Most the right way preserve vegetables, berries and fruits for a long time - subject them to preservation. But in order for this process to go smoothly and without overlays, you need to place the prepared ingredients in absolutely clean jars. After all, a huge number of microbes live on their surface that can cause fermentation in a pickled product, which will lead to its deterioration.
Based on this, we can conclude: competent sterilization of jars at home is an essential condition for the preservation of mouth-watering butter, crispy mushrooms, juicy tomatoes and other goodies cooked with love.
The acidic environment that we create for salting is optimal for the reproduction of harmful microorganisms.
During sterilization, water is heated above 100 ° C, and at this temperature all microbes die. Violation of this process and the start of fermentation are manifested by swelling of the lids and turbidity of the brine.
Stage 1: preparation of jars for sterilization
The following simple steps will help you avoid incidents while canning food:
- Be sure to inspect the cans for chips and cracks. Even through a small chip in the neck area, air will enter the jar, which will lead to spoilage of the product, swelling of the lid, and possibly its failure.
A damaged jar may burst when interacting with boiling water. - Wash the detergent jars thoroughly and then dry them. Sterilizing wet jars is not recommended.
Stage 2: sterilization of jars
Since progress does not stand still, the list of sterilization methods is constantly updated. Consider 8 of the most simple and interesting methods.
Over the ferry
This is the most old way that has come down to us from our grandmothers. However, it remains the most efficient and reliable.
You can sterilize jars for a couple in different ways:
- With a simple teapot. They put the prepared jar on the spout of the kettle, and while it boils, sterilize. It will take 10 minutes to disinfect a liter jar, 15 minutes for a three-liter jar.
- With the help of a saucepan and a sieve. Pour half a pot of water and bring it to a boil. A metal sieve is placed on top of the pan, and jars are placed on top with their necks down.
Perhaps some people have preserved special lids with one or more slits for the neck. It is more convenient to install cans on them, and hot air does not escape into the environment.
Pros: quality, availability.
Flaws: it is inconvenient to remove the jars from the kettle or sieve, the risk is that you can get burned.
In water
Boiling is the most common method of container sterilization.
A wooden plank, a towel or folded gauze is placed at the bottom of a spacious, deep saucepan, glass containers are placed upside down, filled with water to the brim so that the jars are completely immersed in it, and boil for about 15 minutes.
Banks should not touch each other, so it would be more logical to put gauze between them.
Advantages: efficiency, you can sterilize as many jars at the same time as will fit in the selected pan, you can boil the lids along with the container.
Flaws: it is inconvenient to remove hot cans, hard water can provoke the formation of salt deposits on the walls of the container.
In the oven
This is a type of steam sterilization. Banks are freely placed on a baking sheet and heated in the oven for 15 minutes. They must be wet!
The temperature during the heating process should not go beyond 200 ° C. At the end of the procedure, the glass container is left to cool directly in the oven, since it can burst with a sharp dissonance of temperatures.
Pros: oven temperature is higher than boiling water capacity.
Minuses: the oven warms up for a long time, but this can only interfere with the mass preparation of canned food.
In the microwave
The fastest and easy way container sterilization. But don't forget that the microwave heats up food or liquids, so pour a little water into each jar so that it rises about 2 cm above the bottom.
Important! Do not heat in the microwave a container without water and metal objects - lids!
IN microwave oven with a power of 800 watts, the tank will be crystal clear in just 5 minutes.
Advice! 3 liter jars won't fit in standard home microwave ovens, try laying them on their side.
Advantages: simple, very fast and “on the conscience”.
Flaws: Lids need to be sterilized separately, limited capacity.
In a double boiler
A steamer is an extremely useful device in everyday life. And even in such a case as the disinfection of cans, she is able to help out her mistress.
All that is required is to place the container upside down in the steamer. You can directly with the lids, but not on the banks, they must be open!
For liter jars, it will take 15 minutes for the steamer to work in the “cooking” mode.
Pros: speed, ease.
Minuses: inconvenient to process a large number of containers, only for small cans.
In a slow cooker
Another innovative method! Banks are placed on a stand for steaming upside down and heated for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size, in the "steam" mode.
Advantages: simplicity, speed of heating the double boiler, quality.
Minuses: Only one container can be disinfected at a time.
In air grill
An air grill can also serve you well when canning food. The jars for sterilization are placed on the lower grid, a little water is poured into them and heated for 15 minutes at a temperature of 150 ° C.
Pros: speed, no need for control.
Flaws: a small number of simultaneously processed containers.
In the dishwasher
This method is convenient in that the dishes can be loaded with pre-wash bases. The jars are simply placed in the dishwasher, the temperature switches are turned to the maximum mark, more than 60 ° C, and the “glass” is washed without any cleaning agents.
Covers can be placed there.
Pros: no need to be distracted free time can be given to preparations.
Minuses: very low temperature, which means that some microbes can survive. It is better to use an ordinary ferry.
