Selfsufficientish.com

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Brilliant a friend of mine has two big plum trees well her parents do at their house and no one ever eats them. Last september I was given two bags full. I ended up making loiads of jam, much prefer wine though. So guess what I will be making next september.

G'Day Guys,

Have you tried bottling? I experimented years ago and found the fruit to bottle well, not so good with vegetables. My problem then was a tendency to keep them too long rather than use them - a quirk in my psyche that I am working on.

Here in Aus we have Fowlers bottling kits (quite often available "pre-loved") but I have also seen Italian bottling stuff available that I assume you would have access to.


Nev

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Not a bad idea nev, will bear that in mind that it does not work for vegetables. My freezer space is minute so it is always good to have a few more suggestions on what to do with my produce. Will have to hunt around the charity shops for some bottles I know I have seen some before. (I think you call them op shops nev incase you were wondering)

G'Day Guys,

It's good to hear that you get access to bottling gear, Rhyddid it sounds like the stuff that you have is similar to the fowlers Vacola stuff, if not the same.

Andy, the problem with the veges is botulism if the pH of your bottling liquid is neutral (7) then you can get botulism happening, you can destroy the toxin by boiling for 15 minutes, I am not sure I would be game to try it anyway! The answer is to use vinegar as your bottling liquid, but this pre-supposes you like pickled veggies .

Acid vegies like tomatoes are OK (or is it a fruit). Fruit bottling generally uses juice or sugar syrup and this seems to fix the problem. The results are better and more palatable.

Nev

Hi folks, interns of bottling, here in the UK try Wares of Knutsford address is www.waresofknutsford.co.uk. Good range and service is quick.
Nice bunch to deal with also.
If you're REAL flush, take a look at Lehmans. An American outfit, serve mostly the Amish it seems. Their address www.lehmans.com.

Bob T

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I agree with using the recycled jars, do it meself..........but for bottling fruit I reckon that new heat resistant lids, or new rubber inserts for "Kilner" type jars are best. Vinegar is great stuff for preserving as is sugar, but for fruit etc I don't think the amounts needed for the light sugar syrups would be enough.
Some of the jars I have are almost 20 years old, but I like the idea of sterile seals!

Rhydidd, you sound like a person after my own heart.

Yeah the big fella's say that the second hand glassware and pop-top lids are single use only, but I've been using em for years too.

DOWN WITH COMMERCIALISM I say,

give 'em hell Rhyddid!

Nev

(Struth, I've just had a sex change...............................again!)

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Perhaps you could explain what precisely you mean by "sterile seals" ?

Are you confusing newness with sterility ? When you buy a new preserving jar & seal, the seal is not sterile. It still requires sterilisation eg. by pressure cooking. The seals on recycled jars may be sterilised by the same process one uses to sterilise a newly bought jar.

Hi, I mean reliable, clean, sterile, ie NO BUGS!!!!
BUT under a lot of circumstances the flavour and odour of the last preserves MAY be carried over to the new batch. Would YOU use a ring from, say, piccalilli to seal apple?????
Personally I wouldn't. I segregate them.
Yep, I too have old jars. I too have used the rings "several" times.
No I do NOT "CONFUSE" NEWNESS with STERILE.
BUT.................. I can't guarantee that the paint used in the manufacture of the jar tops won't come off in my pressure cooker when I raise temperature in STEAM to bottle my fruit.
Self sufficiency is a wonderful ideal............unfortunately it ain't possible. Or have we hunter/gatherers in our midst? You don't drive? Or use Public Transport?. Please give it a rest. I was only trying to give a little info on the sources of equipment to bottle fruit. I DON'T need a lecture and you may rest assured that I won't be posting here again!
For info, my Mother was a hospital cook, pre war, so while I am NOT an expert, or profess to be one, I can preserve the little I produce.

I really have no idea what any of you are on about as I have no intention of ever bottling jam, unless there is some kind of appocolypse and I need to.
However, what i will say is just because you all use different techniques for your jam sealing why does that make you so hep up? If we all did things the same way then we would be as well going Starbucks and wearing bowler hats

Wow,

That went over like the proverbial in the punch bowl!

Sorry if I caused offense to those not involved, but all I wanted to do was tell people of sources of equipment. I don't need to be told that stuff lasts longer than the manufacturers would like us to think it does. The first reply to my posting indicated to me I was being told in no uncertain terms I didn't seem to know what I was about. Honest, I know the difference between "bottling" fruit etc and jam making!
So to most of you, my apologies!
Bob T