Compote, cookingand preserving

[Chancer]

As part of my ongoing economy drive and to avoid sugars I make my own compotes for tartiner, usually fresh fruit but when I cant find it cheap I also use tinned, often the catering packs.

At the moment I just simmer it down sometimes with a bit of added water, I dont add sugar as it always tastes too sweet anyway for me, it never comes out as thick as I would really like, I have seen some pectin type powders but they seemed to be sweeteners as well, if I havnt added water initially I dont want to just boil away the excess fluid as this seeems wasteful

I am doing some peaches at the moment and like last time have included the skins, again not sure if one should really do this and whether I should remove all the bruised or rotten flesh.

As for the conservation I dont have any bocals and use old jam jars sterilised by pouring boiling water over them and then filling with the still hot fruit, I am sure this is not the correct method and whilst I have not had any go off yet one did turn quickly after opening,

I would really like to know how to both cook and conserve it properly so that I can step up my production when the fruit is really cheap in the Arab market.

[Clair]

Useful info: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/10/how-to-make-jam and http://www.self-sufficient.co.uk/Making-Jam.htm.

Pectin is not essential.

Sugar helps to preserve. Less sugar means your jam will not keep as long, but it shouldn't be a major problem unless you prepare a lot in one go.

Apricots for jam aren't skinned, so why should peaches be?

Remove the damaged bits from the fruit before cooking.

[Chancer]

Thanks Claire.

Re the skinning, recently I read a recipe that started off  "skin the peaches" but having tried it with ripe fruit I thought that they were having a larf, anyway I lie the change in texture.

[Clair]

I like the change in texture too and the specks of colour in the pots [:)].

if you do decide to peel the peaches, the best/quickest way to do it it to cover them with boiling water for  a couple of minutes max. The skin will just peel off. (works with tomatoes too).

[Chancer]

It made a bloomin mess when I tried it!

Every cloud has a silver lining as I too like the colour and texture.

[Patf]

We all make mistakes;

I made some plum jam but was too impatient - didn't cut the fruit small enough. Didn't weigh the sugar and it's too sweet. Didn't boil it long enough and it's too runny.

When I have an hour spare I might tip it all back in the pan, cut up the fruit, add some lemon juice, and try again.

Eddie made peach jam and peach compote and didn't peel the peaches - turned out fine.

[woolybanana]

So you mean "gloopy"?[6]

[Weedon]

Further to my earlier posting about using sugar or vinegar to preserve, on the banana chutney thread. It is not absolutely neccesary to use sugar to preserve fruit.....see here http://www.wikihow.com/Preserve-Fruit-Without-Sugar

Chancer...if your peaches are similar to the ones I have just made chutney from, immersing them in boiling water to remove the skins for about 30 secs is also sufficient to heat them through. 

Sterilise your jars then put them into a warm oven to dry them and warm them, then fill with the hot fruit and put the tops on tight to form an airtight seal.

Kilner jars are best as I have chutney over a year old that is better than the day I made it when using the above method. No sugar and well gloopy!

PS. I didn't remove the peach skins for the chutney.

[Dog]

I had a result last week I went to the bottle bank and someone had left 2 big boxes of old kieler type jars.

They are in lovely clean condition although without rubber seals and have some interesting embossed logos on the jars.

My neighbour picked their grapes yesterday and gave me loads, previously I made wine but it didn't turn out too good so was thinking of making grape jam - though have loads of jams as keep being given fruit, cherries, then plums and recently figs.

Any other ideas of how to use grapes?

[5-element]

You could have a go at making raisiné http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raisin%C3%A9 - not the same as jam as it is less sweet, much more like very concentrated, reduced grape juice.

[Ian]

[quote user="Dog"]

I had a result last week I went to the bottle bank and someone had left 2 big boxes of old kieler type jars.

They are in lovely clean condition although without rubber seals and have some interesting embossed logos on the jars.

[/quote]

Chancer, if you're thinking of using these jars by filling then boiling to sterilise, be careful. My french neighbour (ex-GP) won't do that any more with jars of unknown provenance - she says she's had several burst on her.

Cheers

[Chancer]

I have just done a batch of peaches and nectarines, 3 €uro per case at the arab market, I decided to put some water in the jars, boil them in the microwave, then put the lids on and turn them upside down towards the end of the fruit cooking, seems to have worked well but they will all be gone in a few weeks anyway.

I did have one bocal and cracked it by doing something really stupid trying to test my barometer inside, preheated glass placed in cold water is not a good idea, at least the barometer droped first.

Re the neighbours jars bursting I thought that they were sterilised with the lids unsealed, I suppose they could subsequently implode like mine but unlikley under normal cooling unles cracked.

[crossy67]

Where are these Arab markets held?

[Chancer]

Marché  des pigeonniers, Amiens Nord