I have a quick question about sterilizing my jars. I'm not using a pressure cooker so ill just be boiling them in a pot. Since it's not a pressure cooker, is there anything I have to do differently?
How long do I keep the jars in the pot before I take them out?
I assume the water will evaporate fast so do I just keep adding more water?
When I take them out, do I have to be careful about bacteria when transferring them into the inoculating area?
Thanks.
I would do it for an hour and a half if your boiling them, and yes you need to watch the water to keep it from drying out. And yes you always need to be careful when transfering to your sterile inocculating area.
1hour is enough for me, water half of the jars. You keep the cover over. And the water shouldn't be going down too fast. I let them stay 12 hours in the pot before inoculation to be sure they are cold. There shouln't be any bacteria in there because you sterilized them.
when i started this hobby my 1st couple of times i boiled, think it was about 1 1/2 hour.. yes a sterile environment is a must, bacteria is every where. as soon as your jars cool to 159 degrees. they are vulnerable to contams... i would move your pot to a sterile environment before it cools..
1 Hour never failed for me.
PW
follow this word for word
http://www.erowid.org/plants/mushrooms/mushrooms_mmgg.shtml
Good site Lost .. i know that an hour would be fine. .. but it does not hurt to go a bit longer. I havn't had any problems with going 1 1/2 hours boiling. Using the pressure cooker I love alot more. It depends on what you want to do. At least one hour is a must.
There are even terrific videos in this site's main page that can probably help you, if I'm not mistaken they show an alternative method to sterilization with a pressure cooker. Good luck.