Advice on Jam/Chutney Making

[Tealady]

Made some chutney this afternoon. Never made it before.

After filled the jars I had quarter of a jars worth left. I put it into a full size sterilised jar. Will this keep or does the jar have to be full to keep well?

[sing-low]

I usually put part filled jars in the fridge to use up rather than keeping them. What flavour did you make?

[loocyloo]

I too, usually put half filled jars into fridge to use up.

I make lots of jam, but haven't braved chutney yet! is it an easy recipe? I only do easy!

[sweets]

I have 2 big bowls of unripe plumbs loads more on the tree! An easy chutney recipe would be good if anyone s got one?

[sing-low]

I too, usually put half filled jars into fridge to use up.

I make lots of jam, but haven't braved chutney yet! is it an easy recipe? I only do easy!

loocyloo - chutney is soooo much easier than jam - no setting point etc. you just cook until a spoon pulled through makes a channel which doesn't immediately fill with liquid.

[Tealady]

Thanks all. I'll pop it in the fridge.

I hadn't made chutney before and found it much easier than jam.

We had a neighbour give us a load of eating apples. Too many for snack time. Made a couple of apple cakes so thought I'd try chutney.

I looked up some recipies but was always short on some ingredient. So I chopped up about 7 apples. Lobbed in a few hard horrid spanish plums that haven't ripened and two onions. Had some a small quantity of sultanas so added them too. Put in about a cup of sugar and double that of malt vinegar and a slug of balsamic too. Added spice (ground ginger, pepper, all spice, a star anise and a little cinnamon ) and salt.

I just boiled it all up and simmered until you can drag a spoon through as mentioned above.

Tasted OK when I licked the spoon so we will see if that's still the case after it has matured for a few weeks :-)

So with the unripened plums I would just google a few recipes and tweak to what you have in the cupboard.

[loocyloo]

sounds good ... might have to try! for the first year ever ALL my tomato plants grew and I am starting to drown under tomatoes! I have 'sun dried' a few in the oven, but they don't keep for long!