How to Sanitize Jars at Oven Temperature
Using unsanitized jars for canning foods such as butter, jams, pickles and preserves can put you at risk for food-borne infections such as botulism, a muscle-paralyzing affliction caused by a toxin from the bactria clostridium botulinum. To diminish the risk of food poisoning, you should sanitize all jars, and ensure that the glass is free of chips or cracks and that lids and seals are intact. You can reuse jars and lids as long as you sanitize them. You cannot reuse seals, however, and they should always be discarded after use---always purchase new seals for each canning project. Lastly, you should not reuse the jars from store-bought preserves or jams. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Jars
- Lids (same number as jars)
- Seals (same number as jars)
- Oven
- Metal tray or cookie sheet
- Clock or timer
- Oven mitts
- Dishwashing soap
- Dish rack
Instructions
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1
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
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2
Wash the jars, lids and seals in warm, soapy water while the oven is preheating. Rinse well. Leave seals in the dish rack.
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3
Arrange the jars and lids on metal trays or cookie sheets. Place the jars right-side up for stability; the lids can be placed either top-side up or down. Make sure that none of the jars or lids touch.
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4
Place trays or cookie sheets in the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
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5
Put on oven mitts and remove the trays. Place the trays on the counter and allow the jars and lids to cool before using them for canning.
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Tips & Warnings
Always check the jars, lids and seals for any defects and discard those that have chips or other flaws. If you don't have an oven or don't have an half-hour to spare, you can also boil jars and lids in a large saucepan for 15 minutes.
Always use safety tools such as oven mitts when removing the jars from the oven. Allow the jars and lids to cool before filling them with food to avoid burning yourself.
