The time will soon come when conservation lovers will arm themselves with their favorite recipes and start rolling up various goodies for the winter. All experienced housewives know: the key to long-term storage of jars with various pickles and jams is in high-quality cleaning of the containers. If you first decided to try canning for the winter, then you definitely need to learn how to sterilize jars in a home kitchen.

Methods for sterilizing glass containers

Sterilization is the treatment of glass containers at very high temperatures, which kills bacteria and microorganisms that lead to premature spoilage of the product.

It is not always indicated in the recipe that it is necessary to sterilize the container in which you will preserve. Whether you do it or not is up to you, of course. We will introduce you to several options for this procedure.

Grandma's way - steam cleaning

Our grandmothers successfully carried out the procedure for cleaning containers from bacteria at home with ordinary water vapor. You can easily do the same using our step by step instructions.

1. First, we check each jar: it should be without any damage, and the necks should be even, without cracks. Wash them thoroughly and rinse very well.
2. Boil water in a saucepan. We place a grate on top of the pan, on which we place empty vessels upside down. They stand above the evaporating liquid for about half an hour. When we see that the steam began to roll off the dishes with droplets of condensate, hold them for another 5 minutes.
3. Carefully remove them from the grill and put them on a spread towel with the bottom up.

Cleaning empty containers in the oven

Sterilizing jars in the oven is not a complicated method, but it requires increased attention.

1. Well-washed and rinsed containers are immediately placed in the oven with the neck on the grid. They must be kept wet.
2. The temperature at which they are processed should be no more than 150 degrees. We keep them in a hot oven for as long as it takes for the drops of moisture on the walls to evaporate.
3. As soon as the glass is dry, turn off the temperature. The main thing is not to miss this moment, as they can crack from overheating.
4. Allow the dishes treated in this way to cool slightly and put it on a towel, neck down.

Cleaning containers with a microwave

Almost every kitchen now has a microwave oven. But not everyone knows how to properly sterilize jars in the microwave, and often do not even use it for this purpose. Absolutely in vain, since the sterilization time is significantly reduced.

1. Pour water into jars, about 1-2 centimeters high, and place in the oven. We set the microwave to medium power (about 800 watts). The procedure takes 3 to 5 minutes. The liquid boils and begins to evaporate, thereby processing the glass containers.
2. If we need to warm up three liter jar, then we put it on its side, filled with liquid. Naturally, the warm-up time will increase from 5 to 7 minutes.
3. After all the liquid has evaporated and the dishes are completely dry, carefully remove them from the oven and, as usual, put them upside down on a spread towel.

Heat treatment of cans with blanks

Suggested cleaning options are suitable for empty containers. One of these methods is to prepare dishes for jams or pickles that use vinegar for the marinade. But a lot of recipes for salads and snacks need double heating, that is, the glass container with the contents is repeatedly subjected to strong heating.

Heating blanks with boiling water

The easiest way to warm up cans of blanks is to boil them in a pot of water.

1. We take a spacious saucepan and put a plank on the bottom (you can replace it with a towel folded in several layers). This is necessary so that the glass does not touch each other, as well as the bottom of the pan and cannot accidentally break. On the protective coating at a distance from each other, be sure to place covered filled jars on top.
2. The water that we will fill in should be the same temperature as the preservation. This is necessary so that there is no temperature contrast, and the glass does not crack. Carefully pour it into a saucepan with a cork. It will take just enough liquid for the cans to submerge almost completely, not reaching the edge of about 2 centimeters. We turn on the fire, bring everything to a boil and keep it in boiling water for the time indicated in the recipe. And how long should pickles be kept in boiling water if this is not indicated in the recipe? Remember, the time depends on the volume of your container: we keep 750-800 gram cans in boiling water for about 10-15 minutes; from 15 to 20 minutes it will take to boil 1 liter of container; 20-25 minutes when canning in a 2-liter container; about half an hour for a 3 liter.
3. After the allotted time, we take them out of the boiling water in turn and carefully roll them up.

Heating cans of salads in the oven

Salads are perfectly warmed up in the oven.

