suffer all over again or immediately say: “Enough, I’ll use proven methods.” And these are the methods:
Steam sterilization
One of the most common and varied methods. Suitable for both large two- and three-liter cans, and small ones - a liter or even less. The variety lies in the tools with which you can sterilize jars:
1. Steam sterilization using a good old NOT electric kettle. About half of the water is filled into it and the kettle is sent to warm up on the stove. The jar is hung on the spout of the teapot with the neck down. The second method is with a teapot - a tablespoon is placed inside, on which a glass jar is hung (as in the photo below). When the jar has been thoroughly steamed, it is removed and placed on an ironed waffle towel. It is convenient to use a kettle when sterilizing small jars. And this option is very appropriate when we roll up something hot, for example, tomatoes in hot brine, or hot jam. While we are pouring the hot contents into one jar, the other is being sterilized. We take the lid out of the boiling water, close or roll up the jar, turn it upside down and leave it warm. Then we remove the next jar - such a continuous process that can, so to speak, be put on a home conveyor belt: one fills it, and the other rolls it up (very convenient, tested :))
IMPORTANT! To prevent glass jars from bursting, the contents being rolled up and the glass must be at approximately the same temperature. Do not put cold salad in a just sterilized hot jar. Or vice versa, filling a cold jar with hot brine is DANGEROUS!
2. Steam sterilization using a pan. If you need to sterilize a large number of jars, then it is advisable to have a large saucepan. Fill it with water and set it to boil. We install a wire rack or a large metal sieve on top, on which we then place the prepared jars upside down.
If a large pan is not available. Fill a small saucepan about half full with water, place a long tablespoon or ladle, and after the water boils, place the prepared jar on it.
Sterilization time, the same as with a kettle, is 10 minutes. After which the cans are placed upside down on an ironed, warm, lint-free cloth. In this position, the jars remain sterile for about one and a half to two days.
3. Steam sterilization using a double boiler or multicooker. The steamer/multi-cooker bowl is filled with water, and the cooking mode is turned on for 15 minutes, more as needed. The jars are placed on a previously prepared surface.
Sterilization of jars by boiling
Another well-known method of sterilizing jars is sterilization by boiling in water. You will need a large saucepan if you are sterilizing large jars. Or a large basin for sterilizing small jars up to one liter. You need to place a wooden board on the bottom of the dish you have chosen, on which you place the bottles and fill them with water above the neck of the cans.
It is important to install limiters between the cans so that the cans do not hit each other during the boiling process. Lids can serve as an excellent limiter. Next you put them to boil. The time required for sterilization is 15 minutes after the water boils. It is important to place the jars in cold, not boiling water, and only then heat it. The difference in temperature between water and glass should be minimal so that the containers do not crack.
How to sterilize jars in the oven
The jars are washed in warm water and placed on a wire rack in the oven. The oven is turned on and heated to 100 degrees. Very important! It is advisable to place the jars in a cold oven, and only then can you heat it up. This method is very convenient when there are a lot of containers. In addition, the method is quite fast - it only takes 15 minutes - and all banks are ready for further manipulation with them. Another very important point is that all drops of water from their surface must evaporate. If you need to sterilize the next batch, it is advisable to turn off the oven and let it cool. Although, we personally heated the next batch of cans under hot water and loaded them into an already preheated oven. But this is at your own peril and risk.
How to sterilize jars in the microwave
A microwave oven or just a microwave oven is a discovery for many families. It can also help sterilize jars before canning. This method is very convenient and fast, but has one drawback - often only small jars can be placed in the microwave.
To sterilize using this method, you must first wash the jars, pour a small amount of water into them and place them in the microwave. Next, set the timer to 3 minutes and the power to 700-800 WATT. In this case, the jars are sterilized by temperature and steam at the same time. After sterilization is complete, we expose the jars in the same way as above.
How to sterilize jar lids
Boiling is the best way to sterilize lids. The lids are washed and placed in a separate pan. Fill up with water so that the water completely covers them. And put it on fire. Sterilization time is 15 minutes after boiling water. Both metal and plastic lids are boiled this way - this is the most convenient way. And if you sterilize jars by boiling, you can put the lids in the same pan. Under no circumstances should metal lids be sterilized in the microwave! In the oven, this is also not the best option; in it, the inside of the lid, under the influence of high temperature, begins to emit an unpleasant odor.
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 seals for the winter, and by and large there is nothing difficult either in sterilizing the jars and lids themselves, or in sterilizing the 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 1.5 cups of marinade is used for a liter jar, 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 regular 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.