Stage 3: sterilization of caps
Like cans, lids are checked for cracks, damage, and rust. As a general rule, threaded caps need to be replaced annually.
Most convenient way disinfect the lids - lower them into boiling water and warm them up. You can pre-boil the floor of a saucepan of water exclusively for this operation.
If you're sterilizing the jars in the oven, put them in there with the lids on. But you can not put metal objects in the microwave.
Stage 4: Re-Pasteurization
Even the most quality sterilization cans will not satisfy every housewife. Some need additional safety net and therefore re-sterilize the jars along with the blanks. In canning, this process is called pasteurization.
For pasteurization, you will need a capacious pan, preferably with a thick bottom. If the container is too bulky, use a basin.
The bottom of the selected container is covered with any cotton cloth or a wooden board is laid, prepared cans are placed on top, loosely covered with a lid.
At the end of pasteurization, the jars are removed one by one from the water and immediately rolled up. Until they cool down, it is better to store them upside down.
(better with baking soda or soapy water, avoiding "inedible" dish detergents). Place the jars in a cold or warm oven. If the jars are dry, you can put the neck down, if wet - up, so that the water evaporates. Turn on the oven and heat it to 150 degrees, at this temperature keep the jars in the oven for 15 minutes. After that, the jars can be removed and the products for preservation can be laid out in them. If you have sterilized jars with a margin, put them upside down on a clean towel (as bacteria tend to "fall" in them).
One of the main advantages of the oven is its dimensions. In one fell swoop, you can process a dozen half-liter jars or disinfect three-liter ones.
Filled jars are also sterilized in the oven. Put them in the oven without lids. Preheat oven to 100 degrees. The minimum sterilization time after reaching the desired temperature is 10 minutes (for cans of 0.5 l), 15 minutes - (for 1 l). After that, carefully remove the jars and immediately roll them up with sterilized lids. Place jars upside down until cool.
air grill
If you don’t have an oven in your country house, but you have an air grill, prepare jars for preservation with it. The basic principle of operation of an air grill is heating with hot air, which is quite applicable for both empty cans and filled ones.
To sterilize empty jars, place them on the lower rack. Banks from 0.5 to 1 liter easily fit into a container, from three to five pieces. It is necessary to sterilize jars for about 15 minutes at a temperature of 150 degrees ("sterilization mode"). You can put both dry jars and with a small amount of water - then you get steam sterilization. But in the latter case, they will not be completely dry at the exit. After the end of the process, clean jars can be taken out and rolled up products in them, as usual.
Another option for sterilizing jars is with products. Arrange vegetables, salads, fruits in washed jars. Fill them with syrup, brine, oil so that the products are completely covered. Put the jars in the air fryer and cover with lids. Banks are sterilized at a temperature of 150 degrees if there are elastic bands in the lids.
Sterilization can also be carried out at higher temperatures, but in this case, the rubber bands from the caps will have to be removed and sterilized in the usual way in boiling water. After processing, take out the cans and roll them up. The sterilization time for jars is calculated based on the recipe. Due to the fact that in the air grill the pressure is higher than in traditional conditions, the boiling point of water rises to 140 degrees. Thus, the processing time of the product is reduced by about 30% of the usual. For example, you are used to cooking jam for 40 minutes, 25 minutes is enough on the grill. The higher the processing temperature, the less time is needed for this processing. The hot air flow rate is high.
Microwave
The possibility of sterilizing empty jars in the microwave is still debated. The fact is that empty containers cannot be placed in a microwave oven. On the other hand, if you need to warm up a small amount of food, put an additional container of water in the microwave. The same goes for empty cans.
If clean but wet jars work for you, fill them with about 50 ml of water and microwave them. If dry jars are needed, a glass of water can be placed next to the dry jars. Banks are sterilized for about 2-3 minutes.
Do not forget that metal objects cannot be placed in the oven, which means that the lids will have to be sterilized in the traditional way.
Sterilization of filled jars is easier in the microwave. Fill jars without lids with vegetables or fruits and pour marinade or syrup. Place the jars evenly inside the microwave so that the rotation goes smoothly. Bring the jars to a boil and sterilize for about two minutes.
You can process jars of fruits or vegetables by pouring a little filling into them and covering them with glass lids. After processing for 2-3 minutes, remove the jars, fill with boiling marinade or syrup to the brim and quickly roll up. Put the jars upside down on a towel, turn the jars over and put them in storage after they have cooled completely.
In the summer season, we all try to eat more delicious fruits, berries and vegetables. And therefore, we not only buy these fresh vitamins in the store and on the market, but also grow them on our site.
Each summer resident tries to grow a crop not only in order to eat the fruits of his labor all summer, but also to prepare more of them for the entire subsequent season, that is, until the next harvest. And for this, as you know, conservation is best suited.
But, most likely, everyone who is engaged in harvesting for the winter is faced with the problem that some banks are not stored as they would like. The brine becomes cloudy in them, mold appears, or even the container with the contents can “explode”, splashing out all the preservation in different directions.