1. We cover the filled containers and put them on a baking sheet in a cold oven. We heat it up to 110-120 degrees and keep our salads for a certain time. The larger the container, the longer we warm up. In general, the heating time in the oven coincides with that which we maintain when processing workpieces in boiling water. Large bottles are still best sterilized in water.
2. At the end of time, carefully, so as not to burn yourself, take them out and immediately roll them up.

Heating dishes with salads in the microwave

Small jars (up to 1 liter) with salads can be sterilized in microwave oven. The main thing is to choose the right power and time.

1. Evenly place the open container with the contents inside the microwave oven. At full power of the microwave, bring them to a boil, reduce the power to a minimum and boil for 3-4 minutes.
2. We take out the boiled product and immediately roll it up.

Thermal sterilization of lids

Do jar lids need to be cleaned? Of course yes. They also contain bacteria that can lead to premature spoilage of the product.

There are several rules for preparing them for canning that you need to know.

• Before sterilizing the lids, be sure to wash them with a special detergent or soda solution, rinse well.
• It is better to get the treated covers not with your hands, but with clean tongs or a spoon.
• After heat treatment, in no case do we put them on a towel. It is better to immediately roll up the prepared preservation with them.
• Never process metal lids in the microwave or oven.

The main options for heat treatment of lids

The easiest way to make fritters sterile is to steam them over boiling water in a saucepan or boil them directly in boiling water.

1. Boil water in a saucepan. We put the grid on top and lay out the covers with elastic bands on it. We hold them over steaming water for about 10 minutes and immediately roll up the prepared products with them.
2. If you decide to boil them in water, then we collect water in a saucepan and put it on fire. We put lids with rubber bands in boiling water and boil them for a quarter of an hour. We take them out of the water immediately before closing the container.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the process of sterilizing glass jars. Tips and detailed instructions from this article will help you get it right, and canned goodies will delight you all winter.

Video: Sterilizing jars with a multicooker

How to sterilize jars? What methods of sterilization exist? How long to sterilize and at what temperature? Why wrap the banks?

How nice it is to get a jar of crispy pickles, or a jar of fragrant jam, or overseas eggplant caviar, according to a grandmother's recipe, from the pantry or cellar. And all this is possible thanks to canning. Today you can easily buy such canned foods in the supermarket, there are a great many of them and for every taste, but can they be compared with homemade ones? Never! Therefore, modern housewives are often engaged in the preservation of mushrooms, vegetables, fruits, salads, compotes.

However, for the preparation of such preparations and dishes, it is first necessary to without fail sterilize the jars, otherwise you will not see goodies in winter times. There are several popular methods and techniques for such an operation, on this page we tried to collect all possible ways sterilization of jars, even the most exotic ones, we suggest studying each of them in detail, and you choose the one that you like best.

Why sterilize jars

The process of sterilizing jars greatly complicates canning and requires more time, but this measure cannot be dispensed with. The fact is that for a long time of storage of empty cans, bacteria and microorganisms can form on their surface. Sterilization is necessary for their destruction by heat treatment. Otherwise, microbes will begin to multiply already in cooked products, which will lead to their spoilage. You can notice this by swelling of the lids or by the acquisition of a cloudy brine.

What to do before sterilizing jars

Before you start sterilizing jars, you need to pay attention to two especially important rules:

• First, you need to inspect the cans for the presence of cracks and chips. Accordingly, they should not be. Otherwise, unpleasant situations may occur during the cooking process: the jar will crack, the lid will swell and break.
• High-quality and whole jars should be washed with warm water and powder especially carefully. Then the containers should be dried with a towel or left for a few minutes on the table. Sterilization is carried out only for dry devices.

After the jars have been inspected and washed, they are ready for sterilization.

Ways to sterilize jars

First of all, I would like to draw attention to the presence or absence of the contents of the jars. You can sterilize jars both empty and with blanks. The choice of method depends on what exactly you are going to preserve. We will return to this issue in this article and tell you which blanks need to be sterilized again. And now about the methods of sterilization.

• Sterilization of empty jars. The most versatile and easiest way. Empty jars must always be sterilized, no matter what you close.
• . A more time-consuming method, but for some types of canned products it is necessary, since this is the only way to achieve the highest quality sterilization. Sterilization of jars with blanks is essentially an additional or re-sterilization.

