The Preserver's Year

Gigervamp

I've found it takes 2 or 3 weeks twice daily de-gassing, then once a day for another week or so.

Tregemred

Got two yellow label small red cabbages from Mr T. Made four jars of pickle. I only had white vinegar so had to make up spices. If it tastes as good as it smells, I'll be really happy

naki

Hello! I've been reading this thread and have been inspired. Today I made some pumpkin chutney! It's the first time I've ever done something like this, and my husband commented on how "professional" the jars looked when filled. I want to give jars of chutney/jam (my next adventure, eeek!) as gifts at Christmas but I don't want to give jars and have people find there's mould inside or whatever? Is there any way I can tell a jar has gone bad without opening it? I did sterilise the jars in the oven and wash my ladle in hot soapy water, plus I put the wax discs inside to stop vinegar corrosion so hopefully they will be okay?

valentina

Just been to the allotment, dug up the shallots, now they're in brine ready for pickling!

Patchwork_Quilt

naki wrote: »

Hello! I've been reading this thread and have been inspired. Today I made some pumpkin chutney! It's the first time I've ever done something like this, and my husband commented on how "professional" the jars looked when filled. I want to give jars of chutney/jam (my next adventure, eeek!) as gifts at Christmas but I don't want to give jars and have people find there's mould inside or whatever? Is there any way I can tell a jar has gone bad without opening it? I did sterilise the jars in the oven and wash my ladle in hot soapy water, plus I put the wax discs inside to stop vinegar corrosion so hopefully they will be okay?

There's so much vinegar, sugar and salt in chutney that it's highly unlikely it will go mouldy. If the lid has 'popped' down too, that's another good sign. We are eating chutney from 2008 and it's just coming into its stride.

Larumbelle

Hi all you lovely preserving people!

I'm looking for a little bit of help... I was hoping to do a little preserving today. Specifically I was looking to preserve some peppers in oil (both chillis and sweet peppers - I grow my own and have a glut ). I've got a recipe from the River Cottage Preserves book, but reading and rereading the two recipes, and the rest of the book, I realised that the book makes no mention whatsoever of botulism.

The first recipe uses a vinegar bath before the peppers are placed in the oil, and also has lemon juice added to the oil. Does anyone know what pH the food has to be to make it safe? Also how would I test it? Would I need to test the pepper itself or the oil that surrounds it?

The second recipe is for chilli oil. The oil is only heated to 40 Celsius and no acid is added. I am well aware of food standards advice, and the recipe just seems too risky. Does anyone have any views?

BTW I wouldn't be expecting to store these at ambient temperature, they would be stored in the fridge even before opening, but that is not enough on its own is it?

v8monkeyboy

Today I've made 3L gooseberry cordial, and 5L cherry cordial from the wild cherries I picked last week

Tomorrow, it's whitecurrant cordial or jelly, I can't decide and cherry jam.

Then, on Wednesday I'm going bullace or yellow gage plum picking with a friend, and on Thursday I'm going out with my MIL to pick bilberries in a clough far, far away...

I just counted and we've got 28 bottles of cordial so far, so with the cherry cordial, we'll have 34/35 bottles! Yet to come is blackcurrant jam, redurrant wine/jelly/whitecurrant wine, blackberry cordial, and some frozen, elderberry cordial, rosehip syrup, rowan berry and wild apple jelly, hawthorn berry jelly, preserved plums, and pickled onions.

Which brings me to my question - when are shallots available? I've never paid them attention but my best friend loves pickled onions so I was going to make her some.

T xx

Patchwork_Quilt

silvercharming wrote: »

Hi all you lovely preserving people!

I'm looking for a little bit of help... I was hoping to do a little preserving today. Specifically I was looking to preserve some peppers in oil (both chillis and sweet peppers - I grow my own and have a glut ). I've got a recipe from the River Cottage Preserves book, but reading and rereading the two recipes, and the rest of the book, I realised that the book makes no mention whatsoever of botulism.


I wouldn't be expecting to store these at ambient temperature, they would be stored in the fridge even before opening, but that is not enough on its own is it?

Not sure about this one. I presume that botulism needs air to grow and that the oil will exclude the air. I did oven dry some tomatoes last year and pour oil over them. I then kept them in the fridge but they went off so quickly after we opened them that I was put right off.

Larumbelle

Patchwork_Quilt wrote: »

Not sure about this one. I presume that botulism needs air to grow and that the oil will exclude the air. I did oven dry some tomatoes last year and pour oil over them. I then kept them in the fridge but they went off so quickly after we opened them that I was put right off.

Unfortunately no, that's the point. Unlike other foodborne pathogens botulism thrives in the absence of air (and acids). From what I have read, even tomatoes are not acidic enough to prevent botulism, and because it doesn't 'taint' you don't necessarily realise it's there.

This is why books on preserving really should mention botulism!

Thank you for taking the time to reply though

v8monkeyboy

Silvercharming,

I remember a few years ago wanting to do much the same, but being put off by the chance of botulism (something my mother scared me to death with when I was little). I've got a book called 'Keeping the Harvest' which tells you that you have to use a pressure canner (can you tell it's American!) as this destroys all the harmful bacteria and yeasts which can contiune to grow on the peppers.

Marguerite Pattern recommends blanching the veg, then placing them in the jars in a pressure cooker at 10lb pressure.

Failing that, if you were to roast the peppers, then preserve them in oil, that would kill anything nasty. As for the chillies, all the ones I've ever bought have been blanched, then preserved, or cooked and placed in a vinegar/salt sauce (chiplotes in adobe sauce fr'instance).

Oh, I've also just found this: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09314.html if you read through, there's a couple of recipes and tips for canning in oil.

Not much use, but it's all I know

T x