sterilising jam jars - whats the easiest way?

ChocClare

To be honest, your chutney is full of vinegar and you've sterilised your jars and your lids. Where is the mould going to come from??

I keep chutney in the cupboard. I take a year to eat some of it. Still here to tell the tale...

kerri_gt

Busy steralising my jars (and lids) in the dishwasher atm ready to make my first ever batch of chilli jam for xmas presents. Making winter chutney too but waiting for fresh cranberries to appear for that...fingers crossed I don't poisen anyone!

Primrose

I wash mine in hot soapy water, rinse clean and then put in a warm oven for about 10 minutes before I'm ready to bottle the finished product, ensuring I put the hot jars on a wooden board before pouring the stuff in. Have been using this method for years and never had a problem. The lids I just wash in hot soapy water, rinse clean and add while the product is still hot in the jar.

ladyfalco

im planning on making some chuntey tomorrow... Questions are how long does it keep? Ive seen several posting saying a year but the recipie i have states 6 weeks.

Also same for onion relish and jam, how long will these keep? I will be sterilising all the jars and keeping some for myself and some for xmas pressies..

nutritiousmum

Hi everyone. I'm also new to jam making, but am keen to make good use of our Feijoas before my husband attacks them with the lawn mower!
Can I re-use jam jars from the supermarket with screw on lids, or do I need the old fashioned lids or cellophane ones my nana used to use?

Primrose

I regularly re-use commercial jars with metal screw (or even plastic) on lids for home-made jam and marmalade. Pickle jars can also be used but you need to check that the vinegar in the pickle hasn't corroded the lid.

I just wash mine in warm soapy water, rinse in clear water and put in a warm but not hot oven for about 10 minutes. I've been doing this for many years and never had a problem with an infected jar. Do be careful though, if making jam or marmalade, to ensure that a hot mixture is not put into a cold jar or it will crack. If using a plastic lid (i.e. from a coffee jar, just wash it in soapy water, rinse and dry manually and don't risk putting it in a warm oven.

I never use cellophone as I don't think it give a sufficiently good and permanent seal and it also means that you can't stack the jars on top of each other if cupboard space is short.

JillS_2

ladyfalco wrote: »

im planning on making some chuntey tomorrow... Questions are how long does it keep? Ive seen several posting saying a year but the recipie i have states 6 weeks.

Also same for onion relish and jam, how long will these keep? I will be sterilising all the jars and keeping some for myself and some for xmas pressies..

Are you sure the recipe doesn't mean 6 weeks before you should try it? Chutney usually needs a bit of time to mature and you shouldn't use it fresh from making.

I have some green tomato chutney that I made over 10 years ago and it's still good (though I think the last jar seemed a tiny bit dried out - but no mould or funny smells)

nutritiousmum

Thanks so much for that Primrose. I'm really keen to get started!

MrsE_2

powershopper wrote: »

Hi LilacPixie, once when I was short of jars, I went to Lidl and bought some of the cheapest comodity I could find in a decent jar- I think at the time it was marmalade at 26p, ditched the marm and used the jars for bottling! Still half the price of new jars.
Have a mosey round and see what there is.
You have to leave your scruples at home, and remember you are buying JARS, not food.

I've done that, with Tesco mint sauce, think it was about 16p a jar:beer:

I buy baby bottle sterilising fluid, I guess that could be used to sterilise jars too?
Make up a bucket or basin of it?

Primrose

nutritiousmum - another warning about reusing jars, learnt through bitter experience. A couple of years ago we were running short of jars to bottle off some marmalade and decided to empty two jars which contained Indian spices into plastic containers, pro tem. I gave the jars a thorough wash & soak before using, but was surprised to find that when we opened those two jars, our marmalade still had a vague curry flavour. Interesting variation on your breakfast toast, but not necessarily what you want!