Quick Jar Sterilization

In pan of boiling water:
Place jar and lid in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and boil ten minutes.

In microwave:
Fill with water, put in microwave and boil the water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the lid in a bowl. Remove jar with water (carefully) from microwave, pour boiling water over the lid in a bowl and let this sit while you are filling the jar.

Some writers suggest that you can do microwave sterilization with plastic lidded jars for short-term storage of your preserve in the refrigerator.

Always use tongs if you have them to remove jars and lids from hot water! Be mindful of just how hot things are going to be when they come out of boiling water -- after all, we choose this temperature to kill things!

Don't let the jar sit around for too long on the counter before using it; if you're not ready for it, leave it in the water for a few minutes, though you don't need to keep the water boiling forever.