I have recently made a large batch of habanero jelly, and followed the recipe exactly (please see References). I am wondering, why is the final boil of the sealed jars necessary? I've already boiled the jars, lids, and locking mechanism, and the jelly itself is piping hot. Most recipes I've found insist that after sealing the jars, they need to be boiled, while sealed for five minutes. Is this to guarantee no micro organisms from the air remain?
References
- Habanero Jelly Recipe, Accessed 2014-03-31,
<http://allrecipes.com/recipe/habanero-pepper-jelly/>