Can I ask you another quick canning question?
I have read online that canning jars, lids, and rims can be sterilized by being washed in a dishwasher using the hot dry setting. However, info on the the National Center for Home Food Preservation gives me the impression that this is fine for cleaning but does not eliminate the need for sterilizing in boiling water.
Burning Issue: Pre-Sterilizing Jars before CanningWould you agree that sterilizing by boiling is still necessary after dishwashing and hot drying?
Part of your answer is in your link
Burning Issue: Pre-Sterilizing Jars before Canning:
So, in summary: Is a 5-minute process time enough to sterilize jars? No. If you are using a process time of only 5 minutes, such as for some jellied or pickled products, then you need to pre-sterilize jars before filling them (or increase the process time to 10 minutes). If a process time is 10 minutes or more then will the jars be sterilized? Yes, but be sure to wash and rinse them well, and keep warm, before filling them with food.
You will always need to wash your jars before use. Once done, you place them jar-mouth-side down on a clean towel. This prevents spores in the air to get into them.
Note: I hand wash my jars from storage. They are washed initially in the dishwasher before going into storage. Always stored mouth-side down to prevent anything from getting in.
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If you are making a jelly or jam with a processing time of less than 10 minutes, you need to sterilize your jars.
To avoid sterilizing, I process jams and jelly for 10 minutes.
Hammond and I went to Muncie, Indiana some years ago to visit Jarden (formerly Altrista) who produces Ball Jars. This is where I first saw jars being preheated. They heat jars to about 140 degrees to reduce thermal shock and jar breakage.
They take the jar, fill it, remove bubbles, clean the jar edge and place a flat followed by the ring.
Always read the label on how to prepare the flats. Over time the instructions have changed. If you don't and use the wrong method, you risk having a bad seal.
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I do avoid placing hot onto cold or cold into hot; contents or surface.
When I have heavily canned, I may lose a jar a year to thermal shock.
If I am fresh packing tomatoes into a jar, I don't bother with pre-warming the jar. It will cool down quickly from the contents. I won't put the jar in water hotter than 140 degrees.
If I am putting in very hot sauce, I am more inclined to preheat the jar. I will place it into a canner heated to 140 degrees. I do this one jar at a time, not all jars pulled or replaced all at once.
I hope this all makes sense.
Regards,
Cathy2