The easiest way we've found to sterilize glass jars for jam making without using the oven. Use it to clean recycled jars for making our no pectin mulberry jam or old fashioned kumquat marmalade our easy kale pesto or five ingredient onion marmalade.
We're big fans of reusing jars in this house but it's important to sterilize them properly before using for making things like Thermomix strawberry jam where you want them to keep for a while.
I've tried lots of ways of sterilising jars over the years and this method has become my favourite because:
- It's THE EASIEST method I've found
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Equipment
To sterilise glass jars you will need:
- Glass jars - use recycled or store bought jam jars
- Kettle or something to boil water
- Oven mitt - or jam jar wrench (the red long thing in the picture)
If you think you're going to be making a lot of jam, you can go all out and get a jam making tool kit.
How To Sterilize Jars For Jam Step-By-Step
Step 1 - Wash and dry your jars (after removing the labels if you're using recycled jars). We use the dishwasher but hot soapy water in the sink will do the trick. Lay them out on your bench with the lids off. Boil the kettle.
Step 2 - Fill each jar ¾ of the way with freshly boiled water and leave to sit for a minute or 2. Using oven mitts or the grippy tongs, swish the water around the jar over the sink and then tip it all out.
Step 3 - Using a wedge of lemon or lime, run it around the rim and top of the jar and through the entire inside of the lid.
Step 4 - Fill the jars with hot jam while they are still warm.
Pro Tip
It's really important that you are pouring hot jam into warm jars so don't sterilise them until the last minute.
Substitutions
If you don't have any fresh lemons or limes you can use bottled lemon juice or apple cider vinegar on a cloth or piece of paper towel to sterilize jam jar lids.
It's important to use something with a high acidity to sterilise the top of the jars and make sure you can store your jam for a few months.
Jar Sterilising FAQs
Yes you will always need to wash jars in warm soapy water before sterilising to make sure that they are clean and ready for use.
Yes. Before putting homemade jam in jars it's extremely important to sterilize the jars especially if you are going to keep the jam for a period of time. Sterilizing is to remove any germs & protect the jam (or whatever it is you're putting in) jarring. Jam put in unsterilized jars will spoil quickly.
You can clean jars in the dishwasher but it doesn't sterilise them.
How to sterilize jars for jam making
Equipment
- Lemon or lime
- Freshly boiled water
- Oven mitts or jam tongs
Materials
- Glass jars with lids
Instructions
- Wash and dry glass jars & lids (we use the dishwasher).
- Boil a kettle full of enough water to ¾ fill all the jars you're wanting to sterilise.
- Fill the jars ¾ of the way with freshly-boiled water.
- Leave to sit for a minute then carefully pour the water out into the sink swishing it around so it touches the whole inside of the jar. Use oven mitts or jam making tongs to hold the jar.
- Using a wedge of lemon or lime, run it around the lip of the jar and the inside of the lids.
- Immediately fill with hot jam and put the lid on tightly.
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