Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: apes1978 on July 02, 2007, 12:58

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: apes1978 on July 02, 2007, 12:58

Hi, i have been saving my jars in anticipation of making lots of strawberry jam and chutneys.  

The problem is that even though ive washed the jars, i can still smell the remains of what was previously in them.  Is it ok to steralise the jars in milton fluid or just throw them and start again?

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: WG. on July 02, 2007, 13:38

Store the empties with the lids off.

If the smell is strong, best to separate sweet / savoury, i.e. ex-jam jars for jam, pickle/chutney/sauce jars for chutneys

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: ytyynycefn on July 02, 2007, 16:36

Once you've washed them in hot soapy water and rinsed out with boiling, and dried in the oven just before you fill them (well, that's what I do!), there's very little smell left.

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: apes1978 on July 02, 2007, 17:44

Thanks everyone, i wont throw them away just yet then!

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: GrannieAnnie on July 02, 2007, 22:30

I could still smell pickles a bit in some of mine, even after I'vd dried them, so I put them in a bowl of water with a little bicaronate of soda, then re-rinsed and dried them.  No smell!!!!

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: Annie on July 03, 2007, 18:38

Definatly bicarb,as grannieannie says.

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: apes1978 on July 06, 2007, 15:11

thanks, how much bicarb should i put in?

Title: Jams and Chutney Jars
Post by: GrannieAnnie on July 06, 2007, 15:14

Hi Apes, I just chucked some in, but perhaps a tablespoon in a washing up bowl?  Swish it around and just leave your jars to soak for a few minutes.  Take one out and smell it, if smell still there, maybe a little more bicarb, but that should be enough.