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Irish American Mom

Celebrating Our Irish Heritage Together

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Archives for December 2016

Why Celebrating New Year In January Is A Relatively New Custom In Ireland

December 31, 2016 by Irish American Mom 8 Comments

Did you know that marking the beginning of each new year on January 1st is a relatively new custom in Ireland? Believe it or not, this practice is less than 300 years old.

Until recent years New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebrations were very subdued in Ireland. The Irish national folklore archive does not hold much evidence of these dates being cause for major festivities in centuries past.

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Now let’s face it, the world just keeps on spinning around the sun, and takes a little over 365 days to accomplish this feat. The exact date when we decide this cycle begins and ends, and a new year should be celebrated, is completely arbitrary.

And so since today is officially New Year’s Eve in Ireland and America, I thought I would dedicate this blog post to the history of New Year celebrations, and how January 1st became the arbitrary day chosen to celebrate the New Year on both sides of the Atlantic.

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A New Year History Lesson:

 

It was not until 1752 that the New Year was officially decreed to start on January 1st in Ireland.  This was the year when Great Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar rather than the Julian calendar.  Since Ireland was ruled by England at that time, we too adopted the new date to mark the New Year. Up until then the New Year was legally declared to start on March 25th.

Now until Christianity took hold in Ireland the New Year had always been celebrated at Samhain or Halloween on the last day of October when the harvest had been gathered. Even after the church officially changed the start of the New Year to March 25th, many rural Irish folk continued to celebrate Samhain as the start of the Celtic new year, and St. Brigid’s Day on February 1st as the beginning of spring.

There are many old Irish customs and traditions associated with Halloween and St. Brigid’s Day, but they’re are relatively few associated with our celebration of the New Year.

 

January Vs. March For New Year Celebrations:

 

Originally Julius Ceasar decided January 1st was the perfect day to start the New Year since the month was named after the Roman god, Janus, who had two faces, one looking forward and one looking backward. Janus was also the god of doors and gates, so good ol’ Julius Caesar decided this symbolism was perfect for marking the New Year.

After Rome fell in the 5th century Christianity spread throughout Europe. Celebrating the new year on January 1st was seen as a pagan Roman tradition, so the powers that be in the Christian church decided to move the date to March 25th.  This was the feast of the Annunciation, when Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel that she was to be the mother of Jesus.

Now there was little unity back in those days.  Some countries chose Christmas Day, December 25th to mark the start of their new year, while others chose to change the day every year to coincide with Easter Sunday.

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Out Of Sync With The Solar Year:

 

But troubled times were a brewing for calendar watchers.  When Julius Caesar created his calendar based upon the astronomical spin of the world around the sun, he counted 365 days but failed to calculate the extra 6 hours required to complete the cycle.  Calendrical chaos ensued as the Julian calendar became misaligned with the solar year.

By 1582 the difference had grown to 10 days, requiring holidays and feasts to be changed frequently to match the solar year.  Pope Gregory XIII was fed up with having to re-set the date for the Spring Equinox and Easter each year.

And so he decided to devise a new calendrical system which implemented the addition of a single leap day every four years to keep the solar years and calendrical years all in sync. He also decided to restore January 1st as the official first day of each year.

Catholic countries, like France and Italy, adopted the new Gregorian calendar quickly. But Protestant countries like England were hesitant to accept the calendar created by a Roman Pope.

Since Ireland and America were ruled by England, the acceptance of January 1st as the day for celebrating the New Year did not occur until 1752.

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Old Irish New Year’s Customs:

 

And so you see, celebrating New Year in January is a custom less than 300 years old in Ireland.

To tell you the truth, in times gone by, the main thing Irish folks did on New Year’s day was simply nothing at all.

An old custom dictated that nothing should be brought into or out of a house on New Year’s Day. All water that might be required should be gathered from the well before sunset on New Year’s Eve. All water, both clean and dirty had to be kept inside the house until after the dawn of day on the 1st of January.

The night of December 31st was deemed the anniversary of the date Jesus changed water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, and for this reason no water should be thrown out, or added overnight for fear the Lord would think the household greedy. 

In last year’s New Year’s post I shared some other customs like once again lighting a candle in the window, and how bread was thrown at the door to ward off hunger in the coming year.

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Foreseeing The Future At New Year:

 

It does not appear our forefathers made New Year’s resolutions as we do today.  They were not so keen on goal setting and planning, but seemed to trust their future to fate, and of course the weather, which dictated the destiny of a rural farming people, like the Irish.

