Tips for Dummie's: Sterilizing Jar's

For a long time I was terrified of sterilizing jars because, like the dope I am, thought it involved something really complicated like cleaning them with some sort of specialised cleaning product, imagine my surprise when I discovered its basically the same as sterilizing babies bottles! Which surely an ignoramus like me can manage.

• Nigella regards a 'washing machine cleaned' jar as sterilized. If your going to use this method you have to use the jars while they're still warm. Place the jars with they're lids off face down into the dishwasher and put on for a cycle.
• The easiest way to sterilize jars in my book is to fill your jar(s) with about an inch or two of water and pop in the microwave for 8-10 minutes on a super high heat. REMEMBER to take the lids off the jars or remove any metal parts on you jars before you put them in the microwave, I know this seems rather obvious but its easily done, the main aim is to get clean jars not to be piecing together your microwave when its exploded into bits. Remove from the microwave using a tea towel or oven gloves because the jars will be super duper hot. Set down on a folded tea towel and fill with your mincemeat/jam/curd while the jars are still warm.
• For super sterilized jars, is what I like to call The Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall method as he always uses it on his TV shows. It's time to work your guns, give your jars a super scrub in soapy hot water and rinse off all the soap suds. Pop them into the oven on a lowish heat (140c/gas mark 1/2) so they can dry out, once they're dry remove from the oven and fill with your mincemeat/jam/curd.