[Kleftiwallah]

Just cracked open a jar.  Matured nicely, great on a ham bun.



Cheers,   Tony.

[allotmentann]

What would the health and safety police say!  I think some of my chutneys may be maturing even longer, I can't get down it very fast! Cucumber and celery sounds quite unusual

[Mrs Bee]

To hell and back with the 'elf and safety police. ANd welcome back to common sense and the sense of sight, smell and taste.

Allotment Ann, i am sure your  chutneys will taste even better from the long keeping

We have just finished a jar of grapefruit chutney from 2008, and it was even better for the keeping. Rather like a fine wine. 

 If the vinegar, sugar vegatable ratio was good, and excess vegetable moisture cooked out, and the jar seal was good there should be no probs.

Looks good Tony.

[New shoot]

Must admit I haven't made any chutney this year as we still had plenty from last year.  As yields were down because of the rubbish summer, I wanted all my fruit and veg to eat fresh, freeze or dehydrate for the coming winter 

Preserves by their nature are made to keep and totally agreee Mrs Ball - use your nose and common sense to tell if its still good to eat.  Mine have been fine so far 

I like piccalilli type preserves, so that looks very good Tony 

[allotmentann]

I am always scared to open the jar and try! (I used to have a dreadful mould phobia as a child! But I have been getting braver in my old age!). I am reassured Mrs Ball by your advice, though not so certain about my standards of preserving!

[Mrs Bee]

I am always scared to open the jar and try! (I used to have a dreadful mould phobia as a child! But I have been getting braver in my old age!). I am reassured Mrs Ball by your advice, though not so certain about my standards of preserving!

Get the OH to try it first.

If it has mould on then ditch it, but otherwise smell it and again if the seal is tight and the preserve has not shrunk then it is probably OK.
I also prefer to but new lids for my recycled jars for home use. The really aren't very expensive. i think I got 50 for about £13. You can get a really good seal with a new lid and you don't have to worry about old lids going rusty and tainting the chutney either.


I always use new jars and lids for the ones I am selling tho'.

[angelavdavis]

I am always scared to open the jar and try! (I used to have a dreadful mould phobia as a child! But I have been getting braver in my old age!). I am reassured Mrs Ball by your advice, though not so certain about my standards of preserving!

Snap Ann, how funny!

I still don't have butter on my sandwiches because I can't bear it when butter gets in jam or chutneys and causes mould to start (or toast crumbs get in the butter)!  I am really funny about it - I am not normally precious about stuff but I go through a lot of knives when making breakfast or sandwiches - my family think I am mad!!!

[allotmentann]

I am always scared to open the jar and try! (I used to have a dreadful mould phobia as a child! But I have been getting braver in my old age!). I am reassured Mrs Ball by your advice, though not so certain about my standards of preserving!

Snap Ann, how funny!

I still don't have butter on my sandwiches because I can't bear it when butter gets in jam or chutneys and causes mould to start (or toast crumbs get in the butter)!  I am really funny about it - I am not normally precious about stuff but I go through a lot of knives when making breakfast or sandwiches - my family think I am mad!!!

Angela I too have a horror of butter or crumbs mixing. My mum used to put a big chunk of butter on the knife, spread the bread and put the excess back in the container (that makes me feel sick still!). And I always use a clean spoon to take jam etc from the jar so no dirty knife can ever go in it.
I can actually deal with mouldy stuff now - as in getting rid of it. The compost heaps got me used to that! But years ago if anything went mouldy I used to have to wait for my mum to visit to deal with it (and she lives fifty miles away!). Years of having no choice but to do stuff myself has toughened me up! Had my hands down the drains the other week! 

[hamstergbert]

I am really intrigued here!

How on earth do you make a jar of home-made whatever, especially jam, last long enough after opening to develop mould?   No chance in my kitchen!

Mind you, at son's house a part jar (of my soor plum and rowan jilly) got overlooked and ws found some time later absolutely encrusted with mould (probably due to casualness with getting butter in the jar learned in student days).   As the mould was so thick as to have reached the half  inch long 'grey hair stage, a certain amount of amusement was gained by using a fork to apply a parting and various forms of 'hairstyle'.  Alcohol may have been involved.   And afterwards, as there was almost half a jar in there,  a half inch of the mouldy stuff was scooped off and the rest (sans lid) given a quick zapping in the microwave and subsequently eaten with no apparent ill effects.

edit: but we are all trained mouldy jam-eating professionals so don't try this at home, kiddies.

[allotmentann]

  Oh I wish I had such a strong stomache! Good  tip re the microwave , I  will be using that. Probably won't be practising my hairdressing skills though!