One natural sign used as an omen of good and bad fortune at New Year was the water level of local rivers.  If the river was running high on New Year’s Day, it was a sign that commodities and food would be expensive that coming year. If the river ran low then necessities would be inexpensive.

Another old superstition dictated that no money should be spent on New Year’s Day for fear it would foretell a year of major expenses ahead.

If someone visited a house on New Year’s Day they should always bring a gift, since their lack of giving might indicate the house would be empty throughout the coming year.

As a result, little visiting was done on this date.  People believed that by giving away something from their own home they might be giving away their luck. It was safest to sit home and keep everything you possessed under your own roof, rather than visiting neighbors and sharing your luck.

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The Cycle Of Life:

 

And so, January 1st was a very quiet day in Ireland in olden times. Women’s Little Christmas, celebrated on January 6th, was marked with far more festivities.  Women were celebrated for all their work over the twelve days of Christmas.

Withered holly was put away and saved so that it could be burned in the fire on Pancake Tuesday, the day before Lent began.

Important Irish festivities were linked through ritual and January 1st did not feature much in this traditional holiday pattern.  After Christmas ended on January 6th, the next big day for celebration was February 1st, St. Brigid’s Day, when the coming of spring was welcomed, and the cycle of life was renewed by nature.

http://www.vintagerio.com/details.php?gid=82&pid=13069

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Celebrating The New Year Irish Style:

 

And so, if like me you find yourself a little under-awed by the razzmatazz and hoopla of New Year celebrations, don’t mentally beat yourself up.  

As you sit at home, watching the craziness of celebrations at College Green in Dublin, or at Times Square in New York, just raise a glass and toast your Irishness.

Let’s face it, our avoidance of setting resolutions we know we will fail to keep, and our inclination to sit back, relax and do nothing as we ring in the New Year, are simply expressions of our genetic inheritance.

The Irish have never done much to celebrate a January New Year, and so this year I plan to religiously adhere to that age old tradition.

 

Happy New Year To All!

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: Holidays, Irish Superstitions, Irish Traditions, Irishisms Tagged With: Happy New Year, Irish Celebrations, Irish Customs and Culture, Irish Holidays, Irish Traditions, New Year's Eve

A Candle In The Window – An Irish Christmas Tradition

December 24, 2016 by Irish American Mom 25 Comments

Lighting a candle in the window is a Christmas Eve memory I cherish from my Irish childhood.

Every Christmas Eve we placed a single red candle in the window.  My mother always told me we were lighting the way for Mary and Joseph on their way to find the stable in Bethlehem.

Our family candle lighting ritual signaled Christmas had finally arrived.

And now as I grow older I light a candle in the window with my children every Christmas Eve in the hope this wonderful Irish tradition will continue for generations to come.  

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This Christmas Eve, I thought we might explore this tradition a little further to discover it’s origins and meaning.

A candle in the window is a wonderful symbol of hospitality, a trait for which the Irish are renowned the world over.

But these Irish candles burning in the windows were not simply a beacon of hope for the Holy Family. They were also a sign of welcome for anyone, friend or stranger, who might be passing by on Christmas Eve.

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All were welcome to stay and share whatever an Irish family may have had for Christmas.  The Irish believed nobody should go without, especially at Christmas time.

This tradition was most widely practiced in the south of Ireland, especially in Munster. Since my family hail from County Cork, we continued the ancient rural tradition of lighting a candle in the window at Christmas time.

The candle was traditionally lit by a daughter called “Mary” or the youngest girl in the house. “Mary” was also called upon to extinguish the candle.

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Now this practice is predominantly part of an Irish Catholic heritage.  Many people from Ulster have never heard of this tradition.

The origins of lighting a candle in the window trace back to the 17th Century at the time of the Penal Laws in Ireland when the Catholic religion was suppressed. 

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Catholic churches were outlawed and priests hid in fear of their lives. They secretly said mass at secluded venues known as Mass Rocks.  Priests often visited homes in secrecy to bless a family and to say Mass.

Irish Catholic families hoped that at some time in their lifetime a priest might visit on Christmas Eve to celebrate Mass with them.

By lighting a candle in the window they signaled to any passing priest that this was a Catholic home.  The doors were unlocked allowing a priest to enter silently to join the family in prayer for Christmas. 

