How to sterilise glass jars and bottles
Learn how to sterilise glass jars and bottles with a simple method that needs very little equipment. Sterilising is a crucial step to ensure your homemade jams, jellies, chutney and cordials remain fresh and safe to consume.
What different methods can I use to sterilise glass jars and bottles?
There are many different ways to sterilise jars and bottles including oven sterilisation, using the hot cycle on your dishwasher, and chemical sterilising solutions.
Each approach removes harmful bacteria and other contaminants to provide a clean environment for your preserves. I use the oven sterilisation method and find it the most straightforward. The jars are sterilised by the heat of the oven and the steam that the water creates.
SEE THE ‘HOW TO’ CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE FOR THE FULL METHOD.
Do I need to water bath my preserves?
No, it is not necessary to water bath the preserves in my recipes. I have been making jam for over 40 years, and I have never water bathed jam or jelly.
The high sugar content in my preserves recipes combined with properly sterilised jars means that the unopened jam jars will be safe to store out of the fridge. Once you open the jar it is safer to store it in the fridge.
What about low sugar jams and fruit cordials?
I have some lower sugar jam recipes and fruit cordials which must be stored in the refrigerator and used more quickly. These are smaller batch recipes and so delicious they are guaranteed to be used up quickly.
Low Sugar Jam Recipes
Fruit Cordial Recipes
All my jams, jellies, chutney and pickles recipes
Sterilising glass jars and bottles
Equipment
- Baking tray (sheet)
- Glass jars or bottles
- Heatproof jug or bowl
- kitchen paper
Instructions
- Wash and rinse the glass jars or bottles and their lids
- Put the wet glass jars on a baking tray upside down.
- Place bottles on their sides.
- Before you start to make your preserve, put the tray with the glass jars or bottles into the oven at 120C (250 F) for 20 minutes. There’s no need to preheat the oven.
- Put the lids into a heatproof bowl or jug and pour boiling water from the kettle over the lids, leave for 10 minutes.
- Carefully drain the water and lift out the lids onto kitchen paper to dry.
- Take the jars or bottles out of the oven and fill them with the hot preserves Be very careful as everything will be very hot. Put on the lids.
- When the jars have cooled check that the lids are tight and tighten further if needed.