What are your favourite preserving methods?

[Emily Peagram]

Hi everyone,

As the harvesting season is coming into full swing, we'd love to know what works best for you when it comes to preserving. This can be about any crop – what do you do to make sure your pickings last for the longest possible time?

Please note – answers may be edited and used in the October issue of Grow Your Own magazine.

Thanks

Emily

[bearded bloke]

For me the best way is chutney, there seems to be a recipe for everything I grow that cannot be eaten at the time of harvest, this year I also intend to look into cold smoking for my garlic.

[Guest]

I don't have a favourite method, just favorite perserves.

We have a wild cherry that the birds are welcome to eat as long as we manage to get a batch of cherry jam in the cupboards.
Basic bramley apple sauce for cold meat, fruit pies and crumbles. A cupboard must have.
Last year I made mince meat, which is now another annual must have I only like home made mince pies.
A few jars of chutney for the winter months along with a selection of pickles.
Last year was a first for chilli jam which I will be trying out a few more recipes this year.
Also new this year will be dehydrated goodies

[muddled]

I like preserving in jars.
Preferably pretty jars that look wholesome and lovely on the shelf or that I can give away at Christmas.

So this would include jams and jellies, picalilli and relishes and pickles.
I'm not so keen on your average green tomato style chutney....to reduce all my beautiful coloured produce to brown gloop seems a waste.
Big jars of fantastic coloured booze are also a firm favorite of mine....damson gin, cherry brandy, mixed fruit bacardi rumtoft and this year Nicos' recipe 44 (I just popped out and bought a new jar 'specially

I too am experimenting with a dehydrator....I'll tell you next year if it works out!

[Alison]

Depends on what I'm preserving, I make loads of jams, jellies, pickles and chutneys which are good as accompaniments, use up gluts and make great presents in Christmas. I freeze some stuff, store the likes of onions, potatoes and squashes in cold storage and dehydrate mushrooms and various fruits. I also bottle tomatoes and a few other bits which is great as you can then store without using any further power. Basically there is no one method that works for everything, you need to use the best one for a particular product, I've even salted beans a few times.

[ConfusedRhubarb]

Jam. I love jam.

I've tried various chutney recipes and although they've been nice, they've never been as good as shop/stall bought. Mine are just too vinegary and just not yummy enough. Must keep trying. I also freeze stuff, mainly fruit, which is excellent for postponing the jam making until you have enough jars or enough time. If I get round to it this season I'd like to try pickling. Toying with cucumber and beans and possibly cucamelons, radish pods and nasturtium pods.

[Tripmeup]

Jams and preserves from the fruits such as raspberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries.
From my chillies, I make lots of sauces, lots of pickle jars and then I dry some and even freeze a batch!
Cucumbers, beetroot and onions get pickled and some onions that might not keep get chopped and frozen.
I freeze herbs too...

[roitelet]

Jam from any fruit glut, chutney and pickles, freezing if there isn't a huge amount and if there is loads then bottling.

[Mrs Bee]

I don't have a favourite method, just favorite perserves.

We have a wild cherry that the birds are welcome to eat as long as we manage to get a batch of cherry jam in the cupboards.
Basic bramley apple sauce for cold meat, fruit pies and crumbles. A cupboard must have.
Last year I made mince meat, which is now another annual must have I only like home made mince pies.
A few jars of chutney for the winter months along with a selection of pickles.
Last year was a first for chilli jam which I will be trying out a few more recipes this year.
Also new this year will be dehydrated goodies

Absolutely agree about the mincemeat, can't stand the commercial stuff. I have been making my own for the past 30 years.

My favourite method of preserving for most of my gluts is freezing. Then I can make jams, and jellies as I need them.

I also make lots of chutneys from the veg, especially lots of bread and butter pickles and piccalilli.

I also make lots of fully dried tomatoes and partially dried to the sun blush stage, without the sun of course, and then bottle them in a herb and vinegrette,

And I also make many different liqueurs with the fruit.

[happyhumph]

I'm not a massive fan of chutneys, pickles, jams etc - I have them occasionally but not a lot.

I like to make things I can freeze & cook as easy ready meals later in the year as quite busy with family & work. So things like soups, sauces for pasta bakes, crumble mix, ratatouille etc. Experimenting with sorbets this year to use up cucumbers & some fruity ice-cream. Also blanching and freezing. Plus a whole freezer drawer of fruit for smoothies / porridge / cakes l