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Mar 23
2010
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When making chutney it is often difficult to tell when it is thick enough to start potting in sterilised jars.
A good chutney should have spent time slowly simmering until all the ingredients are well cooked and the mixture is smooth. It's important not to simmer it too fast and to stir it regularly so avoid it sticking on the bottom of the preserving pan. This will allow the sugar to darken and the flavours combine.
A useful tip for judging when the chutney has reduced to a thickness suitable for potting is to draw a wooden spoon across the base of the preserving pan. If liquid quickly fills the gap then the chutney could do with some more simmering.
The Green Tomato Chutney in the above photo has reached the correct consistency and is ready for potting.
Always remember to let chutney mature for several months to allow the combination of flavours to develop.
Comments (2)
Question regarding the "processing" of pickles
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The process of boiling the whole jar is called bottling or canning, and is the same sort of process that is done industrially when produce is put into tin cans.
It differs from the usual (at least in the UK) method of preserving in that chutneys, pickles and jams rely on the addition of sugar, salt or vinegar to the food, producing an environment unappealing to microorganisms.
When bottling or canning the food is put into a sealed jar/can and then heated up to a temperature that (hopefully) kills all microorganisms within the jar. This means that the food doesn't necessarily need the addition of lots of sugar, salt or vinegar, and so retain more of the original taste. It's much more widely practiced in the USA. I'm not sure of the reason for this!
You do have to use special jars that can withstand the heat - for example Kilner jars (useless fact - the Kilner jar was invented by one of Jeremy Clarkson's ancestors), so it does require quite a large initial financial outlay.
I've never tried it, but there is a lot of information on this website.
http://www.allotment.org.uk/al.../index.php
Good luck!
Ben
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