How to Prepare Ball Lids & Jars for Canning
You can enjoy your garden harvest all year long with proper home canning. Ball canning jars, lids and bands are made specifically for home canning. Preparation is a vital step when you are canning. New and used jars must be properly cleaned and heated before use. Jars and bands may be re-used. You must always use new lids. Properly preparing your jars, lids and canning bands will ensure the preservation of your foods. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Inspect your jars. Discard any jars that have cracks, chips, scratches or uneven rims. Jars with these types of flaws will not seal properly. Be sure to inspect new jars as well as jars that are being re-used. New jars have the possibility of having manufacture defects.
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Thoroughly examine the lids and bands. Discard any lids that have scratches, uneven or incomplete seals. Even though you must always use new lids, it is important to inspect them for flaws. Discard any bands that may be corroded, bent or warped. The band must fit tightly on the jar with no gaps.
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Wash your jars, lids and bands in hot soapy water. Rinse and dry the bands. The bands are now ready for use.
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Heat a large pot of water to about 180 degrees F. Submerge the lids and jars in the water. Be sure they are entirely covered by water. They need to remain at this temperature until they are filled. Use tongs to remove the jars and lids one at a time as needed. If your recipe requires processing time of less than 10 minutes, you must sterilize your jars. To sterilize your jars, bring the water to a boil and allow the jars to sit in the boiling water for approximately 10 minutes, turn the temperature down and remove the jars one at a time as needed. Do not boil the lids.
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Tips & Warnings
Only use jars designed specifically for home canning. Do not re-use commercial food jars.
Canning in altitudes greater than 1,000 feet requires additional preparation.
References
- Photo Credit canned tomatoes image by Cinderella Morff from Fotolia.com
