Author Topic: Bottling your own fruit  (Read 60030 times)

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #40 on: July 01, 2011, 16:32:56 »
« Last Edit: July 01, 2011, 16:34:54 by BarriedaleNick »
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Jeannine

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #41 on: July 01, 2011, 17:54:49 »
Goodlife, your last link for the kilner two peice lids is fine. I am not comfortable with the one piece lids for my type of canning,they are also too expensive as the whole thing has to be chucked instaed of a thin cap with the two piece.I do not recommend them. I am not sure about the quality of the glass they fit too, maybe considered jam jars in nthe UK if you are using the old methods but I  would want to know a lot more about them re heat stress etc before I would use them or suggest them

La Parfait jars are good qualitythe glass is strong and user friendly , they are pretty and if in good condition  very useable.The only down side is they will not stand up to repeated use the same as the Kilners as the spring fasteners tend to loosen over time,it is a common problem with all spring fasteners, you still have to replace the rubber seals and they are more expensive, if you have them and they are in good shape  with new sealers use them they are fine but I wouldn't go out and buy them if the Kilner jars where by there side.

The Kilner jars on that site are good, again I would prefer the two pice lids rather than the springs , the prices for new caps is disgusting though., I could ship 4 times the amount for that price..I pay less than 1 pound sterling for caps. It bothers me as the cost encourages folsk to reuse them

XX Jeannine

« Last Edit: July 01, 2011, 17:59:53 by Jeannine »
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Duke Ellington

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #42 on: July 01, 2011, 18:13:02 »
Hi Jeannine,

I have just checked out the jars and have a mix of both old and new bertolli jars. the new jar has a modern looking chunky lid and the older jar has a lid that looks more like a preserving lid but in one piece.  Thank you so much for offering to send me some lids however I have found a UK site that holds them in stock.  :)
Thank you for mentioning this in your post as I was about to send my jars to the bottle bank. My jars have been saved !! ;D
Oh ... What is your opinion re WECK JARS. I really do love WECK JARS.

Duke
dont be fooled by the name I am a Lady!! :-*

lillian

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #43 on: July 01, 2011, 20:02:52 »

Oh ... What is your opinion re WECK JARS. I really do love WECK JARS.

Duke

I love the look of WECk jars, but don't know where you can buy them in the Uk. Only place I've found them online is http://www.brouwland.com/en/

Duke Ellington

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #44 on: July 01, 2011, 21:11:44 »
You can buy them here....
http://www.blisshome.co.uk/products.asp?d=84&page=0
But they are so expensive in the UK.....and so cheap in Germany.

Duke
dont be fooled by the name I am a Lady!! :-*

lillian

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #45 on: July 01, 2011, 21:56:12 »
Dirt cheap on German Ebay site and some ship to the Uk. Very tempting....

plainleaf

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #46 on: July 01, 2011, 22:16:05 »
i have agree with : Jeannine on following modern canning/ bottling method
especially using tested recipes(canning certified recipes),cooking times/temperature/pressure requirements and proper bubble depth should always be used.

pickles and jam recipes are least likely to problematic due to high acidity and high sugar content respectively. But there are still issues to  worry about. 

ps in case jams and jellies make sure you use fresh and properly stored pectin. 
« Last Edit: July 01, 2011, 22:29:49 by plainleaf »

Jeannine

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #47 on: July 02, 2011, 07:35:25 »
Duke,, truthfully I don't know Weck jars.


I am so glad you saved the jars, it is only the one that has the deeper lid that will take the two piece ring and cap and you need the standard size not the wide mouth. Let me know if you get stuck I can send  some.

XX Jeannine
When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

galina

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #48 on: July 02, 2011, 10:46:12 »
Duke,, truthfully I don't know Weck jars.

XX Jeannine

I use Weck jars, Le Parfait, Leifheit, US mason jars and also reuse sauce jars with click top safety lids.  All work on the same principle - sealing sterilised food inside jars with vacuum pressure.  But the checking process, to make sure that the jars have sealed correctly, is done differently.  The US jars and reused jars with safety lids make an audible metallic popping noise when they seal shortly after coming out of the waterbath.  After that, they can't be 'clicked' anymore, but this is a test best done, when the jars have cooled down.  Trying to 'aid' sealing by clicking on the safety button will not result in a seal, the lid must pop down on is own.  

With jars that use rubber rings it is necessary to wait until the food is fully cooled before checking for seal.  The clips are taken off or the spring clips on a Le Parfait jars are unclipped, then the jar is lifted by its lid alone.  If the lid is held on tightly by the vacuum created, then a hermetic seal is achieved.  Should it lift off, the contents should be put in the fridge and eaten quickly because they won't be preserved.  

Leifheit, kilner and US jars that have a ring or clamp placed around the lid during processing don't need these anymore after the lids are sealed and the contents have cooled and they should be taken off for storage.  Two-part lids that are sealed securely don't click anymore and are held onto the jars by vacuum alone without rings, same as the glass lids of other types of jars.

After making sure that the correct sterilisation times for weight of contents have been observed, the check for correct seal of lids (whatever type are used) is the last thing that needs doing to ensure the contents are safely preserved.  

The lid check needs to be repeated just before opening jars of preserved food.  There is the familiar audible pop on opening metal safety lids when the vacuum pressure equalises.  There is a loud hiss of air when a rubber seal is released by pulling the tab on jar types with rubber seals and glass lids.

