Labels

00 flour 7-spice 8-ball squash açaí acorn squash afternoon tea agar ale alfalfa allspice almond butter almond essence almond meal almonds alphabet amchoor american anise seed apple apple cheese apple juice apple sauce apricots artichoke asiers asparagus aubergine autumn avocado balls balsamic vinegar banana banana skin bannock barberries barley basil bath bomb batter bay BBQ sauce bean burger bean pasta beans beansprouts beauty beer beeswax beet greens beetroot belize beluga lentils berbere berry bicarbonate of soda birch syrup birthday biscuits black beans black eyed beans black garlic black pepper black trumpet blackberry blewit blue cheese blueberry bok choi borlotti beans borscht boston bran brandy brazil nut brazilian bread bread flour breadcrumbs breadsticks breakfast brezeln british broad beans broccoli broccolini brown lentils brown rice brown sugar brownies brussels sprouts buckwheat bulghur wheat buns butter buttermilk butternut squash cabbage cacao cajun spice cake camping canada candied peel candles cannelini beans capers caramel caraway cardamom caribbean carob molasses carrot greens carrots cashew cauliflower cayenne celeriac celery celery seed ceps cereal champagne chanterelle chard cheese cheese rind cherry chervil Chestnut chia chia seeds chicken of the woods chickpea chickpea flour chickpea miso chickpeas child-friendly chilli chips chives chocolate christmas chutney cider cider vinegar cinnamon citric acid clapshot cloves coarse salt cocoa coconut coconut kefir coconut milk coconut oil coconut sugar coconut vinegar coffee collard greens compote cookies copenhagen cordial coriander coriander seed cornbread cornflour cornmeal cornstarch cottage cheese courgette courgette flowers couscous crabapple crackers cranberries cranberry cranberry sauce cream cream cheese cream of tartar creme de cassis crumble cucumber cumin cupuaçu curd currants curry curry leaves curry paste custard dal dandelion-ramp miso danish date date molasses dehydrator demerara sugar digestive biscuits dill dinosaur dip donuts dosa dragonfish dressing dried fruit drink dry tofu dukkah dulce de leche easter edamame egg egg yolk elderberry elderflower elephant english epsom salts essential oil evaporated milk fake milk fennel fennel seed fenugreek feta fiddleheads fig filo fire cooking firm tofu flan flapjack flatbread flour flowers focaccia food colouring football freekeh fresh yeast frittata fritters galangal galette garam masala garlic garlic scapes gazpacho german gin ginger ginger wine gingerbread glass noodles gluten-free glutinous rice flour gnocchi goat's cheese golden beets golden raisins golden syrup gooseberry gorgonzola graham flour granola grape grape molasses grapefruit greek green beans green pepper green plantain green tea green tomato haggis haricot beans harissa hazelnut hedgehog mushroom hemp seeds holy basil hominy honey horseradish hot cross buns hummus ice lollies iceland icing icing sugar indian injera irish italy jackfruit jam jamaican japanese jelly jicama kahlua kale kale chips kalonji kefir ketchup kohlrabi koji kombucha lasagne latkes lavender lebkuchen leek leek flowers lemon lemongrass lentils lettuce lime lime leaves linseed lion's mane mushroom liquorice powder lovage lunch macadamia nuts mace mahlab maitake mango maple syrup marble marigold marmalade marzipan masa harina mascarpone mash melon membrillo mexican milk millet mince pies mincemeat mint mirin miso mixed spice mochi moghrabieh molasses morel mousse mozzarella muesli muffins mulberry mulberry molasses mung beans mushroom mushroom powder mushroom stock mustard mustard oil naan nasturtium new york no-bake cake noodles not food nut butter nut roast nutella nutmeg nutritional yeast oat yoghurt oatmeal oats okara okra olive oil olives onion onion skins onions orange orange blossom orange juice oregano oyster mushroom package pancakes panch phoran papaya papaya seeds paprika parkin parmesan parsley parsnips pasta pastry peach peanut peanut butter pear peas pecan pecan pie pecorino pepper pesto petersilienwurzel philadelphia physalis pickle picnic pie pine nuts pineapple pistachio pizza plantain plum polenta pomegranate pomegranate molasses ponzu popcorn poppy seeds porridge potato potluck preserve pretzels prune psyllium seed husk pudding pumpkin pumpkin seed butter pumpkin seeds purple carrots purple noodles purple potato puy lentils pyo quince quinoa radicchio radish radish greens rainbow cake raisins raita ramps ras el hanout raspberry ratatouille ravioli red cabbage red kidney beans red lentils red onion red wine red wine vinegar redcurrant jelly redcurrants relish restaurant reykjavik rhubarb rice rice flour rice pudding rice vinegar ricotta risotto rocket rolls root veg chips rose rose harissa rosemary rugbrød rum runner beans rye saffron sage sake salad salsify salt sauce sauerkraut scones scottish sea buckthorn seaweed seeds semolina sesame oil sesame seeds sesame tofu seville orange shepherd's pie shiso silken tofu skyr slaw sloe snacks snow soba noodles socca soda bread sodium hydroxide soup sour cherries south american soy sauce soybean spaghetti spaghetti squash spätzle spelt spelt berries spinach spread spring spring onion sprouts squash st. george's mushroom star anise stew stout strawberry sugar sultana sumac summer sunchoke sundried tomato sunflower seed butter sunflower seeds super firm tofu sweet sweet potato sweetcorn tacos tahini tamale tamari tamarind tapioca flour tarragon tart tea tealoaf teff tempeh thai thyme tinned peaches tkemali toast tofu tofu scramble tomatillo tomato tomato puree tonka bean toronto tortillas tray bake treacle truck truffle turmeric turnip turnip greens tyttebær udon umeboshi vanilla vanilla bean vegetable stock veggie burger vermouth vine leaves vinegar walnut oil walnuts wasabi watermelon watermelon radish wax wheat berries whisky white balsamic vinegar white beans white chocolate white pepper white spelt flour white wine wholemeal wild garlic winter wood ear xanthan gum yeast yellow beans yellow split peas yoghurt za'atar zimtsterne

