Storing homemade apple puree -help please!

donna73

Hi hoping someone can help.
I'm trying to use /preserve fruit from the garden. I've made lots of jam and am wondering about putting apple puree into sterilised jars to store as I'm running out of room in my freezer.
All the recipes I've found online say you have to put the filled jars into a canning bath or large pot of boiling water . Ive never done this with jam or chutney and both have stored well for at least a year. Is it really necessary for apple sauce?? :undecided

DigForVictory

The Americans can things in baths to ensure that heat seal even in hot weather. It's worth it as instead of doubt you get about 4-5 years of robust storage.
Applesauce is still sweet & can still grow all sorts of unwanted bacteria if not properly sealed - how you seal it is your choice & canning is just one option. Wilco does jamjars by the dozen, and Kilner jars (more expensive but you can see very quickly if the seal is good) and if you do go Kilner, I'd buy on ebay in bulk or from Sainsburys (likewise bulk but play as many codes as you can for discounts & delivery)
All the best!

grandma247

If you want a virtually fail safe way of preserving your apple puree then water bath it and keep the jars in a dark place where the temperature is fairly even such as an under stairs cupboard. It will keep at least two years.

donna73

Thanks for the advice DigForVictory for jam / chutney I've just put hot contents into hot jars and used a twist-on lid. Does that mean I've just been lucky the contents have lasted??

donna73

Thanks grandma247 I've been storing jam ok under the stairs so I think that is the right temperature etc Im not sure any of my pans are deep enough to do the water bath, will have a look and see . also am I right in thinking that I need some sort of rack in the bottom of the pan for the jars to sit on?

Mojisola

donna73 wrote: »

I've made lots of jam and am wondering about putting apple puree into sterilised jars to store as I'm running out of room in my freezer.

What proportion of apples to sugar have you used?

Jam doesn't go off because of the high sugar levels - I don't make apple sauce as sweet as jam so have to freeze it.

donna73

Mojisola wrote: »

What proportion of apples to sugar have you used?

Jam doesn't go off because of the high sugar levels - I don't make apple sauce as sweet as jam so have to freeze it.

I've not cooked any more yet , but I'm same as you, would be a lot less sugar than in jam

Gigervamp

It's the amount of sugar in jam that preserves it. I read somewhere (don't remember where now) that it needs to be at least 60%. ie, if you use a kilo of fruit, you need at least 600g of sugar.

In chutneys, it's the vinegar that preserves.

SmlSave

I've made just Apple puree, not much sugar, and poured hot into jars - it's lasted 6 months with no mould.

donna73

SmlSave wrote: »

I've made just Apple puree, not much sugar, and poured hot into jars - it's lasted 6 months with no mould.

Did you seal the jars in a water bath ?

Gigervamp

Not all pathogens are visible to the naked eye.