I thought you might like a couple of helpful tips for those people who either are doing a little or thinking about doing some home preserving.
Helpful items for home preserving: These are quite basic items really and make a good start.
There are loads of other items that can be added at a later date to make your preserving activities much easier but for putting up jams and chutneys this is really all you need.
Good sized pot (either preserving pan or wide heavy based stock pot) and of course, jars/lids.
Jar lifter: essential for easy removal of hot jars
Jar funnel: helps in pouring and packing of liquid and small food items into jars
Lid wand: magnetized wand for removing treated lids from hot water
Saying this, I used to manage quite well with my ordinary tongs though I just love my magnetic wand now.
Clean cloths: handy to have for wiping jar rims, spills and general cleanup
Knives: for preparing food
Narrow, flat rubber spatula: for removing trapped air bubbles before sealing jars
Timer or clock: for accurate food processing time
Hot pads (trivets/cork boards)
Cutting board
Cotton gloves (available from Woolworths)
A good recipe or recipe book, this will give you an idea of how much fruit or other product to use for a given recipe.
Knowing How Much to Put up
Keeping good records is the best way to know how much food to put up each year. Keep a designated notebook or if you are computer literate, start a file especially for keeping your yearly preservation records. (don't forget to use a back up disk)
These are invaluable record-keeping tools to prevent you from running short or having too many jars of one thing or another on your shelves.
Wait Before Eating Your Pickles!
Pickled foods reach their full flavor about 6 weeks after they have been processed. Sometimes longer. Wait at least 6 weeks, 12 is better, before opening any of those home-preserved pickles.
Thats about it for my input this week. Keep Well everyone and if your still putting fruit or veg up, then happy preserving.
Cheers Kathleen
