The surest way to preserve vegetables, berries and fruits for a long time is to preserve them. But for this process to go smoothly and without overlays, you need to place the prepared ingredients in absolutely clean jars. Indeed, 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 cans at home is an essential condition for the preservation of appetizing butter, crispy boletus, juicy tomatoes and other delicacies cooked with love.
The acidic environment we create for salting is optimal for the reproduction of harmful microorganisms.
During sterilization, the water is heated over 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 clouding of the brine.
Stage 1: preparation of cans for sterilization
The following simple steps will help you avoid incidents while preserving food:
- Be sure to inspect the cans for chips and cracks. Even through a small chip in the area of \u200b\u200bthe neck, air will enter the jar, which will lead to damage to the product, swelling of the lid, and possibly its breaking.
A damaged jar may burst if exposed to boiling water. - Thoroughly wash the detergent jars and dry them afterwards. It is not recommended to sterilize wet jars.
Stage 2: sterilization of cans
Since progress does not stand still, the list of sterilization methods is constantly growing. Let's consider 8 of the most simple and interesting methods.
Over the ferry
This is the oldest method that has come down to us from grandmothers. However, it remains the most efficient and reliable.
Steam cans can be sterilized in different ways:
- Using a simple teapot. Put the prepared jar on the spout of the teapot, and while it boils, sterilize it. It will take 10 minutes to disinfect a liter can, and 15 minutes for a three-liter can.
- Using a saucepan and sieve. Pour a pot of water over the floor and bring it to a boil. A metal sieve is placed on top of the pan, and cans are placed on top with the neck down.
It is possible that some people still have special caps with one or more slots for the neck. It is more convenient to install cans on them, and hot air does not go into the environment.
Pros: quality, availability.
Disadvantages: it is inconvenient to remove cans from a kettle or a sieve, the risk - you can get burned.
In water
Boiling is the most common method for sterilizing containers.
At the bottom of a spacious, deep saucepan, place a wooden plank, a towel or folded gauze, set the glass containers upside down, pour 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 cans at the same time as will fit in the selected pan, you can boil the lids along with the container.
Disadvantages: it is inconvenient to remove hot cans, hard water can provoke the formation of salt sediment on the walls of the container.
In the oven
This is a type of steam sterilization. Jars are freely placed on a baking sheet and heated in the oven for 15 minutes. They must be wet!
The temperature during warming up should not go beyond the 200 ° C mark. 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: the temperature in the oven is higher than that of boiling water, spaciousness.
Minuses: the oven heats up for a long time, but this can only interfere with the mass preparation of canned food.
In the microwave
The fastest and easiest way to sterilize containers. But remember that the microwave heats food or liquid, so add a little water to each jar so that it rises about 2 cm above the bottom.
Important! Do not heat a container without water and metal objects in the microwave - lids!
In a microwave oven with 800 watts, the container will become crystal clear in just 5 minutes.
Advice! Three-liter jars won't fit in standard home microwave ovens, try placing them on their side.
Advantages: simple, very fast and "conscientiously".
Disadvantages: lids need to be sterilized separately, limited capacity.
In a double boiler
The steamer is an extremely useful device in everyday life. And even in such a matter as disinfecting cans, she is able to help out her mistress.
All that is required is to place the container in a double boiler with the neck down. You can do it right with the lids, but not on the cans, they must be open!
For liter cans, it will take 15 minutes for the steamer to operate in the "cooking" mode.
Pros: speed, ease.
Minuses: it is inconvenient to handle a large number of containers, only for small cans.
In a multicooker
Another innovative method! Banks are placed on a steaming stand upside down and heated for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size, in the "steam" mode.
Advantages: simplicity, speed of heating the steamer, quality.
Minuses: Only one container can be disinfected at a time.
In the airfryer
An airfryer can also serve you when preserving food. Banks for sterilization are installed on the lower grate, a little water is poured into them and heated for 15 minutes at a temperature of 150 ° C.
Pros: speed, no need for control.
Disadvantages: a small number of containers processed at the same time.
Dishwasher safe
This method is convenient because the dishes can be loaded with pre-wash bases. The jars are simply placed in the dishwasher, the temperature switch is turned to the maximum mark, more than 60 ° C, and the "glass" is washed without any cleaning agents.
The lids can be placed there too.
