# Sterilize your jars?



## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

I watched a youtube video last night about canning bacon. She said since you are using a pressure canner you don't have to sterilize the jars. Is this the norm?


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## Bobbb (Jan 7, 2012)

Water boils at 212 F.

At 10 psi the temperature is 240 F.

Do you see a need to sterilize at 212 F in preparation for putting the jar into a 240 F environment for 90 minutes?


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I use to sterilize my jars in the dishwasher before filling then canning them. Now I will have to boil my jars first since I don't have a dishwasher.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Didn't we already have this discussion?

Jars need to be heated to avoid breaking when adding hot fluid. But, if you're pressure canning, the jars will self sterilize.


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## Jimthewagontraveler (Feb 8, 2012)

Yea what he said!


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

partdeux said:


> Didn't we already have this discussion?


Yes we did. It turned ugly and ended up locked. Let's not do it again.


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## SouthCentralUS (Nov 11, 2012)

Sorry Uncle Joe. You know you are my favorite uncle. I think I will play it safe.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

SouthCentralUS said:


> Sorry Uncle Joe.


No need. :kiss:

Some folks do and some don't. You do it the way that makes you most comfortable.

Personally, I don't; for the reason Bobbb gave above.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I clean my jars in hot soapy water and then boil them for three or four minutes. It may not be necessary but I feel better.


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## swjohnsey (Jan 21, 2013)

Lock it, folks can't agree.


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Go count your preps and stop acting like a smacked 12 year old.
got a gripe, take it to an admin and stop trashing up threads.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

swjohnsey said:


> Lock it, folks can't agree.


Maybe you should lock your mouth if you don't have anything constructive to add to a conversation.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Sorry I had to laugh about this. A thread about whether to sterilize jars or not before canning gets out of control and controversial??? 

I remember having to sterilize all jars but we only did water bath canning many, many blue moons ago. I will just be cleaning them before starting my new pressure canning adventure. The least time to can I have read so far was 20 minutes, don’t remember what it was for though. Seems to me the initial startup of 10 minutes to vent, then the time to build up pressure, then the time to cool down would kill about anything in there.

I am more worried about cooking things to mush rather than germs!!!


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## siletz (Aug 23, 2011)

The current recommendation is to sterilize your jars if you will be processing them less than 10 minutes. http://nchfp.uga.edu/questions/FAQ_canning.html#6
However, many people choose to sterilize their jars as an added precaution, which is fine as well.


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Mom always brought her cans to a boil before filling them, then canned them in the same water.not a hard thing and it works.


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## MsSage (Mar 3, 2012)

Thanks yall I NEEDED the laugh....heated and controversial about canning jars ROFLMBO


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

Good day, preppers. I am 62; have never pressure canned, but my mom and granny did.
I have water bath canned for 40 years and never sterilized or heated jars.
I clean them for spiders and bugs, though. 
And if one gets left in, we just eat it!!


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

JayJay said:


> I clean them for spiders and bugs, though.
> And if one gets left in, we just eat it!!


Yea, but did you adjust the hot bath time accordingly?


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

ZoomZoom said:


> Yea, but did you adjust the hot bath time accordingly?


I only have a muskrat, squirrel, and rat recipe--no spiders!


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## dirtgrrl (Jun 5, 2011)

MsSage said:


> Thanks yall I NEEDED the laugh....heated and controversial about canning jars ROFLMBO


Yeah, good thing we don't have any guns!


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

I have a recipe for beaver tail stew that lends to canning real good as all the fat settles on top like an old time paraffin seal.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

My canned smoked pork butt does that. Some folk wrinkle up there nose bout it. Good stuff.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

My canned ground beef did that.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

JayJay, one a the thins ya can do fer that (ifin it bothers yall, it don't me) be ta cook yer burger a bit then rinse in in real hot water. That'll take some a that grease off. Personally, I just can it an then ya got some fat ifin ya need it.

Pork butt be perty fatty even ifin ya pull most a it out. I call it flavour!


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