Now all these lighted candles dotted across the countryside not only alerted priests in the vicinity, but also drew the attention of English soldiers.

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The Irish needed to explain to the English authorities why they were lighting so many candles on Christmas Eve.

The rational that they were welcoming Mary and Joseph into their homes was a perfect solution. This Irish tradition or superstition was viewed as harmless by the English and created no undue alarm.

This tradition was born at a time of great upheaval for Irish Catholics. The need to signal a priest to our homes to say Mass may no longer exist, but I’m happy that we continue to light candles in the window to this very day, welcoming Mary and Joseph with open hearts.

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One reader’s brother is a priest in Illinois, Msgr. Eric R. Barr, STL.  He wrote a beautiful homily in 2010 called Candle Burning Warm, Candle Burning Bright, which tells the story of an Irish priest in Penal Times, and how this Irish candle lighting tradition began.  You can read his Christmas story here – scroll down about half way in the page to find it.

 

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And when I see lighted candles in the windows of American homes at Christmas, I know this Irish tradition crossed the Atlantic with our ancestors when they sought a welcome in a new land.

And so, whether you light a candle in the window this Christmas Eve, or simply light up your Christmas tree, I hope God’s spirit will reside within you as you pause and reflect upon the sacredness of this holiday.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: Holidays, Irish Life, Irish Traditions, Irishisms Tagged With: A Candle in the Window, An Irish Childhood, An Irish Christmas, Christmas, Irish Christmas Customs, Irish Christmas Traditions

Sterling Silver Claddagh Necklace Giveaway Sponsored by ShanOre.

December 17, 2016 by Irish American Mom 88 Comments

I know you love the Celtic Claddagh symbol as much as I do, and to celebrate Christmas this year, I have a very special Sterling Silver Claddagh necklace adorned with Swarovski® Crystals as a prize for one lucky reader to win.

ShanOre, an Irish based jewelry company, graciously sponsored this prize for readers of Irish American Mom.

Before I share the details of how to enter to win this beautiful necklace and eternal emblem of love, friendship and loyalty, let me share the story of ShanOre and introduce you to their magnificent collection of Irish wedding jewelry

Introducing ShanOre Celtic Jewelry

 

ShanOre is an Irish company whose beautiful Celtic jewelry is designed, produced and hall marked right in Ireland’s capital city, Dublin.

Their magnificent collections celebrate Irish culture, and often use iconic symbols of my homeland, such as the Claddagh and the Trinity Knot.

As designers and manufacturers of handcrafted jewelry ShanOre’s artists, goldsmiths and silversmiths pay incredible attention to detail to create pieces that reflect the romance and magic of Ireland.

Each piece is crafted after many hours of design, prototyping and testing. Designers envision unique pieces that celebrate traditional symbols of Ireland or beloved ancient landmarks from around the island.

Some are head turning statement pieces, others are simple, yet captivating.  But all of Shanore’s pieces display a little piece of our Irish heritage and allow us celebrate the pride and joy we feel in our Irish culture.

I love the company’s name which comes from Irish or Gaelic.

“Sean,” pronounced “shan,” means old.

“Ór,” pronounced “ore,” means gold.

And so, this company’s name is “Old Gold” in Irish.  I think this is a beautiful and expressive use of our ancient language.  Nice job on choosing your company’s name, ShanOre.

 

ShanOre’s Bridal Range:

 

Romance and magic are in the air at Christmas time, so I thought this would be a prefect time to highlight some of the beautiful bridal designs created by ShanOre.  

The holidays are also a wonderful, romantic time to pop the question. 

For those who are planning to get engaged to start 2017 off in romantic style, I think you’ll enjoy exploring how Celtic designed jewelry can be a perfect emblem of love and marriage.

ShanOre’s Celtic bridal ideas are truly unique and rich in meaning and symbolism.

ShanOre has an amazing collection of Celtic design engagement rings.  These rings symbolize the Irish history and heritage you may bring to your marriage.

If you are in search of Celtic bridal ideas then check out ShanOre’s free Celtic Engagement and Wedding guide.

Ireland’s symbols and ancient Celtic imagery are eternally romantic.

Unbroken, interlacing lines are features of Celtic knot work, and perfectly epitomize the unity underlying a solid marriage that endures throughout time.

The Claddagh’s hands, heart and crown symbolize friendship, love and loyalty the cornerstones of a loving life.

