When making preserves, cleanliness in the kitchen is very important to prevent contamination of the mixture by airborne bacteria or fungi.
JARS : I use a mixture of old jars I have laying about and some I have purchased specifically for preserving.
First wash jars and their lids in hot soapy water or you can put them in the dishwasher.
Then place them in a cold oven, bring temperature to 120°C and leave for approximately 30 minutes.
OR
Place them in a large saucepan, cover them with cold water, bring to boil and simmer for approximately 20 minutes (top up with boiling water from time to time if required)
I tend to use this method and use a cheap, large soup pot I picked up from Woolworths for about $15.00.
Fill jars with hot preserves while they are still hot making sure you don't touch any of the inside surfaces to avoid contamination. Usually fill to about 1/4 inch from the top.
Once jars are filled, wipe around the top of any jars with a clean (sterilised) cloth to clean up any spillages.
Put lids on jars and place into a saucepan of boiling water to seal.
Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and Fruits for approximately 15mins
Tomatoes for approximately 40mins
NOTES TAKEN FROM COUNTRY WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION PRESERVES COOKERY BOOK
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