The second half of summer is no less important period for gardeners. Planting does not require much attention in spring and early summer. However, the harvest is ripe. And it is important not only to remove it in time, but also to preserve it.
Vegetables, berries and fruits, unfortunately, have a very limited shelf life. Therefore, they can only be preserved through processing and conservation. The preservation process is aimed at stopping the vital activity of fungi, bacteria and microbes that cause rotting of products.
In any process, including preservation, compliance with mandatory rules is required: cleanliness of products and containers, time spent on their heat treatment.
Successful preservation of food is largely determined by the sterility of the dishes. There are many different sterilization methods. However, most of them, for one reason or another, have a number of disadvantages. Sterilization of jars in a gas stove oven is:
- 100% reliable method that kills pathogenic microflora;
- It takes from 10 minutes to half an hour;
- You can immediately process the required number of required jars;
- The method is simple, even those housewives who have little preparation experience can handle it.
Preparing jars for sterilization
Jars that will be exposed to high temperatures in a gas oven should be inspected for external damage. They should have no chips or cracks.External damage may not cause any more damage to the container, however, it will break the seal of the canned products, which will cause them to spoil.
You should also check jars for compatibility with lids. The lids should fit well when screwed on. You can check by pouring water into a jar, screwing the lid on, wiping well, and turning it upside down. Not a drop of liquid should leak out.
Screw capsthat will be sterilized in the oven should not have stains, signs of metal destruction, unevenness, or deformation that can cause damage to the workpiece.
Glass jars that have metal fasteners or clamps cannot be sterilized in the oven.
The next stage of preparing jars before sterilizing them in a gas stove oven is washing them. Experienced housewives recommend using proven detergents: soda or laundry soap, which have additional disinfecting properties, do not leave streaks, and are easily washed off.
If there is severe contamination or residues from previous preparations, it is recommended to pre-soak the jars in warm or hot water with the addition of detergents for 1-2 hours.
To wash jars intended for long-term storage, use a sponge that you only use to wash such containers, or introduce a new sponge, since used ones can retain residual fat and food particles, which will inevitably compromise sterility.
Watch this helpful video:
Sterilization process
Prepared clean jars are placed in a cold oven at a short distance from each other to avoid possible damage.
It doesn’t matter how the jars stand: on the bottom or on the neck. If you put the jars in the oven immediately after washing, then it is better to place them upside down, this way a limescale deposit will not form inside, which is harmless to future preparations, it just looks ugly.
Light the fire at low power to gradually heat the jars. The thermometer should be at 50°C for about 5-10 minutes, then increase the gas power to increase the temperature to 180°C by the same amount.
Time to sterilize empty jars in a gas stove oven:
- Jars with a volume of 0.5 l to 0.75 l – 10 minutes;
- 1 liter jar – 15 minutes;
- From 1.5 l to 2 l – 20 minutes;
- 3 liter jars – 30 minutes;
- Covers - 10 minutes.
After sterilization is completed, turn off the oven and open it slightly so that the dishes cool slightly. Do not wait for the jars to cool completely, since, firstly, the whole point of the process is lost: the cold surface of the jars ceases to be sterile, it is repopulated by bacteria, microbes, and fungi. And secondly, it is safer to place hot workpieces in warm or hot containers.
Then, armed with oven mitts or a towel, which must be clean and completely dry, you can remove the jars, placing them not on a bare table surface, but on one covered with a towel. Next, the jars can be filled with prepared products.
Sterilization in a gas oven is also suitable for filled jars. They are placed in a cold oven, the gas is turned on and the temperature is set to 150°C. You will need to watch the workpieces for some time: as soon as bubbles appear and rush upward, you can set the timer for the required time:
- 0.5-0.75 liter jars are kept for 10 minutes;
- 1 liter – 15 minutes;
- 1.5-2 liters 20 minutes;
- 3-liter 25-30 minutes.
In order not to waste time waiting for bubbles to appear, you can do it differently: turn on the gas in the oven at medium power. In 5 minutes the oven will warm up to 50°C, then the gas should be increased for another 5 minutes to a temperature of 150°C. Then, turning off the oven, use the residual heat for another 5-10 minutes. After this, you can remove the jars for further sealing.
The jars are pulled out, immediately rolled up with sterile lids and placed under a blanket to cool gradually.
Conclusion
Sterilization in a gas oven increases the safety of winter preparations. Most of us don't have a cold basement to store them. Usually the storage place is a closet in an ordinary city apartment. Due to exposure to high temperatures, microbes and pathogenic bacteria are destroyed, thereby increasing the shelf life of processed products.The method is not only reliable, but also very simple in technical implementation, allowing you to save time, which is very valuable in the summer.