The process of sterilization of jars is inevitably associated with their heating to the desired temperature. Therefore, all other methods will be based on a variety of heating household devices. So, you can sterilize jars:

• For a couple;
• In a saucepan;
• In the oven;
• In the microwave;
• IN dishwasher;
• In a multicooker;
• In an aerogrill.

As you can see, there are a lot of ways, in any kitchen this process will not cause any difficulties, because there is at least one device that can heat and sterilize a jar, destroying all microbes on its surface. Let's explore each method in more detail.

How to steam sterilize jars

Perhaps this is the easiest way. When boiling water, the steam temperature is quite capable of sterilizing jars with high quality, you just have to choose the device that is suitable for this.

• Kettle. The jar must be put on the spout of a boiling kettle or inserted inside the neck, pointing the container upside down. Boil the kettle on the stove, the steam goes into the jar, it's simple.
• Sterilizer. This is a special pot lid with holes for jars. Turn over the jar, install and boil. There is nothing tricky either, you just need to purchase the sterilizer itself. Sometimes, due to the absence of the latter, a metal grate is used, but in this case a lot of steam will go past the cans. The sterilizer is more practical in this regard.
• Double boiler. Inside the structure, you need to place clean jars for a quarter of an hour, turning on the cooking mode. However, this method has a significant drawback - the volume of the double boiler. You can carry out the procedure for a small number of containers at a time, but as an alternative to other methods, it will do just fine.

How to sterilize jars in a saucepan

This is another simple and affordable way jar sterilization, it can be called water bath sterilization. With this method, it is important to pay attention to some important nuances. We will tell you about them now. Everything is in order.

• Prepare a suitable size pot. The volume of dishes should be such that the water level in it can reach the neck of the jars.
• At the bottom of the pan, be sure to put a piece of cloth or paper. A kitchen towel or paper towel will work for this. This is necessary so that when boiling, the jars do not burst due to the temperature of the bottom.
• Fill the pot with water to the correct level, scoop the water into the jar and plunge it upside down into the pot. The water level should be near the neck. The lids can be sterilized in the same pan along with the jars. Next, put on the stove on fire.
• At the end of boiling, the jars must be removed from the water with special tongs or a mitten, and then placed upside down on a clean kitchen towel.
• For greater reliability and sterility, the towel can be ironed with a hot iron. This way you can avoid getting germs into the jars.

How to sterilize jars in the oven

Using the oven, you can also carry out high-quality and effective sterilization. Its volume allows you to sterilize many jars at a time, more than in a saucepan or using a kettle. The process is carried out in several stages.

• Clean and dry jars must be placed in the oven, turning it on to the maximum temperature. The lids can also be sterilized along with the jars.
• Sterilize the rubber bands from the lids separately, for example, boil them in a ladle on the stove.
• Now you need to wait until the temperature in the oven reaches a value above 200 degrees. After 10 minutes after that, you need to turn off the device and leave the jars inside to cool.
• In no case should you open the oven immediately, as the glass may burst. Better to wait a bit.

Thus, it is possible to sterilize several jars at a time. Due to the very high temperature, it is possible to kill more harmful bacteria and germs than with steam.

How to sterilize jars in the microwave

The fastest way to sterilize glass jars is when using a microwave oven. In this case, the volume of the microwave plays an important role. Depending on it, one or more cans can be placed here, the bottom of each of them should be covered with water by about two centimeters. This is necessary because the microwave heats up the water. Due to its boiling, steam sterilization occurs. If the power of the device is about 800 watts, then the procedure will take only five minutes.

• Pour water into jars 2 cm from the bottom, put in a microwave oven;
• Turn on the microwave for 5 minutes at a power of 800W;
• Remove the jars with gloves, drain the water and set upside down to dry on a clean towel;
• Your jars are sterilized and ready to be sealed.

The lids cannot be sterilized in the microwave! Only separately, it is most convenient to boil in a ladle along with rubber bands.

How to sterilize jars in the dishwasher

A key advantage of the jar sterilization method when using dishwashers is that the containers do not require preparation. It is enough just to rinse them a little with water before placing them in the device. Also, during the procedure, there is no need to constantly monitor the banks.

