One of the most important things about canning and making preserves is actually making sure they will last.
The best way to do this is by sterilizing your jars and lids before putting your food in them. In the early days I ruined a lot of food because my jars weren’t properly sterilized and the contents went bad.
To sterilize your jars:
Clean them first (either in the dishwasher or hand wash), let them dry completely.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees farehneight.
Place the jars on a cookie sheet, or you can place directly on the wire rack in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes, this should kill any bacteria on the glass.
To sterilize your lids:
Place lids and rings into a pot of water, just enough water to cover them.
Bring water and lids to a boil.
Let boil for a few minutes.
Keep them in the hot water until you are ready to can.
If you can, try to do the sterilization at the same time as prepping your food so that everything is ready at the same time and still good and hot.