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In home canning glass jars are the most effective without a doubt whether for water bath canning or for pressure canning. Using metal containers is not that effective as they are good for only one-time use and you need the extra expenses and requirements for the sealing equipment.
The best jars for home canning are the mason jars with regular and wide mouths and open threaded neck for the lid to seal. If you use mason jars you will only need new lids for each time of canning. Before every usage you should properly wash jars in the hot water. It is also necessary to use mild detergent and rinse the jars completely after washing. Even though the jars won’t be sterilized, it will still make them clean for the water bath or pressure canning.
But, if you want to prepare jellies, jams or pickles then you will have to sterilize your jars. It is quite easy to do. You just place the jars into a water canner with boiling water. The jars as well as the canner should be filled with hot water to one inch above the jar mouth and then it should boil there for 10 minutes.
Your canning jars will also need a good lid and gasket. The lid gasket seals the sealing surface of the jar but still leaves the space for air to escape and then gasket creates an airtight seal on the jar. It is good to buy the lids and gaskets only in the required amount for the season. This way you will be sure you have always fresh items for canning every season.
When you filled your jars with the ingredients for canning take the plastic spatula and insert it in between the food and the edge of the jar releasing the air bubbles. Move the jar slowly in the circle, pushing the spatula up and down at the same time and the air bubbles will be able to escape the jar. Then you should wipe the rim of the jar to make sure it is clean and to ensure the airtight seal.
Now you can place the gasket on the wiped rim and fit the metal lid into the screw ring and then turn it slowly to tighten the lid but not too much. Then you could move on to processing the filled jars and when you finish remove the jars with a grip remover. You don’t have to retighten the lids because the cooling off of the jars will pull the self sealing lid and create airtight seal. Then you should let your jars cool down for up to 24 hours at room temperature in the upright position and before placing them into your storage you should check each lid for the proper seal. If the lid is not popping up and down when you press on it in the center then you have a good seal and your canning is finished.
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