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jar sterilization- cheating | (Read 134 times) |
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Kelda O.
Posts: 358
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August 11, 2008, 11:27:52 PM |
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I've seen some folks prepare for canning by sterilizing jars, lids, etc. in a warm oven. This gets around needing to boil a pot of water, and I've heard No water bath is then needed if the jam is hot, goes into a hot jar, and all seals okay.
I've also heard that some folks will just wash jars with a conventional dishwasher and then use them hot from that straight into a canning session with no sterilization needed.
When I've tried the hot oven method, I had it way too hot, and the jars broke. Oops. Anyone have any guidelines?
(of course, this is a funny question because a conventional oven and dishwasher, heck they're not that sustainable. but they're great intermediate steps for busy folks. )
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1471
western WA
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August 13, 2008, 10:27:41 AM |
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I was about to say a few things, but everything I had to say appears to be covered in the pdf!
A sustainable oven setup would be a cob oven.
Kelda, how hot was your oven when the jars cracked? Is it possible that it was the cold air coming into the oven when you opened it that cracked the glass?
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Kelda O.
Posts: 358
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September 07, 2008, 09:27:06 PM |
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no tops were on the jars. yup the cold air coming in might have done it. it seems like me just handling it. it was a great mistake to learn from 
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permaculture.dave
Posts: 133
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September 17, 2008, 05:16:56 PM |
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I've done the waterless method for the jars (not the lids though...the rubber seal would melt...for those you still need to have a small pot of boiling water).
You're right that you don't want to leave them in too long. I once cracked one upon taking it out and setting it on an unheated counter. I had to cool the rest of the jars before I could begin canning.
The way I did it was to just put them in the oven for about 20 minutes or so (I forget what the temp was). Then I took them out and put hot applesauce in them and lidded them immediately. Any that hadn't sealed themselves the next day I put in a water bath.
For the record I think the water bath method is definitely more of a sure bet.
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Kelda O.
Posts: 358
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September 21, 2008, 09:43:03 PM |
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Alright: I'm getting better this year. No broken jars!
The 175 degrees for 25 minutes, to pre-sterilize the jars, I've felt comfortable with that.
Mostly, in order to use the boiling water bath to sterilize quart jars, man that's a lot of water that has to get hot and boiling for ten minutes. It just barely reaches the lid of my canning pot. And it especially takes so much water because while the jars are empty they're all full of water too. In the boiling water bath after food is added, at least some water is displaced so it doesn't take so long to boil.
I've got a gut feeling it takes less electricity for the warm oven then the ten minute jar sterilization with water. I could just be fooling myself because the oven is less messy (if I don't break any jars!).
But, with all that massive water for the water-jar-sterilization, I did find a way to stack functions. When I add sealed jars that displace water I have to take some water out. I ladle that hot, hot water into a pyrex bowl thing that's holding the lids and rings. That way I'm confident that they're sterilized too, without getting hot enough to melt the seal.
I was so pleased to figure out one little trick, as I'm just a beginner.
A sidenote: I heard that elsewhere in the country a lot of university extensions offer a 'Master Canner' class (like 'Master Gardener' idea). But for some reason Western Washington doesn't have any available. What's up with that? Next time you talk to your extension agent....
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