And all this happens due to the fact that microbes and bacteria have penetrated into the contents, causing fermentation processes. The reason may be poorly washed storage containers, or non-compliance with the rules of heat treatment of products. And as a result, the blank, in which we have invested so much work, ends up in the trash can.
Therefore, it is very important to follow the rules of heat treatment of both the product itself and the containers for it. This important process, which cannot be ignored, as it can simply be hazardous to health. Due to non-compliance with elementary safety rules, you can even end up in a hospital bed with severe poisoning.
And today's our article will be about how to sterilize containers for conservation and harvesting for the winter.
- Before starting the processing process itself, carefully inspect the container. It should not have any chips or cracks. You should also carefully check the neck. It may also have small chips that you may not immediately notice. Such containers should be put aside. They are not suitable for use in this case.
- Before processing, all containers should be thoroughly washed with soda or dishwashing detergent. You can also wash it in dishwasher. In this case, the detergent used is the one that you always use.
- Particular attention should be paid to the neck of the container. Often, rusty streaks and the most severe pollution are visible on it. This should be washed off.
- After washing the container with the products, be sure to rinse it in a large volume of running water to wash off all the abrasives and chemical compounds remaining on the walls.
- If you use plastic covers, then they also need to be washed in a soda solution, then poured over with boiling water, or it is better to warm them for 10 minutes in water at a temperature of 80 - 85 degrees.
- Boil metal screw caps and screw caps with rubber bands in water for at least 10 minutes.
- Tin caps for twisting with a machine are disposable, and screw caps can be used several times.
- Before using reusable caps, check their integrity. The inner layer should not be damaged, it should not have any scratches, a peeled off layer of a specially applied protective food layer.
- If the lid was opened with a special opener, then it usually crushes the side edge in one or two places. Such covers cannot be used for further use.
- After sterilization, turn the containers upside down and place them on a towel to drain the water.
- The fabric or towel on which we put the container should be clean, preferably ironed on both sides.
- It is advisable to sterilize the jars no earlier than two hours before the start of the preservation roll-up.
- Before laying food in containers, try not to touch the neck, so as not to bring microbes on it again, which were so carefully disposed of.
How and how many minutes to sterilize jars in the microwave
It is very simple and perhaps the most fast way heat treatment. To implement it, we must already have thoroughly washed glass containers.
Pour a lot of water into each of them, enough so that the layer is no higher than two centimeters.
Then you should put them in a microwave oven, the power of which is 700 - 800 W, set the required time and turn it on. If you put more than one container, then the time for this will take from 3 to 4 minutes.
If there is only one container, then it is enough to hold it inside the oven for only 2 minutes.
It happens that the container is large and does not fit in the oven, in this case it is necessary to pour water into it and put it on its side. Also set 2 - 3 minutes of time and warm it up.
After the time has elapsed, remove the container from the microwave, rinse the walls with heated water and pour it out. Turn the containers upside down and put on the neck on a towel so that the water drains.
Sometimes they ask the question: “Is it possible to put the container in the microwave without water?” It is forbidden! Glassware without water will heat up and burst!
Lids should not be placed in the microwave. They are made of materials that are not allowed to be heated in a microwave oven.
Sterilization of jars in an electric oven at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees
This method is good because you can sterilize many jars at once. If there are a lot of blanks, then I always use this method. And along with them, lids are also laid out there, which is also quite convenient, and again saves time.
You can’t just put rubber bands from the lids into the oven. They are deformed from exposure to high temperatures, and will no longer be able to perform their basic functions.
How to do? Rinse the container thoroughly and put it on a baking sheet with the neck up. If the container is large in volume, then it can be put on its side.
Put the baking sheet in a cold oven and turn on the oven. Set the temperature to 150 degrees.
The holding time will be:
- for 0.5 liter - 10 minutes
- for liter - 15 minutes
- for 2 liter - 20 minutes
- for 3 liter - 25 minutes
Some hostesses warm up the container at a temperature of 120 degrees. Here the time will be somewhat different.
- for 0.5 liter - 15 minutes
- for liter - 20 minutes
- for 2 liter - 25 minutes
- for 3 liter - 30 minutes
After the banks warm up, do not rush to get them right away. You can turn off the oven and let the container stand so that the cooling process is not so fast. Otherwise, the glass may simply burst.
Take it out with an oven mitt, otherwise you can burn yourself.
Glass does not like sudden changes in temperature.
How and when to sterilize conventional and 3-liter steam containers
This method is probably the oldest and most used. When there were no microwaves, no double boilers, no other equipment, the containers were processed in this way.
It is also simple, but somewhat longer than the previous one. You will need a saucepan, and something suitable on top: usually a colander, a mesh lid, a wire rack, or special devices for jars.
Pour water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Put a grate on top, or whatever you have, and install glass containers. They should already be thoroughly washed with soda or other means.
