How to Sterilize Jars

Preserved Food in Jars

When preserving food from the garden, it is important to start with sterilized jars. Or, perhaps, an old decorative jar can be converted to storage for flour, sugar, coffee, pasta or cornmeal by sterilizing it before use. Sterilizing jars will remove any bacteria that may be growing on the jar.

Things You'll Need

• Jars
• Dishwasher or large pot

Instructions

Directions

1. Wash your jars thoroughly in soap and water. Rinse all the jars and lids well.

2. Fill a large stock pot with jars. Place the jars so they are standing up. Do not place the lids on the jars. Do not stack jars on top of one another.

3. Fill the stock pot with water until the jars are completely submerged. Fill a smaller pot with water and place the lids in it.

4. Heat both pots to boiling and continue boiling at a full rolling boil for 10 minutes. Remove the jars from the water and place on a towel on the counter.Iimmediately start filling the hot jars with the preserved food.. If your jars will store dry food, make sure all moisture is gone from the jars and lids.

5. Fill an empty dishwasher with the clean jars to sterilize if this method is preferred. Run the dishwasher through a regular cycle without soap as an alternative to the stove top method.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid burns

References

• Center for Food Preservation