[tenderness]

Hi all  , just joined and introduced myself over at the welcome page. Aunt Sally suggested I pop over here to ask you about heat processing - here's my question:

Does everything I make have to be heat processed? I've been wrestling with tongs and clamp top jars in my preserving pan for the past day or so, and (update on original post) I seem to have given myself back ache!  I've heat processed two batches of chutney in smaller screwtop jars as well.

I will be heat processing forever if I have to do my jellies. Also, will what's suspended in the jellies (flowers, herbs, chillies) float to the top if I process them?

Advice gratefully received. Thanks,  Confused

[WG.]

I make large quantities of various chutneys and bottled fruit, this is what I do.

cook as dictated by recipe in preserving pan
bottle into jars from dishwasher
place in microwave until bubbling again
take a lid out of a pan of boiling water and screw on lightly
shake each jar to heat airspace
CAREFULLY release pressure and screw on lids tightly

Have lost one jar of bottled low-sugar strawberries out of many hundreds done in this way (and that was attributable to a cracked rim on the jar).

[tenderness]

WG ingenious  Have pasted this into my preserves folder for future ref.
Do you think it's achievable with preserves that were made a month ago? or only freshly made stuff?

[WG.]

only freshly made stuff.   It is important to boil the produce and that is not possible with stuff made earlier.

[Salkeela]

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I heat jars and lids in the oven for 20mins or so.  Go up slowly to 100'C.

Then lift out on a tray and pour in the just made (& just off boil) jam using a plastic heat scaled jug.  Set lids on top of each one, until all done then tighten them all.  Wipe down the jar, label and store!

Will this not work?  Has for me so far!

[gobs]

I also you use the oven like that, I happen not to own a dishwasher, it works fine.

[WG.]

Will this not work?  Has for me so far!

Jam is very forgiving due to preserving effect of high sugar content but your method is also good.  I bottle strawberries with only 50gm of sugar to about 500gm of fruit and so a vacuum seal is critical.  

[tenderness]

Well, after all this sound advice I'm ditching my inferior kiln jars and sticking to the screwtop ones in future for larger quantities of pickle.

All the seals failed, apart from my Le P ones. And I will definitely ditch any chutney not sealed. Appreciate all the feedback thanks all  

[WG.]

Keep the chutney in the fridge and use it quickly.  It should be okay on account of the high vinegar content.  Check each jar carefully before using.

Jams, as I mentioned earlier, will be okay.

Bottled fruit (low sugar) and especially bottled vegetables (without vinegar) are the really critical items.

[gobs]

and fish  

[tenderness]

WG thanks, will stack fridge quick. What am I checking for when I open them up? Slime and mould I'm guessing

Gobs...fish? Oh, like herrings and stuff?

Just out of interest, can you get ill eating home-made stuff or does your nose generally know when something is no-go?