Sterilizing

If you have a dishwasher put it to good use and sterilize your jars in there. BUT not your rings and lids. You need to have them in a pot on the stove and sterilize them pretty much right before you use them. You need to have that rubber on the lids soft so that it makes a good seal. Boil the for five to ten minutes. This is where your tongs come in handy.

If you are like me and do not have a dishwasher just use your canner. Whatever canner you got it will work. Fill it a quarter to half full of water. Bring the water to a boil and add your jars. Boil for ten mins. You can only fit in so many jars so you may have to do this more than once.  This is where my long tongs come in handy. I use them to get the jars out of the hot water. Just be very careful not to splash or burn yourself when removing the jars. Only do what you feel is safe.