July, August and September are hot times for homemade preparations. And although you can buy everything in the supermarket nowadays, nothing replaces homemade fragrant jam and crispy cucumbers. Home preservation takes a lot of time and effort, and it is doubly offensive if suddenly the banks explode and all the work goes down the drain. Why is this happening? How to avoid such losses?
Read in the article
- 1 Why does the bombing happen?
- 2 How to properly store cans for preservation
- 3 How you can sterilize jars: an overview of hot methods
- 4 Cold sterilization of cans: it couldn't be easier
Why does the bombing happen?
Contrary to popular belief, the cause of the bombing is not always due to poor sterilization of the cans. Most often these are the consequences of defects in the lid or the jar itself. A thin, even invisible and non-flowing crack can "suck in" air, and this leads to a fermentation process.
So many users are quite rightly convinced that sterilization of cans is not critical, as long as they are cleanly washed. And indeed: after all, you put vegetables in a jar initially raw, and they already contain various bacteria on its surface, which are then destroyed during the heat treatment of themselves canned food.
How to properly store cans for preservation
Any housewife, after the glass jar is free of canned food, washes it before storing it. But contamination also occurs after that, during storage, if the jar is open. So if there is a screw cap, the washed and dried jar must be closed.
And one more tip: before sending the cans rolled up with conservation for storage, additionally protect the lids. This can be done with the same stretch film, wrapping the lid with it. Only do this after the cans have cooled down so that condensation does not form under the polyethylene, and wipe the lids themselves dry from the outside. This additional protection will protect the metal from rusting. And if your basement is damp, try to reduce the humidity as much as possible by arranging ventilation. and placing containers with simple rock salt on the shelves, which will draw excess moisture from the air.
How you can sterilize jars: an overview of hot methods
Traditionally, jars are sterilized hot, so it is considered safer.
What are the available options:
- pour boiling water over the cans from teapot. Only this must be done very carefully and in the sink, so that if the container bursts, the boiling water does not pour out onto your feet;
- process the cans with hot steam: for this, you need to put a kettle with a small amount of water on the stove, and when it boils, remove the lid and insert the can with its neck down into the kettle for a couple of minutes;
- can be sterilized in microwave oven - pour a centimeter layer of water on the bottom and put it at full power for 2-3 minutes;
- cans can be warmed up in oven - they are put dry in the oven at a temperature of 150 ° for 10-15 minutes;
- craftsmen use a construction hair dryer for sterilization - a minute of processing a can with a hot stream of air destroys all microbes.
Related article:
Sterilizing cans in the oven: technological features, the procedure for using the microwave, the duration of the temperature effect on containers of various volumes - in our publication.
Cold sterilization of cans: it couldn't be easier
It is quite possible to do without hot methods, and it is very simple. Prepare alcohol or vodka, pour a little into the jar and close the lid, and then actively shake the jar so that the liquid hits all the walls. Pour out the disinfectant and dry the jar. The alcohol will evaporate quickly and the jar is ready to be preserved.
And remember, it is equally important to sterilize the lids thoroughly. They must be free of rust or defects. Boil the lids. If there are any suspicious traces on the screw lid even after boiling, you can first pull a stretch film over the neck of the can, and then screw the lid over it. This will isolate the contents from contact with the lid.
And in conclusion - some more tips for home conservation in this video:
How do you prefer to sterilize the jars? Share your experience in the comments!