These are the symbols that adorn ShanOre’s Celtic wedding bands, eternal reminders of the sacred and solid commitment that is marriage. 

Perhaps a newly crafted engagement ring is not for you and you would prefer to combine the old with the new.

If you already own a gemstone, passed down through the generations that holds great family sentimental value, then a Celtic design ring mount might be the perfect way for you to create the ideal engagement ring.

ShanOre carries an extensive range of Celtic ring mounts.

And so, if you will be hanging the mistletoe this Christmas to surprise your loved one with a dazzling ring, then remember Shanore has crafted some spectacular rings with a Celtic twist.

Whether you are planning to pop the question, or have been married for years and years, I wish you a very romantic Christmas, as you curl up by the fire.

 

The Prize:

 

Shanore is proud to offer an extensive range of jewelry featuring dazzling Swarovski© crystals. And good news – our prize has been specially selected from this elegant range. 

Our Christmas giveaway is for a classic Sterling Silver Celtic Claddagh pendant encrusted with Swarovski© crystals.

 

 

The Claddagh, consists of two hands of friendship, cradling a heart of love, beneath a crown of loyalty.

The dangling Claddagh pendant is encircled by an intertwining Celtic braid.

What truly sets this piece off, is how the arc of the Claddagh is embellished with Swarovski© crystals.

 

The Giveaway:

 

One lucky winner will win this beautiful pendant.

To enter just leave a comment on this blog post by noon on Monday, December 26th, 2016.  

Any comment will do. What you write does not affect your chance of winning, but if you need inspiration why not tell us if you own a piece of Claddagh jewelry.

A winning comment will be chosen randomly.  Remember to leave your e-mail so that I can contact you should you win.  Your e-mail won’t be published, just used to contact our lucky contestant for mailing of the prize.

The winner will be announced on Monday, December 26th, 2016, at the bottom of this blog post.  The prize will arrive in the New Year – a great way to start 2017.

You may check out Irish American Mom’s complete terms and conditions for sweepstakes’ entries by clicking here.

A big thank you to ShanOre for sponsoring this lovely prize.

 

Update – Winner Chosen:

 

Good news. Our winner has been chosen using the randomized “Pick Giveaway Winner” WordPress plug-in.

Congratulations to …..

 

Karen Fratantaro

 

I’ll send our winner a quick e-mail to let her know about her lucky win.

Thanks to everyone who joined in and entered this little giveaway. And a big thank you to the wonderful folk at Shanore for sharing their jewelry with us this Christmas. 

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

 

A Little Bit of Legalese – my disclosure notice:  Irish American Mom did not receive payment for this blog post. I simply like to help spread the word about Irish and Irish American businesses. If I receive payment for a sponsored post I will always share that information with you.  A big thank you to ShanOre for graciously sponsoring the prize for this wonderful holiday giveaway.

Filed Under: Gifts & Giveaways, Giveaways Tagged With: Celtic Symbols, Claddagh, Claddagh Jewelry, Irish Businesses, Irish Jewelry, Pendants, ShanOre, Sterling Silver, Symbols of Ireland

Homemade Mincemeat

December 11, 2016 by Irish American Mom 13 Comments

Mincemeat is a festive filling for baked goods, and don’t worry there’s not an ounce of meat in this concoction of mixed fruits, almonds, spices, and of course, a little booze.

Many people take the easy peasy route at Christmas and opt for store bought mincemeat to fill their pies. But trust me, making festive mincemeat is far easier than it may seem.

And my recipe is extra easy since I use my crock pot or slow cooker to heat the mixture to meld the flavors together.

If you can, make your mincemeat well in advance of Christmas Day so that the wonderful flavors have a chance to fully develop and soak into one another.

But why do we call this sweet pie filling mincemeat when in fact their is no meat used at all? The answer lies in history.

Way back in the 15th century a savory pie filling was made using minced meat combined with dried fruits, vinegars and wine. Over the centuries the recipe evolved from a main course to eventually featuring on the dessert menu, with all traces of meat eliminated.

By Victorian times brandy had replaced the wines and this old traditional recipe was reborn as a festive yuletide treat.

Many recipes call for the use of suet as the fat that binds the mincemeat together.  I prefer to make a suet-free mincemeat and simply use melted butter instead.  For strict vegetarians the butter or suet can be substituted with vegetarian suet.

