Topic: Overcooked chutney

[caroline7758]

I have just got infrom the graden and realised that my rhubarb chutnet has been cooking for nearly 3 hours! :-[ Do you think it will be ok? I know I could just wait and see but I'd like to know whether it's worth sterilising my jars!

[Tin Shed]

I would taste it - have always found that if a chutney tastes good as soon as you have made it, it will be really good when it has matured a bit.  Is it EJ's recipe?
Did it burn the bottom or the preserving pan, because that might affect the taste?

[caroline7758]

Yes, EJ's recipe. It tastes fine- a bit too spicy actually as I used hot curry powder.But it's much runnier than it should be. Maybe I'll liquidise it and turn it into barbecue sauce!

[Tin Shed]

I find that it thickens very slightly when it cools.
I hardly dare say this, but you could cook it for a bit longer to thicken it a bit!!!!!

[Mrs Ava]

Wonder whether it is the time of year and the young bub that is to blame for the looser chutney as I have made some, and so has my neighbour who originally gave me the long lost recipe, and she complained her's wouldn't thicken, and mine probably cooked for about 3 hours and still it wasn't as thick as I would have expected.  Still great though.  ;D

[PurpleHeather]

It is a shame when things do not work out, but this is often when great new recipes are discovered. Your Barbecue sauce or a marinade idea is good.

For a runny chutney a pectin, like they use for jam may help, it depends on how long it needs to be kept because I have actually added arrowroot to jams that have not set properly. I sprinkled two teaspoons full on to the cold mix and reheated stirring constantly. I made sure this got used first and was kept in the fridge. Cornflour won't work instead. It has different qualities.

I do find that chutney does thicken with keeping, so may be in a few years...?

If the chutney is too spicy, plain yoghurt/coconut will make it milder, it could be mixed just before using. Might be nice, as a dip.

I would still keep it and put a spoonful into those stews and things that when tasted, they could do with adding something but not sure what. If you know what I mean.   

[caroline7758]

Thanks for all the ideas, PH. I really don't want to throw it all away. And it's good to know I'm not the only one having problems!

[jennym]

Use EJ's recipe for rhubarb chutney quite often, and variations on it. Have found that often, cooking the fruit & veg for chutneys first, usually with the spices in a little of the vinegar in a slow cooker or pressure cooker or in a microwave helps to drive off the water within the veg.
Then when you add the sugar and the rest of the vinegar after the veg is softer, you can very quickly bring the mix up to high temperatures and it does thicken a lot more quickly. The right amount of sugar is important too - not just added sugar, the sugar content of the fruit & veg matters. I've found that overall the time needed to make chutneys is very much reduced this way.
Must add, I would never recommend adding arrowroot or cornflour or any other type of thickener to jams, and don't find the need to use commercial pectin - if the fruit is of suitable quality and cooked first, the jam will set.

[caroline7758]

Another hour simmering thickened it up nicely- may still be too spicy for most people though!