To ensure that your jam, pickles and marinades have safely stood all their time, you need to sterilize cans and covers. The matter is not complicated, but there are several rules that can not be violated:
- Before sterilization, the jars must be thoroughly rinsed with soda solution, paying special attention to the neck.
- Check the banks for integrity.
- The time of sterilization will depend on the volume of the can. For half-liter containers it is about 10 minutes, for liter - 15 minutes, then for each liter of volume is added for 5 minutes.
- The simplest way is to sterilize small( 0.5 l and 1 l) cans. In this case, it is obtained and the most qualitative.
Different ways to sterilize jars
Methods for sterilizing cans vary in complexity.
The simplest is steam sterilization. For this, pour water into a wide saucepan. Cover the top of the pan with a screen from the sprinkling of fat or use a special sterilization nozzle bought in the store. Banks are set upside down and after sterilized water the time is sterilized.
You can simply "weld" the cans, by filling them with cold water and putting it on the burner. Wait until the water in the saucepan boils, and boil the jars of the time. Do not forget that you need to sterilize the lids.
Another way - sterilization in the oven. Place the jars on the grill with the neck down. Turn on the oven, wait for the temperature in it to reach 120 degrees, and hold the banks in it the right time. When sterilizing the covers in the oven, be sure to remove the rubber gaskets from them.
You can sterilize in the microwave. To do this, each jar should be poured a little water( for a half-liter capacity is enough for 100 grams).Turn the microwave to the highest power, wait for the water to boil in the jars, and wait for the time.
Several sterilization tricks
After sterilization, the surface of the cans is very hot. In order not to burn yourself, use special gloves and sticks.
Whichever way you choose, remember that the initial temperature of the water or air in the oven should be approximately equal to the temperature of the can. If you put a cold jar in boiling water or in the heat of the oven, it may burst.
How to sterilize filled cans
Sometimes a prescription blank requires sterilization of a filled container. In this case, you should put a rag on the bottom of the pan or lay a wooden circle. The bank is filled "on the hangers", the top is covered with a lid and placed in a pan. Next, the pot is poured with water, the temperature of which approximates the temperature of the can, and is set on fire. The water level is a few centimeters below the height of the neck. The time of sterilization is counted only after boiling.
The disadvantage of this method is that you can not avoid troubles in the form of cracked cans or boiled contents. Therefore, many housewives do this: boil the right( measured in advance) the amount of water, the pan is removed from the fire on a wooden stand and set into it hot, filled cans. If you use conventional metal covers, you can lightly bait them, scrolling two or three times with a compression machine.
Next, the pan is tightly closed with a lid and wrapped in blankets. The sterilization time should be increased by one third. With this method of sterilization, banks do not burst, their contents do not pour out, and the kitchen does not turn into a steam room, which is very important in the summer heat.
Author: Plotkina EV