The dishwasher must have a sterilization mode.

Study the characteristics of your dishwasher, if the sterilization mode is on the list of functions, then you can safely sterilize jars in it - the machine will cope with this task. If there is no such function, it is better to choose another way.

The sterilization function in dishwashers involves washing jars with water at a temperature of at least 70 degrees and without the use of detergents. Some machines also provide additional treatment with an ultraviolet lamp.

Metal lids with rubber seals can also be sterilized in the dishwasher.

This method is quite convenient, because many cans can be loaded at a time and the process does not require any intervention. Uploaded, pressed the button, unloaded. Very convenient, isn't it?

How to sterilize jars in a slow cooker

If you are going to close several jars of jam, jam, salad or mushrooms, and these are usually jars from 0.5 l to 1 l, then you can sterilize them in a slow cooker. This method is suitable for a large number cans of small volume - 0.5l, 0.7l, 1l.

• Pour 0.5 liters of water into the multicooker bowl;
• Fold the lids with rubber bands to the bottom of the bowl;
• Install the basket-steamer from the multicooker;
• Place the jars upside down in the basket;
• Turn on the "Steam" mode, after boiling the water should take at least 10-15 minutes;
• Remove the jars and set them to cool on a clean towel, remove the lids from the bowl and also lay them out on a towel to cool and dry.

Sterilization of jars in a slow cooker is over, you can start rolling.

How to sterilize jars in an air fryer

An air grill is a device in which food is cooked by heating with air. Heated air will perfectly cope with the task of sterilizing jars. This means that one more device is added to the list of assistants when rolling cans for the winter. Step-by-step instruction sterilization of jars in an air grill:

• Remove all unnecessary grates and stands, and if necessary, install an expansion ring on your air grill;
• Load clean jars into the airfryer;
• Also put the lids from the jars inside, be sure to pull out the rubber bands, they will not withstand high temperatures, so sterilize them separately in boiled water;
• Set the mode with a temperature of at least 150 degrees for 10-15 minutes;
• Wait for the jars to cool a little inside the oven;
• Remove jars and lids and roll up your jams and pickles.

It is necessary to sterilize jars in an air grill at a temperature of at least 150 degrees, the speed is only high. Heating time is at least 15 minutes. These are the minimum parameters for effective sterilization.

How to sterilize jars with blanks

What blanks generally need to be sterilized directly in banks and why is this necessary? Although this complicates the process, it is not always possible to do without it.

First, I would like to note that the essence of the method is that first an empty jar and a lid are sterilized, then the jar is filled with a blank (lettuce, lecho, mushrooms, caviar) and sterilized again. And only after that the lid rolls up. This method eliminates the remaining microorganisms during the cooking process.

So on what basis to separate the products and understand which ones need to be sterilized again, and which ones do not?

Sterilize again no need:

• If the blanks contain vinegar, then it is enough to sterilize only once before seaming. Vinegar is an excellent preservative. For example, it is enough to pour boiling water over cucumbers and tomatoes several times, then roll up and wrap.
• Sugar is also an excellent preservative and all twists with it do not need additional sterilization. This is jam, jam, compote and all other sweet preparations.

Sterilize again Necessarily:

• Salads;
• Caviar (zucchini, eggplant, overseas);
• Lecho;
• Mushrooms.

Such products are brought to readiness for a certain time, which cannot be increased, otherwise the products will lose their structure and become too soft. Therefore, additional sterilization is carried out after seaming.

As for the method - choose any available. This is sterilization by boiling in a saucepan, in an air grill, in an oven. Take the heat treatment time 3-5 minutes longer than when sterilizing empty jars by the same method.

Do jars need to be dried after sterilization?

Many instructions on the Internet skip this question, but the question arises, hostesses are worried about the safety of their spins. We answer as is.

After sterilization, jars do not need to be specially dried, they themselves will dry quickly due to the high temperature.

