Making Chutney

For many people, the global coronavirus pandemic has had one positive side-effect - the chance to spend time at home doing new things and learning fresh skills. In particular, those early food shortages and scenes of panic buying at the supermarkets made many people consider growing their own fruit and vegetables for the first time. Others dipped into home preserves, enabling them to stock up for the months ahead, with a pantry full of wholesome food with no food miles.

Whilst some people have been lucky enough to secure an allotment close to home and many have given over a portion of their back gardens for growing fruit and vegetables, others have made the very best of what outdoor space they have. Planters filled with lush strawberries, hanging baskets dripping with cherry tomatoes, and herb planters on windowsills and balconies have all brought a little cheer, and tasty treats, to people stuck at home during the lockdown. And all the signs are that this new interest in growing and preserving is set to continue, lasting well beyond any lingering lockdown measures.

Whether you have an abundant veg plot, just a few plants here and there, or you rely on your local greengrocers for fresh local produce, now is the time of year when everything seems to ripen and come into season at the same time. Gluts are a common occurrence for seasonal fruit and veg growers and there is only so much courgette you can eat in a week, for example.

That’s where making chutney comes in - you can pretty much make chutney from whatever you have to hand or whatever you currently have too much of. Greem tomatoes that just won’t ripen? No problem. Plums that are just a bit too ripe to eat straight from the tree - stick them in a batch of chutney! Apple trees losing a few smaller fruits in early summer (this is called June Drop)? Again, chutney is the answer if you want to make the absolute best of everything that Mother Nature gives you.

Chutney making essentials and tips

Of course, before you embark on a chutney-making adventure, you need to think about the glass jars you’ll use. Whilst you can use any style of glass jars for making chutney, we do offer special chutney jars too. Our 212ml chutney jars, for example, are just the ticket. They have a distinctive bulge at the top and bottom of the jar and they’re slightly narrower than regular glass jars. Their lids are vinegar proof too, ensuring great results every time.

When you cook a batch of chutney, you do need to choose your pan carefully, as certain metals can react with the vinegar used in chutney making which will result in a slight metallic taste in your finished product. Use a preserving pan, if possible. Don’t use your jam spoon for chutney making, as it could hang on to the taste of the vinegar and spices that you use in your recipe.

The vinegar you use in your chutney should be a good quality one, with at least 5% malt content. Both white vinegar or wine vinegars are also options. We always recommend using brown sugar rather than regular granulated white sugar, as this gives your chutney a darker, richer colour that adds to its visual appeal.

Our final tip for great-tasting chutney is to use whole spices rather than ground spices. Cloves, cinnamon, cumin, fennel, and mustard are all great candidates for chutney experiments. Instead of just throwing these whole spices in your chutney mix, tie them in a small piece of clean muslin and pop that in the pan with your selected fruit and vegetables, and then you will be able to easily retrieve them just before pouring the finished chutney into glass jars.

One vegetable that often overwhelms gardeners with its abundance is runner beans, so here’s a great recipe to use them up:

Ingredients

1kg runner beans
1 litre vinegar
3 large onions, chopped small
350gms brown sugar
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp turmeric
3tsp salt

Method

Simmer the onions in half the vinegar for about 15 minutes, until they are soft.
Prepare the beans by topping and tailing them and cutting them into 2cm slices. Cook in boiling, salted water for 3-4 minutes, to make them tender. Drain and set aside.
Mix the spices together, with a few spoonfuls of the remaining vinegar. Mix into the onion mixture, and add the salt, sugar and the remaining vinegar. After a couple of minutes, add the runner beans and continue on a simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Separately, add the mustard and sesame seeds to a frying pan to brown slightly. Add these to the chutney mix and stir in well.
Spoon the chutney into clean, sterilised jars and seal.

Experimentation is the name of the game with chutney, so do explore with whatever vegetables and fruits you have available!