Four ways not to get in a pickle with preservatives when making your own jam
JARS at the ready – it’s time to make use of nature’s bounty.
Using fruit from outdoors, you can create some tasty jams and chutneys for little cash.
Follow our tips for the pick of the preserves . . .
GET FRUITY: Ursh Stevens, a preserving expert, picks wild raspberries or blackberries for her favourite jam recipe.
She washes a kilo of the berries and pops them in a large pan with the juice of a lemon and a kilo of sugar.
Ursh says: “Use a potato masher to crush the fruit. Keep stirring until the sugar is melted, then increase the heat.
“Hold at a rolling boil for five minutes.” To check it is set, have a plate ready that’s been in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Put a spoonful of jam on the plate and run your finger through it — set jam should wrinkle and not flood back in to fill the gap.
Pour into sterilised jars and seal.
WHAT A GIFT: Yes, Christmas is months away, but you can save money on gifts by getting busy now.
Ursh, who shows her present ideas on Instagram at thebermonths, says: “Edible gifts you can make during the summer include elderberry cordial, rosehip syrup, damson jam, and damson, blackberry or raspberry gin or vodka.
“You could also make tomato chutney or pickled radishes.”
TOP TOMS: If you have a glut of homegrown tomatoes, all you need is vinegar, sugar and spices to make a tasty sauce.
The recipe for tomato-and-chilli chutney at realfood.tesco.com is tasty as part of a picnic, with cheese or even as part of a barbecue spread.
KEEP IT CLEAN: It is important to use sterilised jars when making jams and pickles, to prevent mould and keep your preserves fresh.
Preheat the oven to 140C, fan 120C, gas mark 1.
Wash the jars in warm, soapy water. Place upside down on a baking tray and warm in the oven for at least half an hour.
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