Do you know how to sterilize glass jars to eliminate germs and bacteria? Here’s what you need to do to keep your glass jars perfectly clean and bacteria-free, thus protecting your health!
Sterilize the jars
As is well known, glass jars easily become full of germs and bacteria, and to reuse them, thorough cleaning is necessary. These jars are often used to prepare and preserve foods such as jams, preserves, and other foods intended for later consumption.
To ensure safe use, it is advisable to clean them properly, but only thorough sterilization can guarantee the elimination of germs and bacteria . How can you ensure that glass jars are perfectly clean? Here’s how to sterilize glass jars in just a few minutes!
Select glass jars
First of all, it is important to carefully select the jars and glass containers we want to use to store our preserves. In addition to choosing the jars of the desired size according to our needs, it is important to check the caps and make sure they are hermetically sealed .
The best ones are undoubtedly those with a rubber seal , perfect for ensuring a perfect seal for a long time. In fact, the airtight seal ensures the preservation of food and does not alter the flavor even if the jars are opened after a long time.
With this in mind, we can also use jars and glass containers that we have already owned for years, or that we may have emptied and therefore have at our disposal. Make sure they are not chipped or damaged and that the caps are in perfect condition.
Glass jars
At this point, once we have chosen the glass containers , we can move on to sterilizing them . To carry out this operation, there are different methods, capable of guaranteeing precise hygiene of the jars. Among the most popular and preferred are the oven and the pot, both effective for making perfectly sanitized and disinfected glass jars. Here is a detailed guide on how to carry out both operations.
Sterilize the jars in the oven
Oven sterilization is very simple to perform and involves using this appliance at a certain temperature to achieve the desired results. It is the ideal choice for those who do not have jars large enough to accommodate the jars for sterilization and allows for quick and effortless sterilization.
Sterilized glass jars
To begin sterilizing glass jars in the oven, you must first remove everything inside , then proceed as follows:
Preheat the oven to 120°;
After washing the containers, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper;
Leave them in the oven for about half an hour;
Once the time is up, turn off the oven and open the door.
Leave the door open until it is completely cold, then we can remove the jars and use them.
Sterilize the jars in the pot
Regarding sterilizing glass jars in a pot, boiling is the method. This method is certainly the most widespread and has been used since ancient times. Our grandmothers used this method to sterilize glass jars for preserving, and even today, many people prefer it to oven sterilization. Here’s how to perform the procedure:
Select the jars to be disinfected;
Fill a large pot with cold water;
Submerge the jars and make sure the water covers them well;
When the water starts to boil, continue for about 10 minutes;
Once the time is up, turn off the heat.
Use tongs to remove the glass jars from the pot and avoid burning yourself. Once placed on the surface, let them cool in containers and dry them thoroughly before use. The jars are then ready to be filled with preserves, jams, marmalades, and whatever else you want to make to fill your pantry with homemade treats!