Pros: no need to be distracted, and free time can be devoted to blanks.
Minuses: very low temperature, which means that some of the microbes can survive. Better to use regular steam.
Stage 3: sterilizing the caps
Like cans, lids are checked for cracks, damage and rust. Typically, threaded caps require replacement annually.
The most convenient way to disinfect the lids is to put them in boiling water and heat them up. You can pre-boil the floor of a saucepan of water exclusively for this operation.
If you are sterilizing jars in the oven, place them there along with the lids. But you cannot put metal objects in the microwave.
Stage 4: re-pasteurization
Even the highest quality sterilization of cans will not satisfy every housewife. Some need additional safety net and therefore re-sterilize the cans along with the blanks. In canning, this process is called pasteurization.
For pasteurization, you will need a capacious saucepan, 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 cans are removed one by one from the water and immediately rolled up. It is best to store them upside down until they cool.
(preferably with baking soda or soapy water, avoiding "inedible" dish detergents). Place the jars in a cold or warm oven. If the cans 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 taken out and laid out in them for preservation. If you have sterilized oversized jars, place them upside down on a clean towel (as bacteria tend to "fall" in them).
One of the main advantages of the oven is its size. In one fell swoop, you can process a dozen half-liter cans or disinfect three-liter ones.
Filled cans are also sterilized in the oven. Place them in the oven without lids. Preheat oven to 100 degrees. The minimum sterilization time after reaching the desired temperature is 10 minutes (for 0.5 l cans), 15 minutes - (for 1 l). After that, carefully remove the jars and immediately roll them up with sterilized lids. Place the jars upside down until they cool.
Convection oven
If you do not have an oven in your country house, but you have an airfryer, prepare cans for preservation with it. The basic principle of operation of the airfryer is heating with hot air, which is quite applicable both for empty cans and for filled ones.
To sterilize empty jars, place them on the bottom rack. Jars from 0.5 to 1 liter fit easily into a container, from three to five pieces. It takes about 15 minutes to sterilize the jars at a temperature of 150 degrees ("sterilization mode"). You can put both dry cans 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 cans can be removed and rolled into them as usual.
Another option for sterilizing cans is with food. Put vegetables, salads, fruits in washed jars. Fill them with syrup, brine, oil so that the products are completely covered. Place the jars in the airfryer and cover. Jars are sterilized at a temperature of 150 degrees if there are rubber bands in the lids.
Sterilization can be carried out at higher temperatures, but in this case the gum from the lids 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 of cans is calculated based on the recipe. Due to the fact that the pressure in the airfryer 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 boiling jam for 40 minutes, 25 minutes in the grill is enough. The higher the processing temperature, the less time it takes for this processing. Hot air flow rate is high.
Microwave
There is still controversy over the possibility of sterilizing empty jars in the microwave. The fact is that empty containers cannot be placed in a microwave oven. On the other hand, if you need to reheat a small amount of food, an additional container of water is placed in the microwave. The same goes for empty cans.
If clean but wet jars work for you, put about 50 ml of water in them and microwave them. If you need dry jars, you can put a glass cup of water 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.
It is easier to sterilize filled cans in a microwave oven. Fill jars without lids with vegetables or fruits and fill with marinade or syrup. Place the cans 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 pour 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 on a towel upside down, turn the jars over and put them in storage after they have cooled completely.
In the summer season, we all try to fill ourselves with delicious fruits, berries and vegetables. And therefore, we not only buy these fresh vitamins in the store and in 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 next 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 the container with the contents can "explode", splashing out all the conservation 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 not following the rules for heat treatment of products. And as a result, the workpiece, in which we have invested so much labor, ends up in the trash can.
Therefore, it is very important to follow the rules for heat treatment of both the product itself and the containers for it. This is an important process that cannot be ignored as it can be simply hazardous to health. Due to non-compliance with basic safety rules, you can even get into a hospital bed with severe poisoning.
And our today's article will be about how to sterilize containers for conservation and preparation for the winter.
- Before starting the processing process itself, carefully inspect the container. There should be no chips or cracks on it. You should also check the neck carefully. It may also have small chips that you might not notice right away. Such containers should be set aside. They are not suitable for use in this case.
- Before starting processing, all containers should be thoroughly washed with soda, or dishwashing detergent. You can also wash it in the dishwasher. At the same time, the detergent used is what you always use.