« Last Edit: July 02, 2011, 10:51:28 by galina »

Borlotti

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #49 on: July 02, 2011, 11:21:09 »
You have got me worried now, I just make jam and put in jam jars, washed, and even in drinking glasses if I have run out of jars.  Then stick foil on top if I run out of lids, usually keep it in the fridge and try and eat it in weeks.  If it goes mouldy, throw it.  Still here but may check the fridge and do a bit of chucking, as I don't eat a lot of jam.  Never give it away as know that I don't seal properly.  Think I will start putting the fruit in the freezer and give up on jam making until I have all the proper equipment.  Sometimes the shop bought jam goes mouldy in the fridge, once it has been opened, my Mum always used to scape the top off and we ate it, maybe we will lucky.

Hector

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #50 on: July 02, 2011, 11:27:58 »
Duke,, truthfully I don't know Weck jars.
I am so glad you saved the jars, it is only the one that has the deeper lid that will take the two piece ring and cap and you need the standard size not the wide mouth. Let me know if you get stuck I can send  some.
XX Jeannine

Thanks for this I have always wanted to make my own jams and pickles but have lacked the confidence. I am ordering the book on Amazon. I have some Kiliner (I think) vintage jars I will look out.
Jackie

Jeannine

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #51 on: July 02, 2011, 18:10:57 »
Hector the book you want is this one..but make sure you get the 2010 or 2011 one, the older one is still available on Amazon but is obselete.

Another way to check your selas by the way , Tap hard on the top with a teaspoon a well sealed jar gives out a good clear sound an unsealed jar gives a thunk.. try it with a couple you know to berigh and one that you have opened, the sound is very different.

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When God blesses you with a multitude of seeds double  the blessing by sharing your  seeds with other folks.

galina

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #52 on: July 03, 2011, 01:24:28 »
You have got me worried now, I just make jam and put in jam jars, washed, and even in drinking glasses if I have run out of jars.  Then stick foil on top if I run out of lids, usually keep it in the fridge and try and eat it in weeks.  If it goes mouldy, throw it.  Still here but may check the fridge and do a bit of chucking, as I don't eat a lot of jam.  Never give it away as know that I don't seal properly.  Think I will start putting the fruit in the freezer and give up on jam making until I have all the proper equipment.  Sometimes the shop bought jam goes mouldy in the fridge, once it has been opened, my Mum always used to scape the top off and we ate it, maybe we will lucky.
You could maybe make, cool and then freeze your jam in smaller portions and bring out one portion at a time.  This way you don't need to worry about seals and the jam would keep.  The small portion would most likely be used up before it can grow mouldy and the rest of the jam stays safe.

pumkinlover

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #53 on: July 06, 2011, 09:17:39 »
Borlotti - you say you do not eat jam much. do you eat yoghurt, I mix jam in with plain yoghurt which is lovely and helps you get through more ;) I only make jam in 2lb of fruit batches and keep rest in freezer till I need it. (luckily got big chest freezer in spare bedroom)

Hector

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #54 on: September 14, 2011, 17:35:23 »
have a mix of both old and new bertolli jars. the new jar has a modern looking chunky lid and the older jar has a lid that looks more like a preserving lid but in one piece. 

Duke, if it isn't cheeky, can I send you a lid or a photo of a lid off a Bertolli to see if I have ones that can get Kilner lids/seals for? I think its a newer one as no gradients/Mason letters on jar? It seems to have a pressured lid with poop up message?
Jackie

chonette

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #55 on: August 01, 2014, 20:39:58 »
Does any one still bother to do all this? I shove stuff in the freezer for over winter use but that is as far as I would go.  Often some remains when I am harvesting the next years yeild.

Agreed in remote areas and certain parts of the globe it is necessary but for most of us, we grow to eat fresh and depend on the supermarkets to keep us out of season.

Bottling has some advangtage over freezing, one is you do not need to remember taking things out of the freezer, just open a jar.
I did a lot of bottling some 40 years ago while living in Germany, then I had all the equipment, last year I started doing it again and I am finding very enjoyable I already had very large pans from years ago, so it has been easy to start again.

Tonight I am doing some peaches with brandy.

galina

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #56 on: August 02, 2014, 07:01:43 »
Welcome to A4A Chonette.  Peaches with brandy - now that sounds like a Christmas time treat. 

We also like bottling.  Freezer space only goes so far and once bottled, the produce is safe for a long time without any further power input.  When the children were younger we went camping and a few bottles came with us too.  Last year I did a lot of tomatoes.  I fancy doing another batch of dilly beans with the Cobra beans, an american recipe for a cross between bean salad and relish - very good. 

What happens to the alcohol in Peaches with brandy?  Does the waterbathing process cook it off? 


pumkinlover

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #57 on: August 02, 2014, 08:15:25 »
Welcome To A4A chonette. I've just read my post and a lot changes in 3 years. I'm now bottling fruit and tomatoes as freezer always full! I use pressure cooker instead of water bath and seems to work fine. Mr PKL perfected the method and so rarely have a breakage.
Are they home grown peaches?!

strawberry1

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Re: Bottling your own fruit
« Reply #58 on: June 26, 2016, 20:12:11 »
 :icon_cheers:  Almost bottling time and I have just eaten yummy bottled gooseberries from last year. Still have loads of jars left and also blackberries from the year before. I almost panicked this morning when I took in the fact that my blackcurrant bushes are very loaded this year and so is my freezer, before I start. Then I remembered about bottling

I already have a good store of kilner jars and new tops but I will be checking those this week. I don`t pressure cook but I do use a hot water bath and precise timings and temperatures. I find I can get 3 jars into my jam maslin, on a trivet and I can also get 3-4 in a large tall pressure cooker that I use without the lid. I scalped my gooseberries this year as I am trying to grow as standards for easy picking and so far so good, they are all each supported by a metal pole. There will only be a handful this year

Am also going to bottle apples for the first time. I have thinned them somewhat but will wait until mid july now for the important thinning. I`ll still have far to many for one

I do love my own fruit all through winter and so worth the effort now

 

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