Should I boil the rubber, too?

December 14, 2014 7:32 AM

Bottling hot sauce for Christmas. I have a quick question re: sterilizing the bottles.

I'm making some very painful hot sauce for Christmas, and I'm bottling it in these. Note the swingtop stopper.

I plan to boil/sterilize the bottles beforehand, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to boil the rubber gasket on the stopper. Will the heat ruin the rubber? Should I remove the rubber before boiling?

Or, alternatively, would it be acceptable to simply pour boiling water directly into the bottles to sterilize them?

posted by Thorzdad to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

Hmmm.

One question first - are you bottling them with the intent that they be shelf-stable? Because if you are, that kind of bottle may not be sufficient. There are other bottle-looking things you could do instead, which are easy enough to obtain, attractive, and designed for that kind of water-bath preserving.

But if you're just bottling it to have people store in the fridge, then that should be fine, and I think that boiling the rubber gasket will be fine too. But if you're still concerned, I have two alternate suggestions -

1. Save the gasket out of the boiling water, and then just dip the gasket in right before you take out the bottles.

2. Skip the boiling altogether and sterilize the bottles by putting them in a low (200 degree) oven overnight, and dip the gasket into boiling water right before you put it on the bottle.

I just found a home brewing site about sterilizing bottles which may have further advice.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:48 AM on December 14, 2014

Thorzdad, the National Center for Home Food Preservation says "Jars with wire bails and glass caps make attractive antiques or storage containers for dry food ingredients but are not recommended for use in canning. One-piece zinc porcelain-lined caps are also no longer recommended. Both glass and zinc caps use flat rubber rings for sealing jars, but too often fail to seal properly."

I know what a PITA it is to have to run out for more equipment when you have the temptingly might-be-ok-if equipment sitting right there, but I'd urge you to reconsider; half-pint Mason jars would certainly serve, and would provide a larger margin of safety.
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:09 AM on December 14, 2014

This isn't canning. Presumably you are have made hot sauce that is acidic enough to be shelf stable or will be stored in the fridge. In that case, I wouldn't stress the sterility of the rubber gasket. It won't stay sterile once the bottle is opened the first time anyways.

Pour boiling water over the gaskets or just into the bottles if it makes you feel better. I would be totally happy just washing the bottles in hot water. You don't need to follow canning procedures if you aren't canning.
posted by ssg at 8:17 AM on December 14, 2014

Response by poster: For the record, these aren't meant to be shelf-stable. Just something to put in the fridge. I've done proper canning before and know this isn't it. I do want the bottles to be as clean as possible, of course.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:49 AM on December 14, 2014

Pop off one gasket and boil it. Let it cool and see if it is still flexible afterwards. If it's in good shape I would boil the bottles or put them through the sanitizing cycle on your washing machine. If it's not in good shape I'd pull all the gaskets, wash them well in hot soapy water, and sanitize the bottles separately. This isn't canning, as you say, so good enough is good enough.
posted by wnissen at 8:57 AM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

When canning with rubber gasketed jars (I use Gem jars, but the Germans have Weck) you bring enough water to boil to submerge the rubbers then let it boil for about five minutes soften them so they effect a better seal. From personal experience I've found heat will eventually degrade the rubber, but that's from multiple uses and years of reuse.

Everything else gets washed in hot soapy water followed by a putting it all in a cold water that gets brought to a boil ... basically following usual procedures for more modern metal lidded canning jar systems.

I don't see why you can't do that with your bail topped bottles.
posted by redindiaink at 9:04 AM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

I don't think you should. I think you should wash them in hot, soapy water. Since your hot sauce is going to be stored in the fridge, there's no reason to go full-on sterilizing for canning.

When you do hot water bath canning, the lids sit in hot, but not boiling water, as you prep the jars. They always caution you not to boil the lids, because it affects the rubberized part of the lid. I think it would be the same principle with the gaskets.
posted by mudpuppie at 9:06 AM on December 14, 2014 [1 favorite]

If you determine that boiling won't work, there's a product called StarSan that many home brewers use for sterilization. You could get some at your local homebrew shop if such exists in your area.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 9:37 AM on December 14, 2014 [3 favorites]