The smaller the container, the less time it will take to warm up. The minimum time for the smallest container is 5 minutes, for 750-gram and liter containers 8 minutes, for 2-liter containers it is usually 10 minutes.
And the record holder for warming up is a 3-liter jar. It will take 15 minutes to steam it.
Processing glass jars with steam using a kettle
There is also such an old way of heating for a couple. Few people use it now, but however, the method has not ceased to exist. If there is no pan at hand, and even more so a grate, or a colander, then you can boil water in a kettle, or on it.
The container should be put on his nose with a neck, bring the water to a boil.
After 10 minutes of time, it will warm up and everything will be no worse than usual.
Or you can put a glass container in the opening of the kettle with the neck down, as if it were a lid. This method is good when the container is large, and you simply can’t put it on the spout.
Processing time is 10 - 15 minutes. Also, as they warmed up in a saucepan.
How to sterilize containers in a saucepan in boiling water
But what if there is only a saucepan, and there are no special devices to put them upstairs?
You can manage without everything. To do this, pour warm water into an ordinary enameled pan and put the jars in it with the neck down. Bring the water to a boil, and soak the container in it for 10 - 15 minutes.
Then gently. in order not to burn yourself, use a towel to get them out of the pan and put them on another rag with the neck down so that the water drains.
If the pan is too small, and the capacity, on the contrary, is large, then there is a way out of this situation. Just fill a saucepan with water and put it on fire. And just install the jar in the hole with the neck down, like a big lid.
After boiling water, keep in this position for 10-15 minutes, then take it out and put it on a towel.
Sterilization with boiling water
This method is good when you need to process one or two cans. I don’t want to waste time and sterilize them in an oven or other technique, and I also don’t want to heat water in a saucepan or double boiler.
I often use this option, and it is 100% reliable.
Let me tell you how it is used.
- Rinse the container thoroughly in soda solution, or when using dishwashing detergent.
- Rinse well in plenty of running water.
- Place a tablespoon in the jar, and slowly, pouring it into the spoon, fill the container by about a quarter, or maybe a little less. Pour directly in a thin stream, glass does not like sudden changes in temperature.
The spoon must be sterile! To do this, first it should be doused with boiling water.
- There is another way in which a knife blade should be slipped under the bottom of the container. In this case, do not lower the spoon inward. But pour boiling water should also be a very thin stream.
- For the best effect, you can cover it with a boiled lid and leave it to be processed for 10 minutes.
- Then dousing hot water the walls of the container, simply chatting it from side to side, drain the boiling water, and put the container upside down on a clean towel. Let the water drain and dry.
At this method there is one downside. In the absence of experience, and not following the rules, the glass may burst. This can happen only in one case - if you pour a lot of boiling water at once. It does not have time to adapt and bursts at the place of the line of poured boiling water.
Although it may burst for another reason - if you did not notice a small crack or chip on the walls. But in this case, the container is not a pity. It would be worse if they didn’t see and twist the workpiece into it.
Method for processing glass containers in a home dishwasher
Currently, in many homes there is such a wonderful assistant as a dishwasher. And it can also be used to solve our task.
Of course, in it, when washing, an approximate temperature of only 70 degrees is reached, instead of 100, when we process the container for a couple, or in boiling water. But it has already been tested by many, and it is known for sure that the method is working and you can safely use it.
Everything is done very simply.
Clean, washed containers are loaded into the machine, preferably with the neck down. Then the desired mode is set, in which the temperature value must be at least 60 degrees and the machine turns on as usual.
At the same time, you do not need to load any detergents. If you remember, when washing cans, we used the product.
At the end of the cycle, take out the container and put it on a clean towel, again with the neck down. Leave in this position until the processed products are put into it.
How to process containers in a double boiler
In fact, this method is not much different from the one already described, where we steamed the container into a saucepan, placing it on a wire rack.
Here the principle is the same, only the mechanism is somewhat different. Pour water into the bottom pot of the steamer. Put the containers on the grate provided in the kit and after boiling, warm the container for 15 minutes.
Then put on a clean towel and allow drops of water to drain and dry.
How to warm up jars in a slow cooker
Since we have another wonderful assistant, we can use it for the task at hand. Now I will tell you how to do it.
- As always, let's start with washing the container. This is a priority stage and we do not skip it in any of the ways.
- After that, we need to thoroughly wash the multicooker bowl in the same way. As a rule, extraneous odors from the food being prepared there can remain in it. And it is desirable to get rid of them so that the container does not take these odors into itself during processing.
- Wash the grate that is included in the kit. It is designed for steam cooking.
- Then pour 3 cups of water into the multicooker bowl, and install the grate.
- Set the containers upside down as much as will fit. In this case, we are not trying to close the lid, it is clear that it will not be possible to do this.
- Install the "Steam Cooking" program. If there is no such program, then you can first turn on the "Soup" or "Baking" mode. And after the water boils, switch the program to the “Extinguishing” mode.
