Every Bit Counts Challenge Day Four 4 August 2022 Blackberry and Apple Pie/Pudding Filling

Apologies this is a long post.  

Some followers have expressed an interest in knowing how to prepare bottled fruits for the Pantry shelf.  Others of you I know, its as though as I am trying to treat you to suck eggs.  Well we all had to start somewhere, and if I can encourage anyone to have a go, provide for their family in a different way, then I am more than happy to assist. However, I cannot stress enough that where preserving is concerned "cleanliness is next to Godliness".  I am therefore careful to sanitise all relevant equipment, even jars although the legislation has changed on this saying all you need to do is just wash them in hot soapy water.  I still sterilise them in a pan, and sometimes use the dishwasher as well, timing the wash to finish just as I am about to "bottle up", so that they are all nice and hot.  Adding a cold filling to a hot jar and visa versa can cause shock to the bottles, and they can break so be careful.  I also use new seals for the canning jars, and always new lids for ordinary jam jars.  Just my preference.  After going to all the trouble of making something, you do not want to spoil it by something silly, so do the best job that you can on the day.  Strictly speaking on jam jars there is no need to replace the lid you can boil them and recycle them.  However this is not always possible especially if the seal under the lid (they all have seals) becomes discoloured.

If there are any questions, please yell and I will do my best to assist.

Well I did well on the Blackberry front during the week 5 1/2lb in total.  I have been making Apple and Blackberry Pie/Pudding filler for the Pantry shelf.  It stood us in good stead last year, and the Blackberries I picked during the week were sweet, large and scrummy ideal for this sort of pudding mix.  The Blackberries have been in the fridge keeping lovely and cool in this extraordinary weather we have been having.

I am still hopeful of being able to gather more blackberries.  I would quite like to have a go at making Blackberry Syrup, some Blackberry and Apple Wine, and some more Bramble Jelly and Blackberry Whisky.  However, before we get ahead of ourselves, let us pause and concentrate on the matter in hand.

So today has been operation Pie/Pudding filler.  I have managed to prepare 12 + 1 jars for the Pantry shelf, and although it has been hard work, I am highly chuffed with what I have managed to achieve.

I just work with what I have a lot of the time so measurements tend to go to pot a bit with me.  However for those of  you wanting specific measurements here is a recipe which makes a couple of small jars of Blackberry and Apple Blackberry and Apple Recipe by Xanthe Clay.  All her recipes are usually exceptional.  You can always double up on quantities.

I add the Blackberries last, but here they are in all their glory from the picking.

The wilding apples found on the floor.

Some of the eating apples to give texture to the pie mix

I also bought in 4kg of Bramley cooking apples as I wanted a complete mix of texture from the blackberries, puree apple and also textured apple as I did last year.  Also looks pretty and interesting in the jar.  The ingredients show their colours, but eventually after cooking and standing they become marled which to me looks really pretty.

I peeled and cored the Bramley apples adding in a minimum amount of water on this mixture although if it does go too thick, add some water to slacken it off. The drier you can keep it the better and then as I have said you can change the position if too thick by adding in a little more liquid.  I added a minimum amount of sugar and I would say just add to taste.  I think I have prepared 10lb of apples today in the process to preserve this and my hand is giving me a bit of gyp at the moment.

I then do the same with the eating apples.  The eating apples will not dissolve as much as the Bramleys and will keep their shape and texture, which is why I use them.

I sterilise bottles in hot water (in a pan on the stove) and fish them out as I am ready to fill them.

I tend to layer the jars with an amount of puree, an amount of blackberries (which I do not cook beforehand), and the textured apple (which is cooked).  If there is therefore any apple or blackberry left but not enough to prepare a layered jar, I just simply bottle (water bathe) the ingredients on their own so no waste.

After filling the jars, I use either a jug, but in any event always use a jam funnel to save the mess from any spillage to fill the hot jars.

I then using a tissue soaked in vinegar, wipe the rims of the jars with white vinegar.  The new two part seals are then popped on, make sure the seal is sitting right as sometimes it can slip and then the contents not seal properly. It happens; you can try re-processing it with another fresh seal, but more often than not I just use up the contents of the jar the following day.  So yet again no waste. I then add the outer ring, and tighten until firm and will not slip, but not tight tight. The official advice is that you tighten the ring/band tight and then move it back a notch. You are now ready to add the jars to the water bath.

Jars ready to go into the water bath

I always use a teacloth or thick small towel in the bottom of the processing pan.  I use a large stock pot, although I do have other processing equipment, but this often tends to be the nearest pot easily available.  Fill about half way up with warm water, making sure the towel is not floating.  Add a Tablespoon or two of white vinegar as this helps with keeping the jars clean and stops discolouration of the pan. Then add your jars spacing them around the pot so that they do not touch. Jars should be completely covered in water where possible, but sometimes that is not possible so as long as they are covered to the neck of the bottle you are using everything should be okay. 

Jars in the pan ready for processing

Put on the heat, and bring to the boil.  Once everything is bubbling along quite nicely, you then start timing from boil being achieved i.e. 20 minutes.  Take your jars out, and pop them somewhere where they will not be disturbed and leave overnight to cool down. I leave mine on a thick towel.

I already know that one of the seals has not taken as liquid has come out of the bottle but will deal with that when it is cool.

The bottles after being in the water bath.  The colours have merged and marled.

Tomorrow after the preserve is cool, remove the rings and check that there has been no leakage.  A good indicator that a good seal has been achieved is that the top of the seal will go very hard and you cannot depress it.  This is an indicator that all the air has been removed from the jar (air is the enemy of preserves).  You can also Lift the jars by the rim of the seal that is left.  If there is no movement and the seal does not come off, then the jar is sealed.

Processing for standard 1 pints is 20 minutes and for the litre (quart) sized jars 25 minutes.

I have managed to fill 12 + 1 - 1 pint jars (I am superstitious)! and I still have some blackberries left.  Bit tired at ,moment will have to think what can do with these.  Am about ready to put my feet up.

Hope this has helped a little.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x

NB: The jars have now cooled overnight.  All the seals are intact, despite me thinking that one of the jars had not sealed properly.  When I tested it by picking it up by the edge of the seal, the seal remained intact.  All I did therefore was clean up the jar, and then wipe some more vinegar round the jar to make sure it was spotless.

For many years, I used to keep the rings on the jars in storage.  However, they are not needed to be on.  In fact it can be misleading leaving them on as you can have a false seal, where the contents of the bottle can go off.

Always, when bottling or canning use your eyes, and smell.  If something looks dodgy, nine times out of ten it is.  It is therefore important to trust your inner voice.  This is true of most food items.