The Preserver's Year

Chris25

Valli wrote: »

TIP

COUNT YOUR FRUITS - 20 IN 20 STONES OUT...

:rotfl::rotfl:

Chris25

Janine2225 wrote: »

Carrying on with the jar issue, my tesco driver must think I'm completely insane. my shopping tonight was basically, along with a couple of other bits, 10 jars of value mint sauce.......He must think I've got a fetish for mint sauce
Anyone know what I can make with 1650g of mint sauce??! :rotfl:

I nipped over to tesco this morning and got myself 7 jars and @15p each - very good value indeed! i'm going to use some of them making apple & mint jelly, just hope it turns out ok.

buxtonrabbitgreen

Janine2225 wrote: »

I was sooo hoping when I did my damson jam that they would fit into my cherry stoner but no such luck :mad: Takes forever!

My ds had just bought a bb gun yesterday. So I got him to shoot them in the sink. But no luck. lol

buxtonrabbitgreen

misskool wrote: »

Quick question to hardcore preservers, I'm going through 2kg of sugar each time I make something and it's not exactly cheap (although a lot of the fruit is low effort). Does anyone bulk buy things like sugar and vinegar? and where do you get them?

Thank you!

Poundland have sugar. It is bigger than the usual bag. I can't remember exactly but I thin it was 1kg

misskool

buxtonrabbitgreen wrote: »

Poundland have sugar. It is bigger than the usual bag. I can't remember exactly but I thin it was 1kg

£1 a kg is more expensive though. it's about 80p a kilo at the moment.

nopot2pin

buxtonrabbitgreen wrote: »

Poundland have sugar. It is bigger than the usual bag. I can't remember exactly but I thin it was 1kg

I got some of this recently... but it is in 1.5kg bags...
Which works out about 67p a kilo

shaz_mum_of__2

Farmfoods have bags of sugar for 69p

ChocolateMonkey

Valli wrote: »

Don't stone any stone fruit precook (as with all fruit) - the pectin is apparently around the stones so they need to be in. The fruit will split and the stones will separate.

Skim them off but allow them to drain - I pop a seive over and leave them in that

Agghh dont say that I just destoned a tonne of plums I picked the other day ready for chutney/jam. I might just make it all into spiced plum chutney then, mmms.

I do have another question which im not sure will go here but i'll post none the less.
I ran out of jars but managed to raid the recycling boxes for some but they dont have lids, i've seen people use wax discs and some celophane I think too cover the jam but i've never done this process before. Where do I get this celophane and can someone tell me if I wax seal and cover right after potting or later when its cooled?.

TIP

COUNT YOUR FRUITS - 20 IN 20 STONES OUT...

It's like a damson army though, hundreds of them. Although next time I try damson jam i'll leave everything in, last time i mushed it all through a sieve.

Chris25

ChocolateMonkey wrote: »

, i've seen people use wax discs and some celophane I think too cover the jam but i've never done this process before. Where do I get this celophane and can someone tell me if I wax seal and cover right after potting or later when its cooled?.

.

you can buy them in supermarkets as jam packs. They contain wax discs, cellophane circles, adhesive labels and rubber bands - enough for about 30 jars.

You can either cover with the wax disc then put on the cellophane circle (slightly dampened) when hot or wait until it's completely cooled - the packs have instructions on them.

thriftlady_2

ChocolateMonkey wrote: »

It's like a damson army though, hundreds of them. Although next time I try damson jam i'll leave everything in, last time i mushed it all through a sieve.

I know what you mean -I stoned 3 lbs of them the other day.

If you like damson jam then you'll like damson jelly and it is much less bother to make -no stoning at all.

Simply cook the damsons whole with enough water to just cover them (or maybe a little less). Simmer them until completely soft.

Then pour the lot into a jelly bag or a scalded pillow case suspended over a bowl. I recommned buying a jelly bag and stand as it makes this sort of project a doddle.

Leave to drip without squeezing the bag overnight.

Measure your juice and put it back in the pan with 1lb of sugar for every pint of juice. Boil until you get a set and pot.

Chuck all the stones and pulp away;)

This is how you make any fruit jelly.