- After boiling water, steam the half-liter containers with steam for about 7-10 minutes, liter - 15 minutes.
- Remove the containers and place them upside down on a clean towel.
Here is a simple and fairly simple way.
A simple way to process glass containers with potassium permanganate
I must say right away that I do not use this method, although it has a place to be. It is very simple, and does not even need any separate description. But we will still give him a few words.
Rinse the container thoroughly as always.
Dilute manganese in hot or warm water. Pour into a clean container and chat the liquid there for a few seconds to pour it over all the walls and, most importantly, the neck.
Then drain the pink liquid, and put the container on a clean rag so that excess drops of water drain.
One portion can process several glass containers.
How to sterilize blanks with preservation for twisting for the winter
It is also very important point during the canning process. Perhaps, almost the most important, so let's dwell on it in more detail.
There are two main methods of heat treatment - these are sterilization And pasteurization.
They differ from each other mainly in the temperature of the water in which the containers with conservation are located.
When pasteurized, they should be in hot, but not boiling water. As a rule, the most suitable temperature for this is 70 - 80 degrees. In order to know what the temperature of the water is in the pan, there are special thermometers with a scale of up to 150 degrees.
This method is used for harvesting vegetables, berries and fruits with sourness (all berries, apples, cherries, apricots, sorrel ...). At this temperature, the acid is not destroyed by heating, and the products practically do not change their taste.
Sterilization of preservation at home is carried out at a temperature of 100 degrees, that is, at a boil.
For some products, the boiling point is needed more than 100 degrees. For example, such heating is needed for harvesting green peas for the winter.
To raise the temperature, there is such a simple way - you just need to add table salt to the water. At the same time, from its added amount, you can achieve the desired water temperature. And here is a plate for this, where the first value is the boiling point, and the second is the amount of salt per 1 liter of water in grams.
- 101 - 66
- 102 - 126
- 103 - 172
- 104 - 215
- 105 - 255
Now let's look at the general principles of the whole process.
1. Cooked fruits, vegetables, salads, blanks, etc., should be placed in glass containers very tightly so that there are no air pockets or air bubbles.
2. To do this, press the preservation firmly with a spoon. If, nevertheless, the bubbles remain, then try to release them with a knife or spoon, gently lowering the tip along the edge of the jar.
3. When pouring brine, marinade, or syrup, always pour it in such a way that when you close the lid, it pours over the top of the filled container. This helps to ensure that there is no oxygen left in the glassware.
Oxygen promotes the growth of bacteria and microorganisms, so it should not be allowed to remain in canned food.
4. To prevent the glass from bursting when laying a hot product, or when pouring it with syrup or brine, put hot product should be little by little, and pour the liquid in a small stream.
5. Immediately after laying and pouring the necessary components into the container, or salads, put them in a saucepan for heat treatment. According to the rules, this time should not exceed 30 seconds.
6. Take a large and deep saucepan so that you can put several containers in it at once.
7. Place filled cans not in boiling, but in hot water. The water temperature can be from 30 to 60 degrees.
Containers must be covered with lids, which must not be opened during the entire period of heat treatment.
8. Be sure to line the bottom with a rag, or gauze folded in several layers. In this case, the fabric gasket will not allow the glass to come into contact with the bottom of the pan, where the fire heats up very quickly.
Also, a wooden grate or a special stand can be used for these purposes.
9. After you put the filled container in the pan, add enough water to it so that it reaches the shoulders of the container. In this case, only 1.5 - 2 cm remains to the neck.
10. When the water boils, the fire should be lowered and adjusted in such a way that it does not boil, and thus does not flood inward. Here it is necessary to regulate the boiling point, as described above.
11. Warm-up time may vary depending on different indicators. But in any case, it should be counted from the moment of boiling.
The duration of the process depends on:
- product acidity
- state of the final product - thick or liquid
Liquid products can be sterilized in just 10-15 minutes. Thick - from 20 minutes to 2 hours.
If the products contain acid, or it is added in the form of vinegar or essence, then the boiling time is reduced, but if the product does not contain acid, then the time is increased.
For each product, the duration is different, and as a rule, it is indicated in the recipe.
12. Also, the heat treatment time depends on the volume of the container. Naturally, the larger it is, the more time is required. Usually, when writing recipes, this point is also not left without attention.
13. At the end of the process, the cans are removed one by one using special tongs, placed on a cloth and tightly twisted.
You need to take them out very carefully and carefully. Be careful not to open the lid. If this happens, then brine or marinade should be added to them under the very neck, and sterilized again. The time can be reduced to about 10 - 15 minutes.
14. Then it should be installed on a towel with the neck down, while they should not touch each other.
Sometimes they should be covered with something warm, this should be done when it is necessary to extend the thermal effect. And sometimes you need to quickly cool the preservation. In this case, we no longer cover the container with anything warm.
These moments are always prescribed in recipes, well, or must be prescribed without fail.
