How to sterilize jars in a pot of water: boiling rules for preservation

The question of how to properly sterilize jars for a couple or in a pot of water worries many housewives. Violation of technology can lead to disastrous consequences - the container will crack or the can with conservation will explode. Compliance with all the rules, a preliminary inspection of the cans will help to avoid this. There are several ways to sterilize, consider the simplest and tell you about all the subtleties and nuances of the procedure.

Why sterilize?

When creating preservation, it is important to avoid getting pathogens into the container - they can cause the fermentation process, spoil the workpiece. For this reason, it is so important to boil the jar, following all the recommendations.

Why sterilization is necessary:

This procedure will help to avoid spoilage of products.
Will prevent pathogens from entering the jar.
The blank will not start to "wander", and the jar will not explode if sterilized correctly.

Reference: Sterile packaging helps preserve snacks longer, avoid untimely spoilage and prevent taste change.

The main purpose of sterilization is to kill bacteria, make the container sterile, which will help keep food in its original form, using certain preservatives.

It will be necessary to sterilize not only jars, but also lids, otherwise it will hardly be possible to achieve the desired result.

Pan selection

Carrying out all the necessary procedures before canning helps to avoid problems with the blanks. If you decide to sterilize in a pan, then choose it correctly, observing the following recommendations:

jars must fit completely into the pan, they can be placed or laid horizontally;
Choose a pan with a flat bottom that will heat evenly.

When creating preservation, half-liter jars are used more often; they are successfully placed in a medium-sized saucepan. Enamel cookware is preferred as it heats evenly and avoids sudden temperature changes.

Before you start using the purchased pot, wash it thoroughly with soda, rinse with warm water and dry with a towel. This will help to avoid the addition of foreign odors and flavors.

Preparation of jars before starting the process

Before boiling, evaluate the general condition of the container, this will help to avoid problems with conservation in the future:

It is worth examining the container for cracks, chips and other damage. If any are found, then the jar should be removed, it may burst at the time of sterilization, with an increase in temperature or after twisting.
The container is thoroughly washed under running water, using a new sponge, soda. Powders and liquids are discarded because they can give the preservation an unpleasant smell of chemicals or an off-taste.
After washing, dry the jars, put them upside down, on a towel or paper napkin. And when the last droplets run down the glass, you can start sterilizing the container.
Pay attention not only to the jars, but also to the lids. Between them there should be an elastic band if the lids are twisted. This will ensure the integrity of the preservation.
The lids will have to be boiled along with the rubber bands, but this one will take less time, an average of 1.5 minutes. This will be enough to kill pathogens.
It is not enough just to pour boiling water over the container, careful processing of the cans is necessary, maintaining certain temperatures.
Do not rinse the container with cold water after boiling - a sharp temperature drop is unlikely to be useful for glass containers.

How to properly boil a container in a saucepan

A similar method of sterilizing containers, literally on the stove, is carried out in stages. You will have to do the following:

Rinse and dry the jars, then place on the bottom of the pan, after placing parchment or a clean cloth there.
It is worth pouring water into the pan so that the liquid completely covers the container, turn on the stove, bring the water to a boil. Boil the containers for 5-7 minutes without removing them from the pan.
Contact with boiling water for the specified time will help kill pathogenic bacteria. After that, it is worth removing the container from the water, wipe it and put it upside down so that the drops drain. After a couple of minutes, you can lay out salads, pickles and jams in containers.
If the jars are not completely covered with water, microbes may remain on their surface. Don't forget to boil the lids as well.

Steam sterilization at home

To carry out such a procedure, you should follow the recommendations:

Select container; you can use a shallow pan, the wider it is the better - more jars will fit.
They also use a metal grate. In general, this is all that is required for the procedure.
Pour water into a saucepan, then bring it to a boil. We place a metal grate on top, put the container upside down on it.
During the steaming process, condensation will accumulate on the walls of the can and the bottom. As soon as these drops "wash" the entire container, we can say that sterilization is completed.
Using an oven mitt, remove the jar from the grid, in the same position, put it upside down on a piece of cloth or use a paper towel.
The duration of sterilization depends on the volume of the container. On average, processing lasts 7-10 minutes. Do not be afraid that in a few minutes or hours pathogenic microorganisms will get into the container. The containers, processed according to all the rules, retain their characteristics for two days.

Can I sterilize jars of blanks?

Yes, jars of salad or pickles are also processed in boiling water. This method is well known to experienced housewives.

How to perform the procedure:

Place salad, vegetables or jam in a pre-prepared container, do not close the lid;
the lid should be boiled, together with an elastic band, to prepare it for subsequent procedures;
the jar, together with preservation, is placed in water, brought to a boil, kept for 5-10 minutes, as long as possible.

After boiling, the jars are carefully pulled out of the pan and put upside down, covered with a warm towel, “wrapped”, after closing the lid.

Attention! Salads are laid out in containers warm or hot - this is a must.

More often this method is used when creating adjika, lecho, salads and other preparations. During the sterilization process, you will have to ensure that water does not enter the containers. The time depends on the volume of the container; if the container is large, then it will have to be sterilized for half an hour.

In this case, the jars are checked for chips and damage before washing. Unsuitable containers are removed to avoid further problems.

Sterilizing jars correctly is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. If you follow all the recommendations, you will be able to eliminate bacteria, kill them with hot steam or boiling water. The prepared container will help to keep the workpiece longer, will not affect its taste characteristics, will not cause damage to the salad, seasoning or pickle.