To sterilize, set the empty jars (without the lids) upright onto the wire rack set inside of your canner (large pot). Do not over-crowd them or they might break in the boiling water.

Pour in enough room temperature water to cover the jars, making sure there is at least one inch of water over the top of the tallest jar. 

Cover your canner and bring water to a boil. Depending on altitude, this might take up to 30 minutes.

When the water has reached a full rolling boil, keep the jars in the canner for an additional 10 minutes. 

Turn the heat off from under the canner and add the bands and lids into the hot water. Keep bands and lids in the hot water for 5 minutes, then using tongs, remove from water and set it on a dish towel.

Using a jar lifter, carefully remove the hot jars from the hot water, pouring any water inside of it back into your canner. Place the jars on a dish towel to rest.

All of this sterilizing and preparing of the jars, bands and lids is done AFTER the food you want to preserve is prepared and ready.

Using a wide-mouth funnel, spoon the hot food mixture that you want to preserve inside each hot jar. Leave ¼-inch gap from the top of your food inside the jar to the top of the jar open. This is called the head space. 

Remove air bubbles by running a rubber spatula between the jar and food. Repeat around the jar 2 to 3 times.

Wipe rims with clean towel. Center lid on jar. Screw the band down until fit is fingertip tight. Do not over tighten.

Place the filled and closed jars back in the hot water in the canner and make sure jars are completely covered with water.

Once all of the jars are in the canner, bring the water to boiling again. Again, do not over-crowd the canner. Process jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Turn the heat off and allow jars to stand in the canner for 5 more minutes.

Remove jars from canner and set upright on a dish towel to prevent jars from breaking. Leave jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Bands should not be retightened as this may interfere with the sealing process.

Check lids for seals. Lids should not pop up or down when you press on the center of the lid. It should remain flat. That is how you know your seal has held. Remove bands and try to lift lids off with your fingertips. If the lid cannot be lifted off, the lid has a good seal. If a lid does not seal within 24 hours, the product can be immediately reprocessed or refrigerated.