- Particular attention should be paid to the neck of the container. Rusty streaks and the most severe contamination are often visible on it. This should be washed.
- After washing containers with products, be sure to rinse them in a large volume of running water to wash off all abrasives and chemical compounds remaining on the walls.
- If you use plastic lids, then they also need to be rinsed in a soda solution, then doused with boiling water, or it is better to warm up for 10 minutes in water at a temperature of 80 - 85 degrees.
- Metal screw and screw caps together with rubber bands should be boiled in water for at least 10 minutes.
- Tin caps for machine-tightening are disposable, while screw caps can be used several times.
- Before using reusable caps, check that they are intact. 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 over and place them on a towel to drain the water.
- The cloth or towel on which we put the container should be clean, preferably ironed on both sides.
- It is advisable to sterilize the cans no earlier than two hours before the start of the conservation.
- Before placing food in the container, try not to touch the neck, so as not to bring back the microbes, which were so carefully disposed of.
How and how many minutes to sterilize jars in the microwave
This is a very simple and perhaps the fastest cooking method. For its implementation, 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 on. If you put more than one container, then this will take 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 into the oven, in this case you need 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 out. Turn the containers over and put them on the neck on a towel so that the water can drain.
Sometimes they ask the question: "Is it possible to put containers in the microwave without water?" You can't! Glassware without water will heat up and burst!
Lids cannot be placed in the microwave either. They are made of materials that must not be heated in a microwave oven.
Sterilization of cans in an electric oven at a temperature of 120 to 150 degrees
This method is good in that you can sterilize many cans at once. If there are a lot of blanks, then I always use this method. And together with them, the covers are laid out there, which is also quite convenient, and again saves time.
You can't just put gum from the lids in the oven. They are deformed by exposure to high temperatures, and will no longer be able to perform their basic functions.
How to do? Rinse the container thoroughly and place it with the neck up on a baking sheet. If the container is large in volume, then it can be laid on its side.
Place 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 heat 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 cans are warmed up, do not rush to take them out immediately. The oven can be turned off, and the container can be allowed to stand so that the cooling process is not so quick. Otherwise, the glass may simply burst.
Reach with an oven mitt, otherwise you can burn yourself.
Glass does not like sudden temperature changes.
Method and time of sterilization of regular and 3-liter steamed containers
This method is probably the oldest and most used one. When there were no microwaves, steamers, or other equipment, 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 rinsed with baking 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 a 3-liter jar. It will take 15 minutes to steam it.
Steam treatment of glass jars with a kettle
There is also such an old way of heating with steam. Few people use it now, but the method has not ceased to exist. If you don't have a saucepan, and even less a grate, or a colander, you can boil the water in a kettle, or on it.
The container should be put on its spout with the neck, bring the water to a boil.
After 10 minutes of time, it will warm up and everything will be no worse than usual.
Alternatively, 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 cannot put it on the nose.
The processing time is 10-15 minutes. Just as it was heated in a saucepan.
How to sterilize a container in a saucepan in boiling water
But what if there is only a saucepan, and there are no special devices for installing them at the top?
You can cope without everything. To do this, pour warm water into an ordinary enamel saucepan and put the jars in it with the neck down. Bring water to a boil, and keep the container in it for 10 - 15 minutes.
Then carefully. so as not to burn yourself, take them out of the pan with a towel and place them on another cloth with the neck down so that the water can drain.
If the pan is too small, but the container, on the contrary, is large, then there is a way out of this situation. Just put water in a saucepan and put it on fire. And just install the jar into the hole with the neck down, like a large 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 also don’t want to heat water in a saucepan or double boiler.
I use this option a lot and it is 100% reliable.
I'll tell you how it is used.
- Rinse the container thoroughly in a soda solution, or when using dishwashing detergent.
- Rinse thoroughly with plenty of running water.
- Place a tablespoon in a jar, and slowly, pouring it into a spoon, fill the container by about a quarter, or 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 also a method in which a knife blade should be slipped under the bottom of the container. In this case, you do not need to lower the spoon inward. But boiling water should also be poured in a very thin stream.
- For the best effect, you can cover it with a boiled lid and leave to process for 10 minutes.
- Then, pouring hot water over the walls of the container, simply chatting it from side to side, drain the boiling water, and put the container with its neck down on a clean towel. Allow water to drain and dry.
