If you'd like to discover the first part of this little series of posts, you can read Preserving the Old Ways Part 1: Foraging and Jam-Making Here's a list of what you can discover in Part 2:
I think this could be my favourite time of year, when the heavy heat of the summer gives way to the very beginnings of autumn. The sunlight changes, just subtly, to a rich gold and the warmth feels like it reaches inside and nourishes you. Then again, ask me on a crisp and frosty morning with clouds of breath in the air and rosy cheeks, or on a spring day with fresh shoots finally bursting from the soil and I'll probably tell you those are my favourites too ...
At this time of year, my growing space seems more orchard than garden, and the apple trees are weighed down with heavy branches. This year they've done so well! I've been listening to the windfalls thump on the ground this week, knowing that I need to just stop and take the time to gather the ones on the trees before any more fall. A definite nudge from nature. It's time to make chutney and jam.
Of course, this is the point in the post where I have to place a shameless plug for our Woodlarking foraging bags. The bags themselves are made of a strong, long-lasting woven fabric and are available in two sizes and two different designs (full range here). The purchase of a bag also helps to support this blog and enables us to take the time to write new posts :-)
General info about chutney making
For anyone new to making your own preserves, chutney is a reliable and simple method to try. It's a bit less technical than jam (not that that's difficult, I promise!) and you don't really need any special kit. Your house will be filled with the wonderful, pungent smells of spiced vinegar and fruit and forevermore, that will remind you of the very start of autumn.
The combination of vinegar and sugar in chutneys not only creates a really tasty addition your table, but the acidity preserves the fruit or vegetables by making it difficult for bacteria to grow. Cooking the mixture also helps by killing any germs, and the sealed environment in a sterilised jar all helps to create a long-lasting food.
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Equipment:
Jars and lids It’s always a good idea to prepare a few more jars and lids than you think you’ll need. Personally, I like to use Kilner jars (I think the US equivalent would be Ball Mason jars). I buy a few more each year and I think of them as a lifetime investment to be used again and again.
The small jars in the photo above (available in packs of 6* or packs of 12*) are an excellent size for all sorts of preserves, and they're especially nice for gift-giving. You can stack two or three jars containing different preserves, into a tower and pop them into a cellophane bag. Tie it up with a ribbon and, voila, a really heartfelt and homely gift.
The larger 500ml jars (also available in packs of 6* or packs of 12*) are my go-to time and again. They're just so practical, and also look rather wonderful on your kitchen shelves.
Lids and rings Kilner preserve jars have a two-part lid made up of a centre disc and an outer ring. A new lid* should be used each time, but the ring* part can be reused if it’s not rusty. Newly bought jars will come with the lids so this info is aimed at those reusing older jars.
If you don’t have Kilner jars, you can easily use jars saved from shop-bought foods, though the glass will be a little thinner and less tolerant of the heat so it’s easier to crack. Discard any jars with chips or cracks in the glass.
You can see how to sterilise your jars in a previous preserving post.
A large saucepan or stockpot
Metal jam funnel A metal jam funnel* is so helpful when spooning hot chutney into hot jars, and helps to keep the rims of your jars clean and free of splashes.
I also like to use waxed paper discs* with chutney-making. They're used to stop any contact between the acid of the vinegar and the metal lid. Kilner lids are actually vinegar-proof but I think it's just an ingrained part of my chutney-making ritual.
The differences between US and UK preserving methods
One thing I should add is that I think US and UK preserving methods may be slightly different. In the US, you're all much more used to canning than we are, so (from what I've seen on groups at least) you seem to process your jars after filling them whereas, in the UK, we sterilise our jars in the oven (method here, or you can carefully bring them to the boil in a pan to sterilise – there are lots of instructions on Google for that) and spoon the hot chutney straight into the hot jars and seal them. The method I'm describing below is the UK method and uses UK measurements.
Storing chutney
Every year, I like to make at least one type of jam and one type of chutney. I make enough to last us a few years so we end up with a rolling selection. If it's cooked well and goes into properly sterilised jars, chutney will last for several years if not more. Jams, jellies and marmalades can happily last for even longer. I still have a few jars of blackcurrant jam, crabapple jelly, and various marmalades from some rather huge quantities made back in 2011! They're stored away in a cool, dry place, at the back of a cupboard so they're out of the light, and the seals are still perfectly intact.
Obviously, when you open a new jar (whether from the last year, or the last decade ...) you need to look for any signs that it isn't properly sealed, or that the contents has degraded. If that's all fine and it looks, smells and tastes as it should then enjoy it :-)
So, on to this year's first batch - spiced apple chutney.
Spiced Apple Chutney Recipe
2.5kg/ 5lbs apples
500ml/ 1 pint malt vinegar
450g/ 1lb Demerara sugar
1 tblsp salt
1 tblsp ground ginger
6 fresh chillies
225g/ 8oz onions
225g/ 8oz sultanas
225g/ 8oz stoned dates
Method:
Prepare your jars and sit them in a very low heat oven to sterilise. Peel, core and chop the apples. You can use apples with imperfections (and it's an excellent use for them!) but make sure you chop out any bruised or poor parts. If there are any apples which need a lot of chopping out, you might wish to add one or two more to make up the weight.