Selection and preparation of cans for preservation and twisting for the winter
We will not miss such an important point as the choice and preparation of containers.
1. For the preparation of conservation at home, it is best to use containers of not very large volume, especially when it comes to salads, snacks and caviar.
As a rule, containers from 0.5 to 1.5 liters are taken for this.
In large containers, you can preserve, and. And then, it happens when you pickle cucumbers in a 3-liter jar, when you open it, it is difficult to cope with such a volume quickly. Therefore, for example, I preserve in one of them not only cucumbers, but different vegetables.
But often such preservation does not require sterilization.
But if you can preserve, for example, a salad in a glassware of large volume, then just huge minuses begin here.
- large containers are unevenly heated during heat treatment. The bottom will warm up well, but the top will not. As a result, the workpiece may be damaged.
- very long heat treatment.
- with an increase in this indicator appearance and taste will suffer. In addition, many will be lost. useful properties product.
2. It is very convenient to use glass bottles for harvesting juices. They are also convenient to preserve liquid tomato sauces, ketchups.
3. Of no small importance is the choice of caps. The most reliable in this regard are metal lids coated inside with a special food varnish.
It is with them that it is better to close all salads, vegetable snacks, vegetables, mushrooms and various compotes.
4. Screw caps for glass jars are best used for preparing various jams, jams or marmalades.
5. Polyethylene caps are considered extremely unreliable. Maximum term storage with their use, and even then, only for some vegetables, for example, cucumbers, is no more than six months.
At the same time, such blanks can be stored only in a cold place - either in the refrigerator or in the basement.
6. Lids for glass bottles are better to have with rubber gaskets. When the juice has cooled, the lid will tightly press against the neck, which will contribute to the creation of a complete tightness of the vessel.
How to wash and process all containers and lids is described in the appropriate section above.
Here, perhaps, is the whole science about how to sterilize jars and lids.
Of course, all this is very important, because so much information is written not for the sake of idle curiosity. The safety of any workpiece depends on this preparatory moment.
In order to prepare this or that salad, sometimes it takes a whole day - you need to wash and peel the vegetables, cut them properly, cook them, stew them so that it tastes delicious ... And you also need to grow the crop, who grows it yourself, well, or go to the market to buy - also spend time.
And now imagine that after such work and time spent, your preservation will swell after two to three weeks from the moment of preparation. And even worse, it will simply explode to the very ceiling, staining all the wallpaper.
And do you know why? The answer is as simple as two and two - we could not, or were too lazy to comply with all the necessary rules. As a result, they could not create or maintain sterility. As a result, fermentation processes began inside the conservation, and such a deplorable result was obtained.
Therefore, before you start doing any blanks, be sure to read this article. At first, you may not remember everything at once, and you will have to return to the description several times. Then, with the acquisition of experience, everything will be done automatically.
In general, the process of conservation is very exciting and useful. When a person makes a lot of different preparations for the winter, his family eats varied, tasty and more complete.
Even when you don’t have time to cook something serious for dinner, you can simply boil potatoes, or any pasta, open a jar or two with salads, and delicious food will be on the table in 30 minutes.
Well, simply, all this is very tasty!
So, friends, cook and eat to your health!
If you have any other interesting and, most importantly, tried and tested methods for storing blanks, or tips for storing them, write in the comments. Let people read and learn. And may everyone always cook delicious and healthy food!
All the best!
Canning requires obligatory observance not only of the rules for salting and pickling products, but also the heat treatment of containers for them. Glass jars with lids must be clean and undergo special processing - sterilization.
There are several ways to sterilize jars at home, from the simplest - by steaming over a saucepan, to the most sophisticated - in an air grill. Let's look at them in more detail, highlight all the pros and cons so that you can choose the method that is ideal for you. Strictly follow all the recommendations, and your preservation will be perfectly stored all year long! And of course, do not forget about safety rules when working with hot cans and steam.
- Take suitable cans for preservation without chips, cracks or crevices.
- Wash utensils thoroughly before sterilizing. Use regular dishwashing detergent or baking soda, then rinse the jars thoroughly under running water. Pay special attention to the neck, where dirt and rust often accumulate.
- Disposable lids. If you are using modern screw caps that are reusable, make sure that the inner paint layer is intact - it should not be chipped, scratched or rusted.
- Remember: during sterilization, sudden temperature changes are not allowed! Cold jars should not be immersed in hot water and vice versa! To prevent the container from bursting, it must be heated gradually.
Sterilization by boiling
Boiling cans in a pot is one of the most simple ways heat treatment of containers. The glass container is completely immersed in water and kept in it for 15 minutes from the moment of boiling.
For sterilization, take a large pot (or an enameled bucket) into which you can completely immerse the jar. Lay a wooden plank or piece of cotton fabric on the bottom. Place clean jars upside down on top. Move them between each other with a clean cloth or gauze so that they do not touch each other and do not rattle when boiled. If the jars do not fit upright in the pan, place them on their side. Pour cold water so that the water completely covers the entire surface. Boil for 15 minutes.
