I was thinking of bottling fruit this year, has anybody got any good methods?
I made some chilli sauce last year and also dried some.
I have made tomato ketchup in previous years.
Which produce do you preserve, and what methods do you use?
ooo, Supersprout has a great list of instructions for bottling. I have it printed out on my fridge. I have pears, plums and blackberries all bottled for use at some point. If when I log in tomorrow there aren't any bottling instructions, I will get mine and type them up.
If I don't jam, jelly, pickle, chutney, bottle, dry or freeze it, then I store it in damp compost - clamp like, or scoff it! I know some people had a lot of success bottle tomato passatta but I haven't tried that yet. To be honest, I tend to freeze all of my excesses for use as and when I need them.
Found this guide to be very good, be aware that it's american so when they say "canning" they mean bottling/jarring.
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/publications_usda.html
Thanks for that, I can't wait until the fruits are ready to be bottled.
A long wait though, I haven't planted them yet. :D
I'm off to Aldi tomorrow to get a load of their 3 for £1.99 fruit bushes.
Hi, I have canned (bottled for years).Fruit, veggies and even meat and fish. If I can help anyone please feel free to contact me. Be careful of older books they can be out of date with safety aspects etc. Love to help if I can. XX Jeannine
Ooh Jeaannine, hooray, I have a question right now! (or tim, Moonbells, EJ .... ::))
When you're bottling under pressure, e.g. bolognese sauce using screw topped metal tops (with the tell tale dimple) how do you tighten them before and after cooking? (Assumes hot fill)
Before: screw tight, loosen slightly, or leave lid very loose?
After, when pressure is down: leave well alone, tighten further when hot?
It's particularly the trick with the all in one metal screw tops - but any and all lid-tightening tips for pressure-bottled meat/fish goodies pleeease?
I have been bottling under pressure for less than a year, can't believe already what a difference it's made to our little household economy to have home-bottled in the larder! So pleased you're aboard for A4a's burgeoning bottling battalions ;) and belated welcome (http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/flower.gif)
Hi,I used what are called standard Mason jars in the States, this is what I have with me now, with a screw ring which holds a cap that dips when sealed. Presume you are using the same. After filling the jars just tighten comfortably with your hand,there is no need to overscrew it. After you take them out of you canner the outer rings may be a bit loose but the important cap which will have dimpled will be on tight. If you try to tighten the outer ring you are more likely to break the seal on the cap underneath, so leave well alone. It is possibel to remove the outer ring all together if the seal is good, I don't do that as I have enough rings but I know many people who do. Always check the seal is good, they often pop after coming out of the canner, tap the top with a spoon, sealed makes a different sound to unsealed, try it with a sealed jar and a not sealed one. Sorry if I am explaining what you already know. There are one piece lids that I have never used and I don't know much about them.
It is interesting to find someone canning, it is so commomplace over there but not so here. When I came back here I left my big pressure canner so could only do fruits,jams and pickles for a while but I broke down at the back end of last year and had a really big canner shipped over so I can do my veggies and soups again this year. No fish though, my salmon contact didn't cross the water with me either.
Hope some of this was helpfl.
May I ask what you can(bottle)?
XX Jeannine