Making your first preserve

Step 1: Sterilising your Kilner jars
Please read the information provided in the guide to sterilising and select the method you find most suitable. Hint: Always sterilise more Kilner jars than you think you will need because inevitably you will always have more recipe than Kilner jars if you don’t.
Important note: do not attempt to sterilise your Kilner bottles and jars by pouring boiling water into them.
Step 2: Prepare your recipe
Once you have selected your recipe follow its instructions for preparation and making.
Hint: always read your recipe through a couple of times before you start making so that you are familiar with the process and have all of the ingredients to hand.
Step 3: Fill the Kilner jars
Once your recipe is ready carefully remove your sterilised Kilner jars from the vessel keeping them warm. If they contain any water tip it away carefully. Always make sure you handle hot Kilner jars carefully, use a jar tong or oven gloves for protection.
Place the empty Kilner jars onto a heat proof surface such as a chopping board and place a funnel, if using, into your first Kilner jar, then using a ladle, transfer your recipe from the pan to your Kilner jars making sure to fill them to the point indicated by your recipe.
Once each Kilner jar is filled use a non metallic spatula to remove any air bubbles by running it around the inside of the Kilner jar between the food and the Kilner jar.
Finally wipe the rim and threads of the Kilner jar to remove any food debris.
Step 4: Closing your Kilner jars
Now your Kilner jars are filled you need to close them whilst the contents are still very hot.
Place the lids on to your Kilner jars, if you are using a screw band make sure to release the screw-band by ¼ turn to allow steam to escape, if you are using a clip top place the rubber seals onto your Kilner jars and close the clips.
Unless you are canning or preserving bottled fruits you can move straight on to step 6
Step 5: Processing your Kilner jars - This step is only for bottling fruit and canning it is not necessary when making jams, jellies, conserves, preserves, pickles or chutneys.
Using jar tongs or oven gloves because your Kilner jars will be hot, place your filled Kilner jars into a large empty pan, one at a time. You need to make sure the Kilner jars do not sit directly on the bottom of the pan so place them onto a rack or on a folded cloth which you have placed in the bottom of the pan. Making sure your Kilner jars aren’t touching fill the pan with cold water until your Kilner jars are completely covered. Bring the water to the boil and boil for the length of time indicated by your recipe.
Once the Processing time is over turn off the heat and again using jar tongs or hand protection remove the Kilner jars from the pan making sure to place them on a heat proof surface.
Step 6: Checking the airtight seal has formed
Now your Kilner jars are closed you need to leave them to cool for 24 hours untouched.
After the 24 hour cooling period you need to check your Kilner jars to make sure an airtight seal has formed.
To check the seal of a screw band Kilner jar; undo screw-band and lift the Kilner jar by the lid only. If an airtight seal has formed the lid will not move, now replace screw-band and store. If the lid moves an airtight seal has not formed and you must either reprocess your Kilner jars or eat the contents immediately.
To check the seal of a clip top Kilner jar; undo the clip and lift the Kilner jar by the lid only. If an airtight seal has formed the lid will not move, now fasten clip and store. If the lid moves an airtight seal has not formed and you must reprocess your Kilner jars or eat the contents immediately.