Steps for Jar Sterilization

• Certainly the most used and oldest method is boiling.

  Here you need a large pot, depending on how many jars you need to sterilize. Then we place a dish towel at the bottom of the pot, add the jars and lids (which should be placed separately), and place another dish towel between the different jars so that they do not bump into each other during boiling.

  Then add tap water to completely cover the jars, turn on the heat, and bring to a boil. At this point, continue to boil the jars, over low heat and with the lid on, for 30 minutes. After the time has passed, turn off the heat and let them cool in their water. Only once they are completely cold can we remove them.

  Then remove them with tongs and place them upside down on a clean dish towel for about ten minutes, then turn them right side up to allow any remaining water to evaporate.

  Finally, fill them with our preserve.

• This method is undoubtedly the fastest but the least used, since the lids cannot be put in the microwave, so they need to be boiled or placed in the traditional oven.

  Anyway, here we insert the jars filled halfway with water and set the microwave at maximum power until the water in the jars begins to boil and reaches the edge. At this point, the jars will be sterilized and we can remove them from the microwave with tongs and place them on a clean dish towel. Let them cool and fill them with our preserves.

• Preheat the oven to 266 degrees Fahrenheit and place a clean dish towel on the bottom of the oven rack. Once it reaches temperature, add the jars and lids using tongs or another clean dish towel, and leave them for 30 minutes. After the time has passed, remove them from the oven with a potholder and let them cool on a dish towel. Once cooled, they will be ready to be filled.