Now, of course being Irish, I opt for Kerrygold butter, since I prefer the flavor, and the fat content is higher than in American butter, since Irish butter is made from the milk of grass fed cows.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s my recipe for festive mincemeat Irish or English style.

Ingredients:

 

  • 2 cups of diced peeled apple (Granny Smith or cooking apples)
  • 1 and 3/4 cups of light brown sugar
  • 2 cups of raisins
  • 1 and 1/2 cups of golden raisins or sultanas
  • 1 and 1/2 cups of currants
  • 1/2 cup of glacé cherries (washed and quartered)
  • 1/2 cup of candied mixed peel
  • 1/2 cup of diced dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 2 oranges (grated zest and juice)
  • 2 lemons (grated zest and juice)
  • 4 teaspoons of mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (eliminate if using pumpkin pie spice)
  • 1 cup of melted butter (2 stick)
  • 1/3 cup of whiskey or brandy

 

Directions for Homemade Mincemeat:

 

I like to dice the apples into small little cubes.  If you like a mushier mincemeat then grate the apples instead.

Add the fruit, almonds and spices to a large mixing bowl.  

Then add the grated peel of the oranges and lemons.

Mix them thoroughly together.

Then add the the lemon and oranges juices.

It’s important to coat the fruit in the sugar and citrus juices.

Next add the melted butter and stir the fruit to completely coat it in butter.

The only ingredient not in the bowl is the brandy.  That doesn’t get added until the next day.

And now you have to play a little waiting game.  Cover the bowl with a cloth and place it in a cool place for at least 12 hours or overnight.

This gives the ingredients a chance to do a little mingling in the bowl – it’s time for melding together and sharing their deliciousness.

Next transfer the mixture to the crockpot.  Cook it on the low setting for 3 to 4 hours.  It’s important not to overheat the mixture since this could cause the fruit to start to ferment.

Alternatively you can place the mixture in an ovenproof dish and bake it at a low heat of 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 hours.

When the mincemeat has finished cooking let it cool completely before adding the brandy.  Mix the spirits through the mixture completely to allow every piece of fruit a chance to soak it up.

You can use rum or whiskey, but my favorite has always been brandy.

Now your mincemeat is ready for storing.

Transfer the mincemeat into sterilized preserving jars.  Here’s my tutorial on three different methods for sterilizing jars for preserves, jams or mincemeat.

You can use old jam or jelly jars and cover them with wax paper discs.  Do not skip on sterilizing the jars, otherwise you run the risk of spoiling your mincemeat.

Store your mincemeat in a cool, dark pantry or cupboard. It will keep for up to a year.  I like my mincemeat to be made at least two weeks before I use it to ensure the flavors have matured. The longer it stands the greater the depth of flavor.

Here’s the printable recipe:

Print
Yum
Homemade Mincemeat

Prep Time: 13 hours

Cook Time: 3 hours

Yield: 6 pounds of pie filling

Homemade Mincemeat

A fruity festive pie filling originating in England in medieval times.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of diced peeled apple (Granny Smith or cooking apples)
  • 1 and 3/4 cups of light brown sugar
  • 2 cups of raisins
  • 1 and 1/2 cups of golden raisins or sultanas
  • 1 and 1/2 cups of currants
  • 1/2 cup of glacé cherries (washed and quartered)
  • 1/2 cup of candied mixed peel
  • 1/2 cup of diced dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 2 oranges (grated zest and juice)
  • 2 lemons (grated zest and juice)
  • 4 teaspoons of mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (eliminate if using pumpkin pie spice)
  • 1 cup of melted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1/3 cup of whiskey or brandy

Instructions

  1. Toss all of the ingredients, except the brandy, into a large bowl and mix them thoroughly together.
  2. Cover the bowl with a cloth and place it in a cool place for at least 12 hours or overnight.
  3. Transfer the mixture to the crock pot. Cook it on the low setting for 3 to 4 hours.
  4. Cool completely before adding the brandy.
  5. Transfer it into sterilized preserving jars, then seal and store in a cool, dark place for up to one year.
  6. Use as a pie filling.
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https://www.irishamericanmom.com/homemade-mincemeat/

Happy Christmas baking and preparations to everyone.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking, Irish Cakes, Cookies And Desserts Tagged With: An Irish Christmas, Christmas Recipes, Irish Christmas Recipes, Irish Desserts, Mincemeat

How To Sterilize Jars for Jams, Pickles and Preserves

December 11, 2016 by Irish American Mom 2 Comments

Using clean, sterilized jars for storing homemade jams, festive mincemeat, chutneys or pickles is essential if you wish for your lovely produce to last and not spoil. 

