How to sterilise jars and lids

Lids:

1. Use a good sized saucepan and place all the lids in the pan underside uppermost.
2. Cover the lids in water by about 3 - 4 inches, making sure there is no trapped air
3. Boil for minimum of 10 minutes.
4. drain the saucepan and remove the lids, placing underside down on some kitchen paper

If you turn the heat on low when you start cooking the preserve the jars will likely to have and been boiling for 10 minutes by the time you are ready to use the lids.

Jars:

• Place all the jars onto a baking tray - leaving spaces between them and place the tray in the oven
• Turn the oven onto 180 degrees before you start making the jam and your jars will be ready to use when the jam is ready.
• Remove the baking tray and, using oven gloves, place the jars on a tea-towel on the work surface close to where you maslin pan will be.

Another method is to boil the jars and lids together.  however I have found that this is a bit of a faff trying to get the jars out of very hot water and then empty them of the water inside them, drain them etc is very fiddly especially as they are so hot.