sterilizing jars

[MaplePancakeMan]

i have a question, do you guys sterilize your glass jars before you pack or does the hot syrup take care of that? I Have been sterilizing and hot packing, can i save myself some time here?

[DaveB]

I package about half our syrup in glass for sale at farmers markets & craft fairs, etc. and we have not had a problem not sterilizing them first. I open the box 'upside down' so that the opening is not exposed and go from there.

My feeling is that if you don't do it with plastic, why do it with glass.

Then again, I could be wrong. ;)

Dave

[jemsklein]

i have never sterilized by glass jars or plastic jugs

[ibby458]

We had occasional mold problems in both plastic & glass, but not metal. Rinsing the glass and plastic with boiling water cured the problem. I'd try it both ways, and if you can skip the rinsing, it would save time.

[fred]

sounds like you didnt have your heat high enough

[ibby458]

We keep the thermometer in the canner right around 180 degrees. I think the cool glass was dropping the syrup under optimal, and the lids didn't get sterilized when we laid them on the side. We tried running it hotter, but the syrup got thicker and crystalized in the last bottles filled. Rinsing with boiled water solved all the problems without any drawbacks except for time.