Homemade chutneys etc - talk me through it!

[RememberToPlaywiththeKids]

I need lovely recipes!!!

Where do I buy containers (only have 2 empty jam jars as we don't eat jam)

How do I sterilise them?

How long do the chutneys last for??

Delia good for chutney, also I think Nigella. Did you have anything specific in mind?

Lakeland good for jars, also Ikea or Wilkinson. I find 250ml jars more useful than the bigger ones. I like to give a couple of small jars of different things per gift. Or jars sometimes come up on Freecycle.

I sterilise by putting through dishwasher but you can also use a low oven after washing thoroughly. If you are putting hot chutney into jars remember the jars need to be hot too.

Chutneys need around 6 weeks on average to mature in flavour, will keep for up to a year, or about a couple of months after opening.

HTH

that's great thank you.

I'm not sure really but i did have a fabulous plum chutney served with cheese once and that was amazing, so I guess something like that would be on my list!

oh what is 250mls in oz do you happen to know?

can i use those jars with the rubber ring under the lid that clip down (bad explanation!) or is the rubber impossible to sterilise?

Do you put jam covers over the chutney before you close it in?

I used a Nigella recipe, easy to make and very very delicious. God, I felt worthy!

can you remember which one / what it was called?

Roughly how many jars does one batch make?

Tbh, lakeland jars are pretty expensive, we just bought a ton of 19p economy jam/marmalade and removed label and used them

Most people can quickly accumulate sufficient glass jars - we save coffee jars, pasta sauce jars, pesto, jam, honey, marmalade, mayo etc etc so quickly mount up. Actually think varied shapes and sizes are pretty and add to charm of home made gift.

We do put waxed discs over chutney when making - got these, labels and a funnel from Lakeland. They also sell a chutney/jam caddy - a sort of cardboard box creation for putting in four jars of home made goodies if you wanted to present them nicely. I thought this looked a bit pricey, and would probably just get a cheap basket and fill with tissue etc. and wrap with cellophane to make look poncey/attractive.

Last year we did Nigella's cranberry chutney from her Christmas book - a truly spectacular colour and it tasted nice. This year, so far have made mango and butternut squash, and am waiting for a consignment of apples from imminent MIL visit to do a batch of apple chutney. We put loads of jars in dish washer, make up chutney according to recipe and then just fill lots of small pots until we stop. Most recipes will give an indication of finished quantities, but is not an exact science.

I think chutney should wait a little bit longer than six weeks - a chutney made in late October will be ready by Christmas but three months would be better.

Thank and great idea to buy the cheapo jam for the jars etc!! Is it naughty to just chuck the jam ?

I looked on the lakeland website last night and it was £6 for 12 8oz jars.

Crikey - I need to get on it if anything is to be edible by christmas don't I? Have I missed the boat really?

We chuck the jam cos its.grim :o

We use the marmalade to glaze a.ham though :o

Double check the lakeland jars come with lids....mist don't!

Hope its not to late!.
I haven't started yet!