Sterilizing jars - urgent

[martini]

Hi Dexter - glad the chutney went well- yum yum. I don't think you need to keep it in the fridge - when I make jam I don't and in the shops the pickles and things are on the shelves so I think you could free up some fridge space

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi DD, dont think it needs to be in the fridge if its sealed, but would probably keep it in there once its been opened! Glad to hear the chutney making went well!

[sewer rat]

Don't store any of my jams, chutneys or pickles in the fridge - not until they are opened anyway - they just fill up one of the top shelves in the kitchen !

[dexterdoglancashire]

thanks for that! mind you, I keep my eggs in the fridge as well, even though you arent supposed to! dexterdog

[shirley]

Don't forget you can sterilise using milton. [as in babies bottle]I have used this method but always rinse with boiling water. It removes that smell of milton. I keep my oven on low put them on a baking tray and in the oven ready to come out when preserve ready and the jars are dry warm and sterile.

For preference I use the dishwasher but sometimes you need an alternative.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks Shirley! nearest I've ever got to a bottle of Milton was seeing it in my sister in laws kitchen cupboard! Although, I must admit I had heard of it before, but not having kids, had forgotten all about it! Dexterdog

[Teresa Sorokin]

I'm so pleased that someone's mentioned Milton - I was worried that all my preserving over the past couple of months would come to a messy mildewed end. I thought if it was good enought to steralise babies bottles it must be good enough for, already high in either sugar or vinegar, preserves. I will try the microwave technique when I run out of Milton which I can't seem to find over in France although I'm sure they have their own version. One thing though, I did make some courgette preserve which entailed the mixture being boiled over the course of several days and that's now fermenting happily in my barn (smell brought the mice in to check it out and they subsequently chewed their way through several plastic covers). It was not meant to ferment incidentally - any idea where I went wrong? All my other efforts with jams, chutney and relish were OK.
Teresa

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Teresa and welcome to the Vine!
Sorry, I'm not sure about your question though! Did you keep them somewhere cool? perhaps if the temperature was a bit high that may have caused it?
I soak sultanas for the birds - in a dish in my kitchen mmm, sometimes they smell like they are beginning to ferment! Perhaps you could make wine from them!? Dexterdoglancashire

[JazzDuke]

I believe that having sterilised with Milton you then need to wash the jars. Now your jar is unsterilised again.

You should use heat.

[martini]

You don't have to rinse the jars out after sterilizing with Miltons (babies' bottles aren't rinsed after sterilizing). Tesco and Asda both do their own solutions - far cheaper than Miltons. I agree, heat sterilization is far less messy and does the job just the same plus the jars are hot and ready for normally hot contents.

[JazzDuke]

You should use heat.

Babies bottles the milk is drunk straightaway so no time for things to multiply.

Unless one is not going to give the contents to anyone but oneself one should be scrupulously accurate in this type of advice.

Don't try and cut corners. Use heat.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Sound advice! As I said previously, not knowing anything about babies and that kind of thing, will take everyone elses advice! DDL