The Preserver's Year

Sallygirl

With regard to using tongs, I have a potato masher that I use to get the jars out of the saucepan. It is one of those that is shaped like a slice but with a right angle near the bottom. L-shaped. I found it useless for mashing potato but great at getting jars out of the saucepan. I wiggle the bottom of the masher under the jar and raise it up from the pan and then support the top with my oven glove and set the jar down. I am sure tongs might do the job better but I have this tool so I use it.

Has anyone used the reusable metal lids for bottling? Are they any good?

Wraithlady

On the rare occasions I've bottled fruit, I used the two-part kilner lids - I have no idea if a jam-jar type lid would create a tight-enough seal.. Sorry.
Just made 12 jars of crabapple jelly - still have a tree full of crabapples! Anybody have any ideas what to do with them apart from more jelly? We don't eat it that quickly, it doesn't keep as well as my damson jam but I am reluctant to just throw them away.

Shropshirelass

Wraithlady I use crab apples with blackberries/other berries to make bramble or hedge jelly. It sets beautifully, and has lasted up to 2 years (If hidden!)
I have just made some green fig preserve, but it has crystallized, so will add lemon juice and try again.

Sallygirl

When I asked "Has anyone used the reusable metal lids for bottling? Are they any good?", I meant the Tattler Reusable Canning Lids. Sorry for any confusion. Has anyone heard anything about these, please? I was wondering about getting some but I would like to have some further information about them first.

arwenelf77

Oh I am glad I found this thread!  Can I ask please why and if people use the water bath method?  I watch a few different homesteading channels on youtube and they all seem to use the water bath method.  Is this done much in the UK?  I have also bought a dehydrator so looking forward to any hints and tips for using it please 

Wraithlady

Sallygirl said:

When I asked "Has anyone used the reusable metal lids for bottling? Are they any good?", I meant the Tattler Reusable Canning Lids. Sorry for any confusion. 

I have used them for canning and not had a problem with them - they are plastic not metal but can stand a pressure canner ok.
I've noticed recently they're very difficult to get hold of in the UK, not sure why

Sallygirl

Wraithlady said:

I have used them for canning and not had a problem with them - they are plastic not metal but can stand a pressure canner ok.
I've noticed recently they're very difficult to get hold of in the UK, not sure why

They have them on Amazon at the moment

-taff

arwenelf77 said:

Oh I am glad I found this thread!  Can I ask please why and if people use the water bath method?  I watch a few different homesteading channels on youtube and they all seem to use the water bath method.  Is this done much in the UK?  I have also bought a dehydrator so looking forward to any hints and tips for using it please 

Look for posts by 'boazu' or Mrs LurcherWalker for hints and tips on drying in the dehydror.

I personally have only used the water bath method this year for the first time for gooseberries [ thanks to @Si_Clist ]. I've not used it for making passata or for chutneys/jams etc. so can't help much there sorry.....

Si_Clist

arwenelf77 said:

... Can I ask please why and if people use the water bath method? ...  Is this done much in the UK?

Well it is here, and has been these last 30-odd years.  This is part of this year's bottling ...

The peas and beans are pressure canner, the fruit (including toms) is water bath.  That cupboard's three jars deep, by the way, and we have at least as much again stashed under the stairs - with damsons and apples still to go!

To each their own, but we reckon anyone in the UK who wants to get into bottling will learn far more about it from The Book* that I keep banging on about on the OS prepping thread than they ever will from American prepper videos,  but whatever

BTW, what's not seen in that picture is all the fruit bottled (using water bath) in wombled glass jars with the quarter-turn lids (also wombled).  Nearly all those are in cartons under the stairs, and I've just now realised that we've forgotten to label the cartons with what's in them ... 

*"Home Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables" Bulletin 21, 1971 Edition, published HMSO and the ISBN is 0 11 241321.  Earlier and later editions are not as comprehensive.

arwenelf77

wow that is impressive!!! I will have a look out for that book thank you.  I have pickled some onions and cabbage and made fire cider so far but visited the parks this afternoon and have a load of elderberries so will be making cold and flu syrup with those!