ATTENTION! Be extremely careful when removing jars from boiling water!
Pros:
No special tools are needed, it is enough to stock up on a capacious pan;
The lids can be boiled together with the jars in the same pot.
Minuses:
With prolonged boiling of water, the surrounding space is quickly moistened and warmed up;
To sterilize a large number of jars, you need to reheat the water each time;
It is difficult to remove jars from boiling water;
Salt deposits may form inside the jars due to hard water.
Steam sterilization over a saucepan
Steaming cans is one of the most popular and "ancient" sterilization methods. The principle of operation is reduced to the processing of cans with steam, which fills them, rising above the pan with a strong boil.
For sterilization, fill the pan with water and install a grate from the oven, a metal flat sieve or a limiter - a special metal plate that prevents the cans from contacting with water. Install in the restrictor hole glass jar neck down. Wait for the water to boil and sterilize the 0.5 l container - 10 minutes, big banks- 15-20 minutes. The steam from the boiling water will condense and run down the sides back into the pot.
ATTENTION! Be careful when removing the lids from the water bath! The steam is very hot, you can burn yourself!
Pros:
100% removal of all microbes;
You can also steam sterilize jars and lids.
Minuses:
Strong heating of the environment;
The need for a metal limiter;
Relatively long sterilization time.
Sterilization in the microwave
In the microwave, sterilization is very fast - 2 minutes for jars with a capacity of 0.5 liters, and 3 minutes for containers with a volume of 1 liter. Under the influence of microwaves, the jars warm up well, and all bacteria on their surface are destroyed.
To do this, pour water into the bottom of each jar - about 1-1.5 centimeters. Place them upright on the turntable. Three-liter jars do not fit in ordinary home microwaves, but you can cheat. Pour in the water and place it in the microwave, laying it on its side. There is not enough water in it, so it will not spill. Set the middle frequencies of the microwave, power 700-800 watts. Set a timer and turn on the microwave for 2-3 minutes. During this time, the water in the jars will boil and sterilize them, dousing them with steam.
ATTENTION! Do not put empty cans in the microwave without water! Do not cover them with metal lids, otherwise the microwave will fail!
Pros:
Sterilization is carried out quickly;
The air in the room does not heat up;
You can process several small cans at once.
Minuses:
Cans of large volume are difficult to fit;
Do not sterilize metal lids.
Sterilization in the oven
The method is convenient when you need to prepare a large amount of containers for conservation. With strong heating to a temperature of 150-160 degrees, all bacteria are destroyed. The method is simple, but quite dangerous: if the jars are overheated, they can burst.
For sterilization, place the washed wet (!) Jars upside down on the wire rack. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and keep the container in it until all the drops of water on the walls are dry. On average, this can take 15-20 minutes.
ATTENTION! Do not allow strong overheating, otherwise the glass may burst! Remove the jars from the oven, after cooling them a little to 80-90 degrees.
Pros:
Fast and easy process;
No special tools required.
Minuses:
It is necessary to carefully monitor that the banks do not overheat and burst;
Oven lids cannot be sterilized.
State-of-the-art sterilization methods
A few decades ago, steam treatment was the main method of sterilization. At the same time, small jars were put directly on the spout of a kettle with boiling water and kept for 10-15 minutes. A large container was installed on the kettle instead of a lid. In modern kitchens, electric kettles are often used that are unsuitable for these purposes. But new kitchen helpers have appeared that make life easier for housewives, which have significantly expanded the possibilities for disinfecting cans.
Sterilization in a steamer- jars together with lids are placed in a double boiler neck down and kept in the cooking mode for 15 minutes.
In the dishwasher- a clean container is loaded into the device without powder and set the mode with the highest temperature, but not lower than 60 ° C. Lids are not sterilized by this method.
In a slow cooker- jars are placed on a stand for steaming dishes and processed for 15 minutes in the "Steam" mode.
In air grill- a little water is poured into the container, covered with lids and placed on the lower grill of the convection oven. Processed at a temperature of 120-140 degrees at high speed for 15 minutes.
How to sterilize lids
Lids are always sterilized immediately before rolling. Before processing, check the integrity of the cover, make sure that there is no rust and that there are rubber bands.
The most convenient way is boiling in water. To do this, boil water and lower the tin lids into it for 5 minutes. If you boil longer, there is a risk of "digesting" the gum. Remove the lids from the water with clean tongs or boiled table forks. In the same way, twist lids can be processed.
Not only the taste of the dishes, but also their safety depends on how correctly the procedure for rolling up products for the winter is carried out at home. That is why young housewives need to know how to sterilize jars in the microwave, oven, or using improvised means. We must not forget about the covers, otherwise mold will quickly form under them. The organization of the conditions necessary for the sterilization of dishes must be taken care of before the time comes to deal with blanks. Otherwise, tomatoes, jam or cucumbers will wait in the wings, forcing you to hurry with the processing process. And in a hurry, it is better not to deal with such serious matters.