If you sterilize jars in an air grill or oven, then water is not involved in the process at all. If the processing takes place in steam or in water, for example, in a dishwasher or using a sterilizer, then at the end of this process, the jars are placed upside down on a clean kitchen towel. The jars are very hot, so moisture evaporates from their surface instantly. By the time you arrange the jars, they will have time to dry.

If a few drops of water remain on the walls inside the jars, then this is allowed, because all microbes are destroyed and this water is also absolutely clean. Without hesitation, start rolling.

How to sterilize caps with a rubber band

In addition to sterilizing jars, do not forget about the lids. They can also accumulate harmful substances, bacteria and microbes. Therefore, after carrying out the procedures for containers, it is necessary to move on to high-quality disinfection of the lids.

Each method listed above involves the simultaneous sterilization of caps, but there are some nuances. They will be discussed. First of all, we want to figure out what to do with the rubber band, because it is not clear whether it will melt from high temperature or not.

You should not sterilize the lid with an elastic band in the oven or air grill, the temperature with this method is high and it is better to separate the elastic band from the lid and sterilize it separately in boiling water. In all other ways, the lid with an elastic band can be sterilized along with the jars.

Instructions for separate sterilization of lids with elastic:

• Prepare a pot or ladle of a suitable volume and pour water into it, the volume of water should hide all the lids;
• Put the dishes on the fire and boil the water;
• Dip lids with rubber bands in boiling water for 2 minutes;
• Remove with tongs and spread on a clean towel.

Processing should be carried out immediately before the cans are sealed, and at the end of the process, avoid touching with your hands, especially the gum itself and the inner surface of the lid, use tongs.

How long to sterilize jars

The sterilization time for jars depends on the method, the processing time is different.

• Dishwasher. The volume of jars does not matter, the dishwasher must have a sterilization mode, it will automatically set the right time, you just have to press the start button and wait for the notification about the end of the procedure.
• Oven, aerogrill. The volume of jars does not matter, the sterilization time is 10-15 minutes. The temperature with such methods is much higher than boiling, so high-quality sterilization will be carried out during this time.
• Steam, boil, slow cooker. In all these methods, the volume of cans matters, as it affects the rate of heating of dishes. Sterilization time for empty jars: 0.5L, 0.7L - 10 minutes, 1L - 15 minutes, 2L - 20 minutes, 3L - 25 minutes. If you sterilize jars with blanks by boiling in water, then it is recommended to increase the sterilization time by 3-5 minutes.
• Microwave. Volume matters. big banks are unlikely to fit in the microwave, but small ones also need to be kept in time as with steam sterilization or boiling. In a microwave oven, jars are sterilized strictly without lids - you can’t put metal in a microwave oven. Sterilization time depends on the volume of water you fill in, and on the number of cans. Focus on boiling - as soon as the water boils, count 3-5 minutes and turn off the stove.

The indicated sterilization time for the jars is sufficient to indicate the effectiveness of the process.

Temperature when sterilizing jars

The sterilization temperature of jars differs depending on the method and can range from 70 to 200 degrees Celsius.

• Dishwasher- not less than 70 degrees;
• Steam and boil- 100 degrees;
• air grill- not less than 150 degrees.
• Oven- 200 degrees;

Why wrap jars with blanks

• Checking the tightness of cans, in an inverted state, a leak is immediately visible - firstly, along a trickle from under the lid, and secondly, along the bubbles in the can. Such twists need to be rolled up tighter until the leak completely disappears.
• Wrapping prolongs the sterilization process due to slow cooling. Microorganisms undergo heat treatment longer if they survived the main sterilization, of course, or got accidentally after it.

In order to properly wrap the twists, you need to follow the sequence and monitor the time. Wrapping algorithm after seaming cans:

• Immediately after seaming, turn over, check the tightness, if everything is in order, proceed to wrapping;
• In an inverted state, wrap with a thick blanket on all sides, including from below, leave it like that for 4-5 hours;
• Take it to the cellar, shed, basement (any cool place) after 4-5 hours of cooling under a blanket.

Microorganisms develop in a warm environment, which is why spins are usually stored in a cool place, at a temperature of +4 degrees, microorganisms significantly reduce their activity and stop multiplying. Accordingly, the lower the storage temperature of the spins, the longer they are stored. Naturally, it is impossible to store canned food at 0 degrees and below, the temperature must be positive.