Sterilizing and good hygiene methods for these jars is a key step in the preserving process.  If you do not annihilate or kill all of the potential bacteria, yeasts, fungi, organisms and often unseen bugs that lurk inside these jars, then your food will never remain fresh within the sealed vacuum of the jar.

There are a few methods you can choose from for sterilizing your jars.  Here are my tips and tricks for jar sterilization. 

 

Inspect Your Jars:

 

The very first step, before even a drop of boiling water is used, is to inspect your jars.  Pick them up and look them over thoroughly searching for any cracks, breaks or chips.

Any damage, even the smallest of chips or cracks, means the jar must be discarded.  It will never survive the heat of the sterilization process. 

 

Hot, Soapy Water Wash:

 

The very next step is to thoroughly wash your jars in hot soapy water.  

Give them a good soaking and scrubbing both inside and out. Then rinse completely in very hot, scalding water.

Next choose one of the following three methods for jar sterilization ….

 

Pot of Boiling Water Method:

 

Remove the lids and rubber seals from the jars.

Place the washed jars on a rack set in the bottom of a deep pot and cover with hot water.  

If you do not have a rack make a small ring with aluminium foil on which to balance the jar.

Bring the water to a boil then lower the heat and boil the jars for a full 15 minutes with the lid on the pot. 

At the end of the boiling time turn off the heat and let the jars stand in the hot water.

Place the lids or rubber seals in a separate pot of hot water and bring to a boil.  5 minutes simmering is fine for the seals and lids.

When you are ready to fill the jars place the upside down on a rack or clean kitchen towel to dry.  Resist the temptation to dry them out with a towel since this would recontaminate them.

Fill the jars while they are still hot.

 

Oven Method For Jar Sterilization:

 

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.

Once you have washed your jars and lids in hot soapy water, be sure NOT to dry them.

Instead, while they are still wet, place them standing upside down on a roasting tray.

Place the roasting tray of wet jars into the preheated oven and leave them there for 15 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Place any rubber seals in a pot of hot water and simmer for 5 minutes to make sure they too are clean.

 

Dishwasher Method:

 

Separate the lids and rubber seals from your jars.

Next place the jars and all the pieces onto the top rack of your empty dishwasher.

Run it on the hottest wash cycle available on your machine WITHOUT any detergent or cleaning solution added.

Schedule your dishwasher cycle to finish just as you are ready to fill them.  You can leave the jars in the dishwasher to cool slightly and stay warm until you are ready to fill them.

 

Filling And Covering The Jars:

 

Once your jars are sterilized it’s time to fill them while still hot.  Use your oven mitts and tongs for safety.

When handling the jars be careful not to touch the rims of the jars.  Any contact can reintroduce bugs and critters you have painstakingly killed off during the sterilization process.

Do not over fill the jars. Leave about a 1/4 inch or 1/2 cm gap from the top of the jar and the contents. 

Cover the jars while still hot. You can use the sealed lids that come with today’s preserving jars.  

The old way was to top the jar with a disc of wax paper or baking parchment and seal it tightly with string.

In today’s world, if you do not have a sealed lid, it’s easier to top the jar with a wax paper disc, then with another layer of  plastic wrap, and finally seal it with a tight rubber band.

 

Safety Warning: 

 

I know some readers could be tempted to sterilize jars by simply swishing boiling water around inside them.  Be fair warned. This is not adequate heating to kill off germs.

And remember be very careful when handling hot jars and lids.  Use oven gloves and tongs to keep your finger tips from scalding.

 

Storage Duration In Sterilized Jars:

 

Once preserves or jams are sealed tightly in properly sterilized jars they should keep perfectly for 6 months.  It’s best to store them in a cool, dark place.

Some preserves last longer than others so do check each recipe individually.  Preserves that contain alcohol, like festive mincemeat, can last for up to a year.

 

Happy preserving to all!

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: Cooking Tagged With: Jam or Jelly Recipes, Kitchen Tips and Techniques, Sterilization of Jars

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https://www.irishamericanmom.com/2016/11/13/freckles-the-elf-sprinkles-christmas-magic-on-the-global-irish-community/
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Galway Swan
https://www.irishamericanmom.com/2016/12/04/an-ideal-farm-husband-book-giveaway/

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