This method has one drawback. In the absence of experience, and not following the rules, the glass can break. 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 along the line of the poured boiling water.
Although it can also burst for another reason - if you did not notice a small crack on the walls, or a chip. But in this case, the container is not a pity. It would be worse if they had not seen and twisted the blank into it.
How to handle 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 problem.
Of course, when washing, an approximate temperature of only 70 degrees is reached in it, instead of 100 when we process containers with steam, 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, at which the temperature value must be at least 60 degrees and the machine turns on as usual.
In this case, you do not need to load any detergents. If you remember, when washing the 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 processed foods are placed in 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 in a saucepan, placing it on the wire rack.
Here the principle is the same, only the mechanism is slightly different. Pour water into the lower pot of the steamer. Place the containers on the grate provided in the kit and after boiling, heat the container for 15 minutes.
Then put on a clean towel and let the drops of water drain off and dry.
How to warm jars in a multicooker
Since we have one more wonderful assistant, we can use it for the task at hand. Now I'll tell you how to do it.
- As always, let's start by washing the containers. This is the first stage and we do not skip it in any way.
- After that, we need to thoroughly wash the multicooker bowl in the same way. As a rule, it may retain odors from food being cooked there. And it is advisable to get rid of them so that the container does not take these odors into itself during processing.
- Wash the enclosed grill. It is intended for steam cooking.
- Then pour 3 cups of water into the multicooker bowl and install the wire rack.
- Place containers with the neck down as much as will fit. In this case, we do not try to close the lid, it is clear that this will not be possible.
- 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, treat half liter containers with steam for about 7 - 10 minutes, liter containers - 15 minutes.
- Remove containers and place them upside down on a clean towel.
Here's a simple and pretty 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 does take place. It is very simple, and does not even need any separate description. But we will give him a few words.
Rinse the container thoroughly as always.
Dissolve the manganese in hot or warm water. Pour into a clean container and chat the liquid there for a few seconds in order to pour it over all the walls and, most importantly, the neck.
Then drain the pink liquid, and put the container on a clean cloth so that extra drops of water flow down.
Several glass containers can be processed in one batch.
How to sterilize workpieces preserved for twisting for the winter
This is also a very important point in 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 preserved containers are located.
During pasteurization, 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 is the temperature of the water 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 food practically does not change its taste.
Sterilization of preservation at home is carried out at a temperature of 100 degrees, that is, during boiling.
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.
There is such a simple way to raise the temperature - you just need to add table salt to the water. In this case, 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, preparations, etc., should be placed in glass containers very tightly so that no air pockets or air bubbles remain.
2. To do this, press the preservation firmly with a spoon. If, nevertheless, bubbles remain, then try to release them with a knife or spoon, carefully lowering the tip along the edge of the can.
3. When pouring brine, marinade, or syrup, always pour it in such a way that when the lid is closed, it spills over the top of the filled container. This helps to ensure that no oxygen remains in the glassware.
Oxygen promotes the multiplication of bacteria and microorganisms, therefore it should not be allowed to remain in canned food.
4. To prevent the glass from bursting when placing a hot product, or when pouring it with syrup or brine, put the hot product little by little, and pour the liquid in a small stream.
5. Immediately after setting and pouring the necessary components or salads into the container, 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 pot so that you can put several containers in it at once.
7. Filled cans should be placed not in boiling water, but in hot water. The water temperature can be between 30 and 60 degrees.
The containers should be covered with lids, which should not be opened during the entire cooking period.
8. Be sure to line the bottom with a cloth or gauze folded in several layers. In this case, the fabric lining will not allow the glass to come into contact with the bottom of the pan, where the fire heats up very quickly.
Also for these purposes a wooden lattice or a special stand can be used.
9. After placing the filled container in the pan, add enough water to it until 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 so that it does not boil, and thus is not poured inside. This is where the boiling point must be regulated, as described above.
11. Warm-up time can be different, it depends on different indicators. But in any case, it should be counted from the moment of boiling.
The duration of the process depends on:
- acidity of the product
- the state of the final product - thick, or liquid
Liquid products can be sterilized in just 10 to 15 minutes. Thick - from 20 minutes to 2 hours.
If the food contains acid, or it is added in the form of vinegar or essence, then the boiling time decreases, if the product does not contain acid, then the time increases.