Put the vinegar, salt, ginger and chopped and deseeded chillies into a large pan and bring to the boil slowly, stirring to dissolve the sugar as it heats. When it's boiling, add the apples, chopped onions, dates and sultanas. Simmer for about an hour until it's thick and golden brown.
A lot of juice will come of out the apples as they cook so you need to make sure your chutney isn't runny. It should "channel" when you draw a spoon through it when it's ready - that simply means that when you pull a wooden spoon through it, a channel is created which holds for a short time. If it fills straight away, your chutney is still too liquid. See the video below for a better idea of how it looks when it's ready.
When ready, spoon the hot chutney into your hot jars. I like to use a metal jam funnel to help keep the tops of the jars clean. Check the sides of your jars for large air bubbles and use a teaspoon to poke about and encourage them out. Add a disc of waxed paper to stop the acidity of the vinegar having contact with the metal lids if you wish/need to (there are notes above about this).
Finally, seal your jars while they're still properly hot. As they cool, you'll hear that excellent "pop" when the lid is sucked downwards by the seal forming. When the jars are cold, check the lid is firm - if you can push the centre of the lid downwards, it hasn't sealed properly so use those jars fairly soon. Label* clearly with the contents and date, and store in a cupboard so they're away from the light.
Usually I recommend keeping chutney for a year before using. Often, the flavours can be quite harsh at first - the acidity of the vinegar and the sweetness of the sugar, along with the fruit and the spices are all vying for attention at first. Over time though, they mingle and mellow and transform into a thing of culinary beauty.
There are exceptions to every rule though and the apple chutney recipe above is pretty amazing straight away! I don't think I'll actually have any left in a year - I keep envisaging it with a chunk of really mature cheddar and some freshly made bread ...
Summer Damson Chutney Recipe
Chutney recipes are generally very adaptable. As long as you keep pretty much to the original ratios of fruit:sugar:vinegar, you can swap about the types of fruit or sugar for example, and change the spices to suit what you have, or what you like.
The following recipe is a good example of this. As it's written, it makes an excellent richly-coloured chutney which is fantastic to bring out with cold meats at Yule, or dolloped alongside sausages. It's an excellent way of reminding yourself of foraging on those long summer days, even at the coldest and darkest time of the year.
I'll leave the ingredients list fairly unstructured so you can adapt it as you wish :-)
Equipment:
For an equipment list, please see above. For this recipe, you will also need a small piece of muslin* and some (non-plastic) string.
Ingredients:
3lb/1.35kg damsons or plums
1lb/450g apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
3 large onions, finely chopped
5 or so cloves garlic, crushed or very finely chopped
6-10 fresh chillies, deseeded and very finely chopped (optional)
1lb/450g sultanas, seedless raisins, or stoned dates (or a mixture)
1 tblsp ground ginger
2 tblsp sea salt
2lb/900g brown sugar (a mixture of half dark soft brown sugar and half demerara sugar works well so you get a good balance of richness, colour and sweetness)
2 pints/ 1.2 litres malt vinegar
2 or 3 cinnamon sticks
1oz/25g allspice berries
1 rounded tsp whole cloves
How to prepare damsons:
Damsons and plums contain a stone in the centre which you need to remove. Wash the damsons and check them over. Remove any which are damaged or mouldy. Remove any stalks, leaves, etc.
Cut each damson in half lengthways, twist to remove a half of the fruit, and then carefully cut out the stone from the other half with the tip of a small, sharp knife. Some of the fruits will squish and smoosh as you work with them but that’s fine because it’s all going to cook down and disintegrate as your chutney cooks anyway. It's a fiddly necessity but the end result is worth the effort :-)
Method:
Place the prepared damsons or plums into a large preserving pan or stockpot, along with the chopped apples and onions, garlic, and chillies (if using). Add the sultanas/raisins/dates, ground ginger, sea salt, sugar, and vinegar.
Make a little spice bag by popping the allspice berries, cloves, and cinnamon sticks into the piece of muslin and tying it up with the string. Tie this to the pan handle so it's suspended in the liquid.
Slowly bring the mixture to the boil, stirring frequently so the sugar fully dissolves. Once it's boiling, lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for roughly 2-3 hours, continuing to stir regularly, particularly towards the end of cooking so it doesn't stick and burn on the base of the pan. Leave the lid off the whole time when cooking - a chutney should be thick, so you need the excess liquid to evaporate off. See the video above to see what a chutney looks like when it's "channelling". When yours is at this point, it's ready to put into your prepared, hot jars.
Pop a waxed paper disc* on top and seal with a lid. When cold, check the jars are properly sealed, label* clearly with the contents and date, and store in a cool, dark place.
I recommend keeping this chutney for at least a year to mellow into a rich and fruity accompaniment to meats. It also makes a really good addition to a strong, creamy brie.
Now you're ready to turn your hedgerow finds into favourite preserves – that's the magic of homemade chutney. Happy foraging!
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