Canning Strawberry Jam

21. Wash Jars

The next day we remove the rings and wash the jars in warm soapy water. Failure to remove the rings means you cannot remove any jam under the rings. Rings are not needed until the jar is opened. Leaving the rings on invites corrosion under the rings and can lead to much difficulty in removing them at a later date. Any residue of jam left on the jar is an open invitation to ants. They will love you for that. Sometimes it can take up to two weeks for some jams to get a good set.