The Preserver's Year

nopot2pin

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

Apparently, it keeps longer if you heat the vinegar to boiling and pour it on to the beetroot hot.

Although we are still eating our cold pickled beetroot and we're all ok

Thanks. I need to get some pickling vinegar, as I only have normal vinegar. But I will try the hot vinegar thing.
I am just having a look on line for a beetroot chutney now

I think I need to get a book on preserving stuff

buxtonrabbitgreen

I just put beetroot into cold malt vinegar and it kept till the end of the jar. I kept it in the fridge though.
I did so much preserving today that I didn't really want to stand and cook dinner after that.
4lbs of damson chutney, 2lbs of damson jam and another jar of crabapple jelly. This jelly looks much better than the last one. Nice and pink and clear. But what am I doing wrong. Maybe it is using a pollowcase but I only get 1 pint of juice however many crabapples I put in.

Pitlanepiglet

ceridwen wrote: »

Looking at that - ie the idea of storing stewed apple in (suitably sterilised) jars. Does anyone know whether I could just as well use honey as sugar to do this myself? I'm also wondering just how much honey to use per lb of apples?

Hmmm I don't know Ceridwen. I didn't put much sugar in mine last year, Dad is type II diabetic so I only use a bit of sugar (I'm not a fan of sweeteners) in my stewed apple and I just made it as I would do normally I certainly didn't use 50% sugar as is suggested for jams etc.

I didn't try honey though, but it's a good idea, I might try a small batch with honey this year to try it. I did remember that I put some cinnamon in as well to give it some additional flavour.

Chris25

aaargh............ I started making batches of braised red cabbage for the freezer, so I chopped 4 kilos of red cabbage (used little disposable gloves which kept hands nice & clean ). Then 2 kilos of apples. Next I chopped up 2 kilos of onions to go with it .............................then promptly threw them into the compost jar and the roots & skins into the (by then) simmering cabbage mix!!! :mad::mad:

can laugh about it now though.:D

liamsmum

Does anyone know the best place to buy preserving bottles, looked on Lakeland but they seem quite expensive.

ginandtonic1988

Don't know about preserving bottles but I have just bought Sainsburys curry sauce jar 440g at 4p and mint sauce jars 165g at 15p they will do just the job for chutney and apple sauce containers!

Patchwork_Quilt

Beetroot Chutney

2 lb raw beetroot
1 lb onions
1 1/2 lb cooking apples
1 lb raisins
3 tablespoons ginger powder - I found this too much - reduce by half
2 lb sugar - as above, too much
2 pints of vinegar

I also add 2 teaspoons of salt

I prepped the veg and threw it in the food processor in batches until it was quite finely chopped. Put it all in a wide-topped pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil and then simmer until thick, preferably with all the doors and windows open.

Adapted from the Reader's Digest Food from Your Garden. This was also the recipe for the runner bean chutney, substituting the beans for the beetroot. Both seemed rather yummy from the pan.

buxtonrabbitgreen

I have a lot of damson chutney and some tomato chutney, but I do have a glut of runner beans. Not sure I need anymore chutney though. I agree about opening all the doors and windows. That boiling vinegar makes your eyes water.

powershopper

hi iansmum, if you want jars, try here for NEW original kilners .thecookskitchen.com, and dont forget to get some spare lids. I got these jars earlier in the summer and we have eaten the pickles/fruit/jam so am on round 2.
If you prefer actual bottles, why not save ketchup or salad cream bottles, they are pricey to buy new.

nopot2pin

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

Beetroot Chutney

2 lb raw beetroot
1 lb onions
1 1/2 cooking apples
1 lb raisins
3 tablespoons ginger powder - I found this too much - reduce by half
2 lb sugar - as above, too much
2 pints of vinegar

I also add 2 teaspoons of salt

I prepped the veg and threw it in the food processor in batches until it was quite finely chopped. Put it all in a wide-topped pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil and then simmer until thick, preferably with all the doors and windows open.

Adapted from the Reader's Digest Food from Your Garden. This was also the recipe for the runner bean chutney, substituting the beans for the beetroot. Both seemed rather yummy from the pan.

:TThanks Patchy

I had a few earmarked on t'interweb, but hadn't quite decided which one yet.
Some had some stuff that I would not have associated with chutney... but this one seems to have all the stuff I like
And I will try it with the less ginger and sugar too.
The amounts you have suggested, dont seem excessive

Thanks again
Potty:D