Sanitising jars are highly crucial prior to using them especially when they are used for food storage or canning.
Bacteria both harmful or less harmful may pose dangers to our health or alter the shelf life of the edibles stored within.
Therefore it is highly crucial to eliminate all bacteria and foreign bodies prior to use to maximise the shelf life of food being stored and ensure safe consumption.
1. Oven Method
This is an easy way to ensure your jars get sanitised and ready to be used. First, preheat your oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit or approximately 107-108 degrees Celsius.
Place your jars onto a roasting pan and place them into the oven for at least 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, you can turn off the heat, leave the jars in the oven for them to slowly cool down before you remove them from the oven.
2. Dishwasher Method
The dishwasher method is another easy method to sanitise your jars. All you need to do is place your jars into the dishwasher and select for the usual sanitising course.
The heat emitted in the dishwasher will kill off harmful bacteria and keep the jars warm until they are ready to be used. Also, if you plan to use jars with rubber seals for canning, the heat from the dishwasher will also allow the rubber seal to be more easily manipulated and easy to be sealed during the canning process.
3. Water Bath Canner Method
Remove all foreign substances on the jar by washing and rinsing thoroughly. Place the jars in the canner, on the rack. Pour in enough water until the water covers all the jars completely from top to bottom.
Bring the canner to a boil and allow it to continue boil for 10 minutes. Then use your jar lifter and remove the jars, placing them upside down on a towel or drying rack to drain.
4. Sanitising jar lids
In a small pan, carefully place the lids and rings that are to be sanitised. Fill the pan with enough water to cover all lids and rings and bring the water to a simmer.
Do not bring the water to a rolling boil, as this could damage the sealing rubber. Keep the lids in the hot water and carefully remove them with clean tongs onto a paper towel or cloth to allow them to dry and cool completely.