The duration is different for each product, 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 it takes. Usually, when writing recipes, this point is also not ignored.
13. At the end of the process, the cans are removed using special tongs one at a time, placed on a cloth and tightly twisted.
They must be taken out very carefully and carefully. Make sure that the cover does not open. If this happens, then brine or marinade should be added to 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 come into contact with each other.
Sometimes they should be covered with something warm, this should be done when it is necessary to prolong the heat exposure. And sometimes you need to quickly cool the conservation. In this case, we no longer cover the containers 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 rolling for the winter
We will not miss such an important point as the selection and preparation of containers.
1. For the preparation of preservation 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 can be preserved, 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, I, for example, preserve in one of them not only cucumbers, but different vegetables.
But often such conservation does not require sterilization.
But if, for example, a salad is preserved in glass containers of a large volume, then there are simply huge disadvantages.
- large containers are heated unevenly during heat treatment. The bottom will warm up well, but the top will not. As a result, the workpiece may deteriorate.
- very long heat treatment process.
- with an increase in this indicator, the appearance and taste will suffer. In addition, many useful properties of the product will be lost.
2. It is very convenient to use glass bottles for preparing juices. It is also convenient to preserve liquid tomato sauces and ketchups in them.
3. The choice of lids is also important. The most reliable in this regard are metal lids, coated inside with a special food grade varnish
It is with them that it is better to cover all salads, vegetable snacks, vegetables, mushrooms and various compotes.
4. Screw lids for glass jars are best used for making a variety of jams, jams or marmalades.
5. Polyethylene covers are considered to be extremely unreliable. The maximum shelf life 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 only be stored in a cold place - either in the refrigerator or in the basement.
6. Caps for glass bottles are best with rubber seals. When the juice cools down, the lid will firmly press against the neck, which will help to create a complete tightness of the vessel.
How to wash and handle all containers and lids is described in the appropriate section above.
That, perhaps, is the whole science about how to sterilize jars and lids.
Of course, all this is very important, because so much information has been written not for 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 have to wash and peel the vegetables, cut them properly, boil them, stew them so that it is tasty ... to the market to buy - the same time to spend.
Imagine now 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 up to the ceiling, staining all the wallpaper.
Do you know why? The answer is as simple as two or two - we could not, or were too lazy to comply with all the necessary rules. As a result, they were unable to 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 workpieces, 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, you will do everything automatically.
In general, the conservation process is very exciting and useful. When a person makes many different preparations for the winter, his family eats varied, tasty and more nutritious food.
Even when you don't have time to cook something serious for dinner, you can just boil potatoes, or any pasta, open a jar or two with salads, and delicious food will be on the table in 30 minutes.
Well, it's simple, it's all very tasty!
So, friends, cook and eat to your health!
If you have any other interesting and, most importantly, proven ways of preserving blanks, or tips for storing them, write in the comments. Let people read and learn. And let everyone always prepare tasty and healthy food!
All the best!
Canning requires mandatory compliance not only with the rules for salting and pickling products, but also heat treatment of containers for them. Glass jars with lids must be clean and undergo a special treatment - sterilization.
There are several ways how to sterilize jars at home, from the simplest one - steamed over a saucepan, to the most sophisticated - in an airfryer. Let's take a closer look at them, highlight all the pros and cons so that you can choose the method that is ideal for you. Strictly follow all recommendations, and your canned food will be perfectly stored all year round! And of course, do not forget about safety rules when working with hot cans and steam.
- Take suitable jars for preservation without chips, cracks or chipping.
- Wash the dishes thoroughly before sterilizing. Use a regular dish soap or baking soda, then rinse the jars thoroughly under running water. Pay special attention to the neck, where dirt and rust often accumulate.
- Disposable tin lids. If you are using modern screw caps that are reusable, make sure the inner paint layer is intact - it shouldn't be chipped, scratched or rusty.
- Remember: no sudden temperature changes are allowed during sterilization! Cold cans must not be immersed in hot water and vice versa! To prevent the container from bursting, it must be heated gradually.
Boil sterilization
Boiling cans in a saucepan is one of the easiest ways to heat a container. The glass container is completely immersed in water and kept in it for 15 minutes from the moment of boiling.