Methods

Making Preserves

I was nervous of jam making at first - there seemed to be so many rules about sterilisation etc, and it also seemed like you needed specialised equipment like a jam thermometer or even a water bath. I've made loads of jam now, and it is not complicated and you don't need anything fancy. Notes on my methods are below. You don't need to test for set point when making chutney or pickles, but the jar sterilisation and filling methods are the same. Note that these methods are only suitable for making jams or pickles with a respectable sugar / vinegar (preservative) content - for low sugar jams, purees or sauces it is necessary to use a water bath for sterilisation - I just freeze sauces in small quantities if I make them as I don't have a water bath.

Jar Sterilisation:
I always re-use empty glass jars (from jams, mustard, pickles, olives, that kind of thing) for jam making. The best ones have lids with those buttons that pop down when a seal is made. I wash the jars out immediately after emptying them of food, then store them dry until I need them. While boiling the jam, set the oven as low as it goes (about 110C) and run a sink full of hot, soapy water. Soak the jars and lids for at least 10 minutes to soften the labels and glue, then peel off the labels and wash out the jars thoroughly. Labels vary in how easily they come off - some peel right off, others need some encouragement with a blunt knife, others are a total lost cause. Most fall in the middle category. When the jars are clean, rinse them off with hot water and invert the jars and lids separately in the oven. Leave them in the oven for half an hour.

Setting Point:
I test setting point in the most low-tech way - put a saucer in the freezer for half an hour. When you think the jam might be ready, dribble a little puddle (about 1/2 a tsp) onto the cold saucer and return it to the freezer for 10 min. Take it out again, and push your finger through the centre of the puddle. If the jam wrinkles, it has reached setting point. Note - it may be a good idea to switch off the heat while testing the jam to avoid over-cooking - this can happen, you end up with a granular texture.

Filling jars:
Take a jar and lid out of the oven. Try not to touch inside the jar or lid. Switch off the heat about 10 minutes before filling the jars, so the jam is no longer bubbling but is still hot. Wrap your non-dominant hand in a folded teatowel or oven glove to protect it from drips of hot jam and help you to hold the hot jars. Use a large tablespoon or small ladle to fill one jar at a time. Fill the jar right up to about 0.5-1 cm short of the top and immediately screw the lid on tight. Leave until completely cool (if the lids have buttons in them they will pop down during this time, one of the most pleasing noises ever to my ears), tilt the jar to check for set, then clean off any drips from the outside of the jar and label them (my current best source of sticky labels are the unprinted edge bits that come around postage stamps). Jams are ready to eat straight away and should keep indefinitely. Chutneys will improve with age and you should wait at least 2 weeks before opening the first jar.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)