Rodney, the guideline applies to anything you would process for 10 minutes or longer including pickles. In those cases you need clean jars, not sterile jars, saving a step and some time, handling.

And yes, it does apply to the half pts, pts, and quart jars.

I wash my jars (or hubby does) rinse them thoroughly, then leave them with very very hot water in them until I'm done canning for that day.

I always wash my jars and turn them upside down in a 220 degree oven. They are dry, sterilized, and hot for use all in one easy step.

I run all jars through my dishwasher (during or right before canning) so they are sanitary and hot upon filling.

And to make things "easier for next year", this is what I do to store my dishwasher-clean, just consumed and empty jars: I always cover and wrap down the sides of each used jar (upon removing them from the dishwasher) with a 12" (approx.) piece of Stretch-Tite. Stretch-Tite is a great plastic wrap that easily sticks to the glass, and seals everything. Using this easy step, then nomatter where I store the jars, or how long they are stored (within reason) the exterior AND the interior stay dirt- and bug-free.

That does NOT keep me from running them in the dishwasher prior to filling and canning, but it saves me from cleaning out storage crud!

Here is a link that might be useful: Stretch-Tite Food Wrap information

Thanks all. I've only ever made freezer jams and jellies before because I didn't want to bother with sterilizing jars. But now I see no reason not to make traditional jams. Or rather, I don't have an excuse not to make traditional jams. I'll also have to delve into making pickles sometime in the future (using safe recipes, of course).

Rodney

I've got another question. I was looking at the recipe for pickled pepper-onion relish on the NCHFP site and it calls for using sterilized jars and proccessing for 5 minutes in a BWB. This got me to thinking. Does sterilizing the jars really do anything?

If you sterilized everything, the jars, bands, and lids, it would make sense. But you aren't supposed to boil the lids. So in practice you are putting an unsterilized lid on a sterilized jar and sealing it. Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of sterilizing the jar? Granted, the amount of potentially harmful bacteria is greatly reduced by sterilizing the jar but there is still bacteria on the lid, correct?

And I'm not too worried about getting ill, especially with this recipe being almost entirely vinegar, but it did make me think.

Rodney

The NCHFP instructions are a little confusing. Looks like the original recipe was for refrigerator storage, then it says "Caution: If extended storage is desired, this product must be processed." with the 5 minute BWB.

My impression is that heating the lids up to 180 degrees will kill "most" bacteria or molds, and any other nasties like botulism won't grow in the acidic environment anyway.

There are so few things that call for only 5 mins. processing and they are all high acid foods. So I seldom worry about it. I just do 10 mins. minimum for everything. No harm/no foul and it saves all that pre-sterilizing hassle.

Dave

Thanks again.

Rodney