To sterilize, use a large pot (or enamel bucket) that you can completely immerse the jar in. Lay a piece of wood or a piece of cotton fabric at the bottom. Place clean cans on top with the neck up. Place them between each other with a clean cloth or gauze so that they do not touch each other and do not rattle when boiling. If the cans do not fit upright in the pot, place them on their side. Fill with cold water so that the water completely covers the entire surface. Simmer for 15 minutes.
ATTENTION! Be extremely careful when removing cans from boiling water!
Pros:
No special devices are needed, it is enough to stock up on a capacious pan;
The lids can be boiled along with the jars in the same saucepan.
Minuses:
With prolonged boiling of water, the surrounding space is quickly moistened and warmed up;
To sterilize a large number of cans, you need to reheat the water each time;
It is difficult to remove cans from boiling water;
Hard water can cause salt deposits to form inside the cans.
Steam sterilization over a pan
Steam cans are one of the most popular and ancient sterilization methods. The principle of operation is reduced to processing the cans with steam, which fills them, rising above the pan with a strong boil.
To sterilize, fill a pot with water and install a rack from the oven, a metal flat sieve, or a stopper - a special metal plate that prevents the cans from contacting water. Place a glass jar with the neck down into the hole in the stopper. Wait for the water to boil and sterilize 0.5 liter containers - 10 minutes, large jars - 15-20 minutes. Steam from the boiling water will condense and flow back down the sides into the pot.
ATTENTION! Be careful when removing the covers from the water bath! The steam is very hot, you can burn yourself!
Pros:
100% removal of all microbes;
Both cans and lids can be sterilized with steam.
Minuses:
Strong heating of the environment;
The need for a metal stop;
Relatively long sterilization time.
Microwave sterilization
In the microwave, sterilization is very fast - 2 minutes for 0.5 liter cans, and 3 minutes for 1 liter containers. Under the influence of microwaves, the jars warm up well, and all bacteria on their surface are destroyed.
To do this, pour water on the bottom of each jar - about 1-1.5 centimeters. Place them upright on the turntable. Three-liter jars don't fit in regular home microwaves, but you can cheat. Pour water and place in the microwave on its side. There is little water in it, so it will not spill. Set the midrange microwave frequencies, power 700-800 watts. Set a timer and turn on the microwave for 2-3 minutes. During this time, the water in the cans will boil and sterilize them by pouring steam over them.
ATTENTION! Do not put empty jars in the microwave without water! Do not cover them with metal lids, otherwise the microwave will fail!
Pros:
Sterilization is quick;
The air in the room does not heat up;
Several small cans can be processed at once.
Minuses:
Large cans are difficult to fit;
Do not sterilize metal lids.
Oven sterilization
The method is convenient when you need to prepare a large amount of containers for preservation. With strong heating to a temperature of 150-160 degrees, all bacteria are destroyed. The method is simple, but rather dangerous: if the cans are overheated, they can burst.
For sterilization, place the washed, moist (!) Jars on the wire rack upside down. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and soak the container in it until all drops of water on the walls are dry. On average, this can take 15-20 minutes.
ATTENTION! Do not overheat, otherwise the glass may break! Remove the jars from the oven, after cooling them down a little to 80-90 degrees.
Pros:
Fast and easy process;
No special tools required.
Minuses:
Care must be taken to ensure that the banks do not overheat and burst;
Lids cannot be sterilized in the oven.
State-of-the-art sterilization methods
Several decades ago, steam was the main sterilization method. At the same time, small jars were put directly on the spout of a kettle with boiling water and held for 10-15 minutes. Large containers were placed on the kettle instead of the lid. In modern kitchens, electric kettles are often used, which are unsuitable for these purposes. But new kitchen helpers have appeared, making life easier for housewives, who have significantly expanded the possibilities for disinfecting cans.
Sterilization in a double boiler- jars with lids are placed in a double boiler with the neck down and kept in the cooking mode for 15 minutes.
Dishwasher safe- a clean container is loaded into the device without powder and the regime with the highest temperature is set, but not lower than 60 ° C. Lids are not sterilized by this method.
In a multicooker - cans are placed on a stand for steaming dishes and processed for 15 minutes in the "Steam" mode.
In the airfryer - a little water is poured into the container, covered with lids and installed on the lower grill of the airfryer. They are processed at a temperature of 120-140 degrees at high speed for 15 minutes.