Do not leave twists wrapped for more than 5 hours - new microorganisms may appear in the heat. The lower the temperature, the less actively the process of nucleation of new microbes proceeds.

In summer and autumn, housewives are engaged in home-made preparations. Needless to say, how tedious this process is, so many are interested in at least somehow simplifying it. IN Lately on the Web, it is suggested that jars be sterilized in the dishwasher. When we first learned about this, we thought that such a proposal was nothing but stupidity, but having studied the issue well, we revised our position.

Process description

After considering different points of view, we decided to try this method ourselves. There is nothing complicated here, the main thing is that during washing all the microorganisms that live in glass jars die. Well, of course, you can not use detergents, since even their insignificant residues can ruin all the work. What are we doing?

1. We prepare jars for sterilization. If the jars are very dirty, they need to be washed. If a little dust has settled on them, you don’t have to bother, the dishwasher will wash everything away. Also check the dishes for chips.
2. We clean the cuvette from the remnants of detergents so that they do not fall on the sterilized dishes.
3. We put the jars in baskets denser necks down.

If there is salt in the dishwasher tank, you do not need to remove it from there. In salt water, microorganisms will die faster and at a lower temperature.

1. We close the dishwasher door, select the program that provides for washing at the highest temperature, and start the process.
2. At the end of the program, we take out sterilized jars and begin to deal with blanks.

What dishwashers are suitable?

Everything seems to sound simple. However, it must be understood that the success of the sterilization process will depend on the capabilities of the dishwasher. Some are able to wash dishes at a temperature of 70-80 0 C. This technique is quite suitable not only for washing dishes, but also for sterilizing jars. But not all machines have such capabilities. Machines Electrolux, Leran, Flavia, Indesit and others, for the most part, are capable of heating water to a temperature of 60 0 C, and this is clearly not enough for sterilization.

We open the instructions for our dishwasher and find out if it is possible to sterilize in it. If she washes on intensive or any other mode at least at 70 0 C, feel free to place the cans in baskets. If the washing temperature is 10 degrees or more lower, use the old proven methods to sterilize the jars.

There are also dishwashers with a sterilization function. Their instructions explicitly state that this technique can sterilize jars, baby glass bottles and dishes for allergy sufferers. But I would like to note that such dishwashers on Russian market a rarity, so you have to do with the usual ones.

Pros and cons of this method

We have already mentioned that this method of sterilizing jars was tested by us, and we found it to be quite good. Maybe not perfect, but not bad. This innovative sterilization method has a number of advantages.

1. The effect of sterilization is amazing. Banks managed to be completely disinfected, so that the blanks in them survived the winter well. Of the 40 jars of cucumbers, for unknown reasons, only 3 became cloudy.
2. The sterilization process proceeds automatically without the involvement of manual labor. While the jars are being sterilized, you can do something else.
3. High performance. A whole mountain of cans and jars fit into the dishwasher. All of them are sterilized at the same time.
4. Careful handling of utensils. When you sterilize with your hands at least one jar, yes, you will split it while “juggling” over a boiling pot. The dishwasher sterilizes without a fight, and this is some kind of savings.

There are also disadvantages to this method, and we, of course, will mention them. First, the cost of time. If you need to sterilize 7-10 jars, then it is better to do it manually. Spend less time. But if you need to sterilize large volumes of glass containers, then it is better to give the “palm” to the dishwasher.

Secondly, this method is not implemented on every machine. We have already talked about this and this is an absolute minus. And thirdly, how to sterilize in a dishwasher if you are doing homework in the country? Of course, you can drag equipment to the dacha, but in the absence of water supply, it will be problematic to connect it.

So what do we conclude from this story? Sterilization in the dishwasher, although not in all cases, is possible, and it can really make life easier for the hostess. To master the process, you need no more than 10 minutes, and you can save from 40 minutes to 1 hour in a good scenario. So try it boldly and share your impressions in the comments. Good luck!

