Chutney hasn't set - pectin problem...help please!

EpsomOldie

Hello - I was given loads of quinces last week and yesterday made them into chutney with other fruit. But my chutney hasn't set - it's still liquid, like fruit in thick syrup.

The recipe said to boil the quince peelings and cores before adding the strained liquid to the main ingredients. I reckon that this is the source of pectin.

I've tried to work out what went wrong and I think it's the way I cored the quinces. I (stupidly) followed some advice I got on t'internet - I haven't worked with quinces before and believed all the stuff about them being hard to peel and core - not true*.

What I (wrongly) did was cut the fruit from around the entire core rather than halve the fruit, then scoop out the core with visible seeds and rough stuff (which must be the source of the pectin).

The 'chutney' has now cooled overnight as the whole caper ended around 8 o'clock last night and I'd had enough.

This morning, I've boiled up more quince peelings and cores - this time ensuring that the seeds are exposed and voila - I've got a thin, 'tacky' liquid.

I'm thinking of heating the chutney to boiling point, then adding the strained and reduced tacky liquid and hoping that will do the trick. But I want to know what experienced MSEers advise first - I've already made too many mistakes by winging it. Any advice is gratefully appreciated.

Thank you.

*If anyone else is a quince virgin, here is the easiest way I've found of peeling and coring the creatures. You will need a vegetable peeler like this one (not like this or this), a small melon baller, a chopping board and a sharp, heavy knife.

Wash the quinces, rubbing to get rid of the fluffy coating. The quinces should now be smooth and have a waxy feeling.

Use the melon baller to remove the stalk end and blossom (bum) end. Peel the quinces with the veg peeler. Cut lengthwise into halves so that the core and seeds are exposed. Use the melon baller to remove the core. The flesh and core are hard so you need to use a bit of welly. Cut out any tough material at the stalk end. Keep the peel and cores as your recipe might tell you to use it as a pectin source.

The quince flesh goes brown quickly which doesn't matter if you're chutting, but if you don't want this to happen, pop the fruit straight away into some water with lemon juice added until you're ready to use them for poaching etc.

VJsmum

Isn't chutney supposed to look like that? Not to set like jam but be syrupy?

My green tomato chutney is like that anyway

Mojisola

EpsomOldie wrote: »

Hello - I was given loads of quinces last week and yesterday made them into chutney with other fruit. But my chutney hasn't set - it's still liquid, like fruit in thick syrup.

You don't have a pectin problem because you're not making jam.

With chutney, you need to keep simmering until it's at the right consistency. I wouldn't strain it because you'll lose a lot of the flavour.

https://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/preserves/how-to-make-chutneys-and-pickles.html
How do I know when the chutney is ready?
There’s a very simple test. When the chutney appears thick enough, make a channel with a wooden spoon across its surface. If it leaves a channel imprinted for a few seconds without being filled by spare vinegar, it is ready.

EpsomOldie

Thank you everyone - it worked!