Sterilization of empty jars
Before sterilizing jars at home, it is necessary to carry out their preparatory processing. For this product, you need to thoroughly wash it with water with the addition of a small amount of soda. It is better to refuse standard detergents and disinfectants, they are able to settle on the walls and enter the body with food. Soda is easily washed off and does not harm even children. This stage is mandatory, even if the containers for preparations for the winter were specially purchased at the store and wrapped in a protective film, and it is planned to use the most effective methods for their sterilization.
- Steam processing. A suitable mesh is installed on the pot of water (you can take a protective screen for deep-frying). We put the structure on the stove, immediately install one or more cans upside down. We make sure that nothing will prevent the steam from penetrating inside the container. We turn on the stove, wait until the water boils and starts to give steam. First, wait for the formation of steam, and then expose the jars is not entirely correct, so you can get burned. How long it takes to sterilize depends on the size of the jar. It will take at least 25 minutes for a container of 3 liters, 20 minutes is enough for 2 liters, and a quarter of an hour is enough for 1 liter.
- Microwave use. Before sterilizing jars in the microwave, you need to remember once and for all that lids cannot be processed in this way. In the best case, the cans with blanks will quickly open, in the worst case, the household appliance will become unusable even during operation. The manipulation itself resembles the usual processing of containers with steam. To carry it out, you need to pour 2-3 cm of water into the container to be sterilized. We put the product or lay it on its side. We start the device, the timer of which is set for 5 minutes.
Tip: There is another steam sterilization method that can be used when you need to urgently sterilize a small number of jars to fill with blanks. The container is not installed on a massive pan, but on a kettle without a lid. The main thing is to reduce the intensity of heating in time so that all the water does not boil away.
- Boiling in a saucepan. We put several cans in a large saucepan, fill them with water. Next, pour the liquid also into the container itself (it’s good if the jars stand in water up to their necks). We put the whole structure on the fire and bring the liquid to a boil. The exposure time is the same as with standard steam treatment.
- Oven processing. Inexperienced housewives should first of all learn the method of how to sterilize jars in the oven. It is simple and affordable, like other methods, but it is possible to process not only significant volumes of containers, but also metal lids. Slightly damp after washing, put the products on the grate upside down in a still cold or slightly warm oven. We close the door of the device, heat the chamber to 150ºС and hold the same amount as with other approaches related to steam treatment.
- Sterilization with vinegar. The method of sterilizing 0.5 liters of dishes with vinegar has a clear advantage - the treatment is not thermal, but chemical, so there is no need to boil anything. Just fill the jar up to the shoulders with water, add 6 tablespoons of 70% vinegar, cover the container with a plastic lid. We shake it for 10 seconds, after which we pour the water with vinegar into new jar and we carry out the same manipulation. We put the processed containers upside down on a towel, after which you can put jam, cucumbers, salads and any other dishes in them. We use just one portion of the vinegar solution in water for all cans.
Today, hardware stores sell a lot of devices that can significantly simplify the sterilization process at home, conduct it correctly, quickly and safely. These can be nozzles, heat-resistant glass containers, tongs, initially sterile lids.
How to sterilize jars with blanks?
If you need to process tomatoes or cucumbers already rolled up for the winter, as some recipes require, you can use at least two approaches:
- How to sterilize jars in the oven if they are already filled with blanks and marinade. Ready banks put on a wire rack or baking sheet, put metal lids on top (nothing needs to be twisted). We close the door, bring the temperature in the chamber to 120ºС. In this case, twists for the winter should be kept as long as indicated in the recipe. If there are no specific numbers, we adhere to the standard indicators for the oven.
- Processing in boiling water. We line the pan with a thin towel, fill it with jars with blanks, fill it with water. The temperature of the liquids outside and inside the jars must be the same, otherwise the glass may burst. We bring the water level to the "shoulders" of the cans. We lay out the lids on top, but do not fasten. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil and only after that we note the time indicated in the recipe. As a last resort, we adhere to standard recommendations.
It is worth considering that cucumbers, tomatoes, various salads need additional sterilization. Dishes such as jam do not need such processing. They are simply laid out in sterile jars and rolled up.
Cap sterilization features
If metal lids can be sterilized simultaneously with jars when using the oven (from 15 to 30 minutes at a temperature of 150 ° C), then plastic ones will in any case have to be processed separately.
Most often, they are simply laid out in a pot of water, the liquid is brought to a boil and then they are detected for at least 10 minutes. If the products are underexposed, then the cans with blanks for the winter will swell or open. There is another important point - it is better to get accessories out of boiling water with special sterile tongs or tweezers. So items do not burn your hands and do not get dirty before use.
Some hostesses prefer physical methods sterilization, others - physical. Practice shows that all of them are equally effective if the manipulations are carried out correctly.