Hello, dear readers of the blog "Domovoi Secrets". It's home time. In order for your supplies to be well stored, cucumbers do not explode, jam does not turn sour, tomatoes do not get moldy, you need not only to follow the technology for preparing homemade preparations, but also proper sterilization of jars is necessary. How to sterilize jars correctly, 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 is it?

First of all, it is necessary to check the integrity of the cans, to reject cans with a chipped neck, cracks. These jars are not suitable for blanks, 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 if you have lids for these jars, and how tightly they seal the jars. If you are using iron screw caps or plastic caps, it is not necessary to change them every year, but be sure to check them for tightness. Take a jar, pour water into it, wipe the jar thoroughly from water, tighten the lid as tightly as possible, turn it over and shake the jar over a paper towel. If there are drops of water on the napkin, then such a cover will not suit you, it skips.

In addition, when using metal covers, pay attention to the absence of rust spots, scratches, concavities. Damaged covers are not suitable for harvesting for the winter.

When using lids with elastic bands, pay attention to the elasticity of the elastic band, old, long-stored elastic bands tend to dry out and crack. These lids don't work either.

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

Ways to sterilize jars

There are several ways to sterilize jars at home.

Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups:

• classic;
• modern.

Our grandmothers used classical methods of sterilization.

This is the processing of cans with steam, boiling cans, processing with potassium permanganate.

Sterilization of cans 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 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 at present it is almost impossible to find potassium permanganate.

Steam sterilization of cans

You will need a pot of boiling water and special tools that you can buy at the hardware store.

For many years now, an aluminum circle with a hole inside has been regularly serving me. It can be installed both small banks and large ones. Now there are already devices for 3 cans, but you can use the usual grate from the oven or the oil splash screen, which is used during frying in a pan.

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

The steaming time is different for cans of different sizes.

How much to sterilize jars for a couple

for 0.5 and 0.75 liters for at least 10 minutes;

for 1 liter for at least 15 minutes;

for 2 liters for at least 20 minutes;

for 3 liters from 25 to 30 minutes.

If you accidentally missed the time, then the end of steam sterilization of jars 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 put the sterilized jar on a clean, better linen cloth upside down, and take out the boiled lids with a clean fork and leave it on the cloth with the inside down. In this state, the jars remain sterile for up to two days.

The advantage of this method is that jars for blanks can be prepared in advance. In addition, both large and small jars can be sterilized in this way.

Sterilization of jars over the kettle

A variation on steam sterilizing jars is sterilizing jars over a kettle. In this way, you can sterilize both large three-liter jars and small ones. Find out how to do it right in this video.

Boiling jars in a saucepan

This method is suitable for sterilizing small jars. In this way, you can process several cans at once.

Take a large saucepan, put a wooden grate on the bottom (if there is no grate, you can put a towel folded several times) and put jars on it, fill it with cold water and heat it on the stove until the water boils. After boiling, “cook” the jars for at least 5 minutes. Lids can also be sterilized immediately.

This method is good in that jars can be prepared quickly, and the downside is that such sterilization is not ideal and is only suitable for those recipes that provide for further sterilization of homemade workpieces.

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

Sterilization of jars in the microwave

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

Sterilization of jars in the microwave is one of the most convenient ways sterilization of jars, but it is suitable mainly for small jars. Bottles can also be sterilized, but you need to put them on a barrel, pouring 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 immediately includes 4 three-liter jars or 12 liter jars.

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

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

Sterilization of jars in a slow cooker

It is ideal to use a slow cooker for sterilizing jars, which has a “steam” function. Pour water into the multicooker bowl, put 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 in that 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:

• for a couple;
• in boiling water;
• in the oven;
• in a multicooker;
• in the microwave;
• in a double boiler;
• just pour over with boiling water, provided that the blank in the bank will be subject to further pasteurization (heating up to 90 degrees) or sterilization.

For sterilizing small jars, the most suitable different ways sterilization. Choose whichever method is more convenient for you.

Today you got acquainted with the classic and modern methods of sterilizing jars, learned their advantages and disadvantages, and you choose which way is best to sterilize jars for blanks.

Recently, I prefer recipes without sterilization, I use only well-sterilized jars.

Here are some of my favorite recipes:

I wish you successful home preparations for the winter.

Sincerely, Nadezhda Karacheva