How do you sterilise large jam jars when making jam/relish/chutney?

[panicpants]

I've started to make some relish and have just realised the recipe says to sterilise the jars..but how???

I've no specialised equipment...shall I pour boiling water into them? But into the oven for a bit??

They won't fit into a saucepan..too big.

TIA!

You don't have a stockpot?

I'd pour in the boiling water, then I think you put them in a hot oven to dry them.

I just wash them. Didn't know they had to be sterile. Not killed myself yet after years of jam making and chutneies though.

I zap mine in the maicrowave so they are really hot! Not killed myself yet!

I put mine in the oven on a baking tray lined with damp newspaper, lowest setting for 10/15 mins or so.

yopu can put them throught the dishwasher, (tip from a HV for my friend who was bottle feeding triplets and her (d)H walked out when they were 11 wks old. (couldn't cope , bless him. )

Anyway, it sterilises them, or an oven.

Ooh microwave sounds easy...how long for? And what about lids though? Have a collection of plastic and metal so guess they can't go in microwave

Oven? at what temp??

I always run them through the dishwasher, then put the jars in the oven 140/150 deg for 15 - 20 mins and lids in boiling water 10 - 15 mins. Never had any problems.

I have had them in the dishwasher..but not today? Think i'll put the jars in the oven and the lids in boiling water then.

Oh and I've never made relish or chutney before...the recipes don't say how to store them. Do I put them in the fridge? Or in a dark cupboard?

Milton tablets
cheap and easy

if you don't do it well the chance of mould is uite high

Right..have just put them in the dishwasher. Then will put in the oven for 15 mins and the lids in boiling water.

I normally scald the lids with freshly boiled water. Dark cupboard, make sure the chutney has none reactive lids on it (though, tbh, it's harder to find reactive lids these days).

I don't do anything to the lids, as I use those little circles of clear plastic and an elastic band as a lid.