How to sterilize lids
The lids are always sterilized just before rolling up. Before processing, check the integrity of the cover, make sure there is no rust and the presence of rubber bands.
The most convenient way is to boil in water. To do this, boil water and dip the tin lids into it for 5 minutes. If you boil for longer, there is a risk of "digesting" the gum. Remove lids from the water with clean tongs or boiled table forks. Twist caps can be processed in the same way.
Not only the taste of the dishes, but also their safety depends on how correctly the procedure for rolling products for the winter will be 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 sterilizing the dishes must be taken care of before the time comes to deal with the blanks. Otherwise, tomatoes, jam or cucumbers will be waiting in the wings, forcing to rush the processing process. And in a hurry it is better not to deal with such serious matters.
Sterilizing empty cans
Before sterilizing jars at home, it is necessary to carry out their preparatory processing. For this product, you need to thoroughly wash with water and a little soda. It is better to refuse from standard detergents and disinfectants, they are able to settle on the walls and get into the body with food. The baking soda is easy to wash off and does not harm even children. This stage is mandatory, even if containers for blanks for the winter were specially purchased in a store and wrapped in a protective film, and it is planned to use the most effective methods to sterilize them.
- Steam treatment. A suitable net 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 several cans upside down. Make sure that nothing prevents the steam from penetrating into the container. We turn on the stove, wait for the water to boil and start to give steam. First, waiting for the formation of steam, and then placing the cans is not entirely correct, as you can get burned. How long it will take to sterilize depends on the volume of the can. A container of 3 liters will take at least 25 minutes, for 2 liters, 20 minutes is enough, for 1 liter, a quarter of an hour is enough.
- Using the microwave. Before sterilizing jars in the microwave, you need to remember once and for all that you cannot process the lids in this way. In the best case, the cans with the blanks will quickly open, in the worst case, the household appliance will become unusable even during operation. The manipulation itself resembles the usual steam treatment of containers. 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 method of steam sterilization, which can be used when a small number of cans need to be sterilized urgently to fill the blanks. The container is installed not on a massive pan, but on a teapot without a lid. The main thing is to reduce the heating intensity 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 into the container itself (it's good if the cans stand in water up to the neck). We put the entire structure on fire and bring the liquid to a boil. The aging period 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 this way you can handle not only significant volumes of containers, but also metal lids. Put the products slightly damp after washing on the wire rack upside down in a still cold or slightly warm oven. We close the door of the device, heat the chamber to 150 ° C and hold it as much as in other approaches associated with steam treatment.
- Sterilized with vinegar. The method of sterilizing 0.5 l of dishes with vinegar has a clear advantage - the treatment is not thermal, but chemical, so you do not 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 and vinegar into a new jar and 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 the jars.
Today, hardware stores sell many devices that can significantly simplify the sterilization process at home, carry out it correctly, quickly and safely. These can be nozzles, containers made of heat-resistant glass, forceps, initially sterile lids.
How to sterilize cans with blanks?
If you need to process tomatoes or cucumbers already rolled up for the winter, as required by some recipes, you can use at least two approaches:
- How to sterilize jars in the oven if they are already filled with blanks and marinade. We put the finished cans on a wire rack or baking sheet, put metal lids on top (you do not need to tighten anything). We close the door, bring the temperature in the chamber to 120 ° C. In this case, the curls for the winter need to be kept as much as indicated in the recipe. If there are no specific figures, we adhere to the standard indicators for the oven.
- Boiling water treatment. We line the pan with a thin towel, fill it with cans of blanks, fill it with water. The temperature of the liquids outside and inside the jars must be the same, otherwise the glass may break. We bring the water level to the "shoulders" of the cans. We put the lids on top, but do not fasten them. 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.
Features of sterilization of caps
If, when using the oven, metal lids can be sterilized simultaneously with cans (from 15 to 30 minutes at a temperature of 150 ° C), then plastic lids will in any case have to be processed separately.
Most often they are simply laid out in a saucepan of water, the liquid is brought to a boil and after that they are detected for at least 10 minutes. If you underexpose the products, then the cans with blanks for the winter will swell or open. There is one more important point - it is better to remove accessories from boiling water with special sterile forceps or tweezers. This will prevent the items from burning your hands or getting dirty before use.
Some housewives prefer physical methods of sterilization, others physical. Practice shows that they are all equally effective if manipulated correctly.