Wash and rinse home-canning jars before every use. Pre-sterilize them only when the filled jars will be processed in a boiling-water canner for less than 10 minutes; the required jar-boiling time increases with elevation. For longer boiling-water processes and pressure canning, empty jars generally do not need pre-sterilizing. A sealed lid is not proof that food was safely processed: use a tested recipe and its full processing instructions.
Choose and wash suitable canning jars
Use regular- or wide-mouth, threaded Mason-type home-canning jars with self-sealing lids. Choose the jar size specified by your tested recipe. Commercial jars that cannot take standard two-piece canning lids are not recommended for home canning, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP).
Wash jars with detergent in hot water and rinse well, either by hand or in a dishwasher. Washing removes soil; it is not the same as sterilizing. Keep clean jars hot if you will fill them with hot food, which helps reduce the chance of breakage.
Decide whether the empty jars need sterilizing
| Filled-jar process | Pre-sterilize empty jars? |
|---|---|
| Boiling-water canning for less than 10 minutes | Yes. Sterilize clean jars first, adjusting the jar-boiling time for elevation. |
| Boiling-water canning for 10 minutes or longer | Generally no; the processing treatment is sufficient when the recipe’s altitude adjustment is followed. |
| Pressure canning | No, according to NCHFP guidance. |
NCHFP’s general guidance says jars need not be sterilized first if they will be processed in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes or more, or in a pressure canner: Sterilization of Empty Jars. The 10-minute threshold is not a substitute for the recipe’s processing time, and elevation affects both jar sterilization and food processing.
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How to sterilize jars for a short boiling-water process
NCHFP’s baseline is to boil jars for 10 minutes below 1,000 feet. Add one minute for each additional 1,000 feet of elevation. These are procedural instructions adapted from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, revised 2015; do not mistake a five-minute food-processing recipe for a jar-sterilization treatment.
- Wash and rinse the jars, then place them upright on the rack in a boiling-water canner.
- Fill the jars and canner with hot water until the water covers the jar tops by about one inch.
- Bring the water to a boil and boil the jars for the time required at your elevation.
- Keep the jars in the hot water until needed. Remove and drain one jar at a time, saving the hot water for processing the filled jars.
See NCHFP’s jar-sterilization instructions for the full procedure.
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Prepare lids, fill jars, and process the recipe
Follow the lid manufacturer’s current preparation directions. In a two-piece lid, the flat lid seals against the jar rim; the screw band holds it in place during processing. Use each flat lid only once to seal a new product. Sound, unbent screw bands may be reused. Keep the jar rim and sealing surface clean. NCHFP explains lid selection and care in Recommended Jars and Lids.
Use a tested recipe appropriate to the food, jar size, pack style, canner, processing time, and your elevation. Pre-sterilizing jars does not replace the food’s required process. For boiling-water canning, keep water above the jar tops. If boiling stops during processing, restore a vigorous boil and restart the full timing. Lift processed jars without tilting them. Follow NCHFP’s boiling-water canner guidance.
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Cool jars and check the seals
After processing, let jars cool undisturbed at room temperature for 12–24 hours. Do not tighten the bands or press the center of a flat lid while jars cool. Once cool, check each seal. Refrigerate any jar that has not sealed and use it first. Wash residue from sealed jars and lids, label the jars, and store them in a cool, dry place away from direct light. NCHFP gives these post-processing directions in Using Boiling Water Canners.
Quick Recap
Common sealing mistakes to avoid
- Do not treat a lid that has sealed as proof that the food was safely canned. Safe preservation depends on following the tested, food-specific recipe and complete processing method.
- Do not reuse flat lids for new products or assume that a short process sterilizes empty jars.
- Do not ignore altitude adjustments for either jar sterilization or the recipe’s processing time.
- Do not use wax or paraffin seals for sweet spreads. NCHFP recommends self-sealing lids and the specified boiling-water process instead; see General Information on Canning Jams, Jellies, and Marmalades.
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