Introduction
Have you ever thought about putting the summer sunshine, autumn fruit fragrance or winter warmth into a small glass bottle? When you miss it, you can unscrew the lid and taste the unique taste. Home canning is such a happy craft, but before you start, there is always a question that makes people entangled: how to sterilize canning jars? This seemingly simple step is related to the safety of each can of food and determines whether all the efforts will be in vain.
Don’t worry, today we will talk about the preparation of canning bottles, understand the knowledge behind “sterilization”, so that you can start the fun of home canning with peace of mind.
Why is the preparation of canning bottles so important?
Food acidity: the key to determining the sterilization method
- The acidity (pH value) of food directly affects the need for sterilization during canning. High-acid foods (pH≤4.6) such as apples, blueberries, and pickles can inhibit bacterial growth and are generally canned using a water bath. If the water tub time exceeds 10 minutes, the high temperature will sterilize the bottles by means of the way, so there is no want to sterilize earlier; but for jams which have a water bath time of much less than 10 mins, the bottles have to be dealt with earlier – that is a commonplace state of affairs for how to sterilize canning jars, otherwise the residual micro organism may ruin the meals.
- Low-acid meals (pH>four.6) inclusive of corn, beans, and meat are liable to breeding harmful micro organism and ought to be stress canned (temperatures of 116-121°C). This high temperature lasts for a long time and might completely sterilize the bottles, so you simplest want to easy and preheat them.
10-minute rule: quickly decide whether pre-sterilization is needed
Remember a easy trendy: water bath time ≥ 10 mins, just wash the bottle and preheat it, excessive temperature will contend with the sterilization; water bath time < 10 minutes, ought to be sterilized with boiling water earlier (10 mins underneath 1000 toes above sea degree, longer time at better altitudes), in any other case quick-time period heating will not kill cussed bacteria.
In quick: low-acid meals use stress cans, no pre-sterilization; high-acid foods rely on the water tub time, no sterilization is needed if it exceeds 10 mins, and sterilization is required if it’s far much less than 10 minutes.
Three-step method for preparing canning jars
After figuring out when sterilization is needed, let’s take a look at how to do it specifically. Whether it is cleaning, preheating or sterilization, the correct steps can ensure safety.
Basic cleaning: This step must not be skipped
No matter which canning method is used, the first step is to clean thoroughly:
- Check the bottle: carefully check whether each bottle has cracks or gaps. Bottles with defects are easy to break at excessive temperatures and could affect the seal, in order that they must not be used.
- Scrub the bottle: Use heat soapy water to clean the outside and inside of the bottle. Use a bottle brush to cautiously brush the space between the bottom and the mouth of the bottle to ensure that there’s no meals residue or oil.
- Rinse thoroughly: Rinse the bottle several times with clean water to ensure that there is no soap residue – the soap smell will affect the taste of the food and may also damage the seal.
Handle the lid:
- The flat lid (the part with the sealing ring) is disposable and must be used new every time. Soak it in hot water at about 82°C for a few minutes before use to soften the sealing ring for better sealing effect.
- The threaded ring (the iron ring that fixes the lid) can be reused, but it must be cleaned and checked for rust or deformation. It does not need to be preheated or sterilized.
Preheating the bottle: Preventing "thermal shock" from exploding the bottle
The purpose of preheating is to keep the bottle warm to prevent it from breaking due to the large temperature difference when pouring hot food. Common methods are:
- Water bath preheating (recommended): Put a clean empty bottle in a large pot, add warm water to cover the bottle by 1 inch, heat to about 82°C (warm to the touch but not hot), and maintain this temperature until the food is loaded. Be careful not to let the water boil, otherwise the bottle will overheat.
- Dishwasher preheating: Put the bottle in the dishwasher, select the “heat and dry” or “sterilize” mode, and take it out immediately after the end. But be aware that not all dishwashers can reach a sufficient temperature, and it mainly relies on it to keep the bottle warm.
- Oven preheating is not recommended: The oven heats unevenly, which can easily cause the bottle to overheat locally and cause it to break, and may also burn your hands, so try not to use it.
Pre-sterilization: Do it only when necessary
Pre-sterilization is only necessary when the water bath time of high-acid food is less than 10 minutes. The most reliable method is boiling water sterilization:
Put a easy empty bottle in a massive pot, upload water to cowl the bottle via 1 inch, and boil it over excessive heat and preserve boiling (10 mins under a thousand ft above sea level, and 1 minute greater for every a thousand toes above sea stage). After sterilization, use a canning tong to select up the bottle, pour out the water, hold the bottle heat, and fill the meals immediately.
Note: Do not use a microwave to sterilize! Microwaves heat unevenly, and some places are not hot enough to kill bacteria; oven sterilization is also not recommended, the risk is too high.
Details after canning: These things determine success or failure
After the bottles are ready, the next operation is also critical. One wrong step may ruin all the previous efforts:
- Bottle while hot: After taking the bottles out of the preheated or sterilized water, fill the food immediately. If the bottles are cold, they are easy to break when hot food is poured in.
- Use the right tools: Always use canning tongs to hold hot bottles, which can prevent burns and avoid contact with the bottle mouth and contamination.
There are some tips for packing food
- Leave enough “head space”: There should be a gap between the bottle mouth and the food (usually 1/4 to 1 inch, depending on the recipe). This is the key to forming a vacuum seal. Insufficient gaps will cause the seal to fail.
- Don’t fill it too full: Food will expand when heated, and overfilling will cause it to overflow, dirtying the bottle mouth and affecting the seal.
- Clean the bottle mouth: After filling, wipe the bottle mouth with a clean damp cloth. Even a little jam or oil stain may prevent the lid from sealing tightly.
- Pay attention to the lid: gently place the flat lid on the bottle mouth, and the threaded ring can be “finger-tightened” (stop when there is a little resistance). Too much force will prevent the air from being discharged, but it will not seal well.
- Timely treatment: After the lid is covered, put it into the preheated canning pot immediately. Don’t leave it on the table for too long, otherwise bacteria may take the opportunity to breed.
- Identify reliable recipes: Never change the acidity, ingredient ratio or heating time in the recipe at will! It is best to use recipes from authoritative organizations (such as the National Center for Home Food Preservation in the United States), safety first.
Conclusion
After understanding how to sterilize canning jars, there is another important thing: choose the right canning bottle. Good bottles can make canning smoother and safer.
For example, YEBODA’s glass bottles are very suitable for home canning:
- The material is solid, can withstand high temperature and pressure changes, and is not easy to break.
- It meets food grade standards and does not contain BPA, so you can rest assured to store food.
- The bottle mouth is smooth, fits tightly with the lid, and has a good sealing effect, which can keep food longer.
- There are various sizes and shapes, whether it is jam, pickles or meat sauce.
- Glass bottles can be used repeatedly, just wash them, which is both environmentally friendly and economical.
I hope this guide can help you dispel your concerns and boldly try home canning, so that you can seal the deliciousness of the four seasons in a bottle and enjoy it slowly~