How to Bottle Fruit & Vegetables

For good results, stick carefully to the rules – especially about cleanliness – and also use the correct equipment and select only high-quality produce.

Equipment
You will not need a lot of specialist equipment, but make sure that you have the following essentials.

Bottles- While good results may be achieved with improvised equipment, special preserving bottles with tops held on by screw caps or spring clips are a good idea. They come in sizes from 0.5–2 kg. Both types have tops with metal or glass discs and rubber gaskets. When placed on top of the bottles, the tops form an airtight seal. Once the air has been driven from the bottle by heating, they create a germ-proof vacuum. The slightest flaw in the rubber or fault in a metal lid will destroy this effect and spoil the contents of the jar. Additional tops may be purchased separately from the jars. Store them in airtight boxes, with a little talcum powder rubbed into the gaskets to keep them supple. Modern jam jars with twist-on tops with integral gaskets can also be used.These are useful for small quantities of fruit, and fit easily into an ordinary deep saucepan or pressure cooker. Closures for ordinary rimmed jam jars, consisting of preserving caps with replaceable gaskets, are also available.

Sterilising pan- You will need a large, deep pan for processing bottled fruit. Proprietary sterilisers, with false bottoms, lids and thermometers, can be bought, but they are expensive. Any deep vessel – a galvanised bucket or a large preserving pan – will serve equally well. Whatever vessel you choose, it should be deep enough to hold a false bottom – a metal grid or a thick layer of newspaper – while also containing enough water to reach the level of the liquid in the jars.

Thermometer- If you use the slow water-bath method of sterilising, a thermometer will be needed. The best, specially made for bottling and jam making, registers up to 110°C.

Wooden spoons- Wooden bottling spoons, with long handles and small bowls, may be used to pack the produce in the containers. But smooth, clean, round-ended sticks will serve just as well.

Tongs- A large pair of bottling tongs – non-slip wooden or wire grips attached to a steel spring – are useful for removing heated bottles from the sterilising pan.

Pressure cooker- This is needed for the pressure cooker method. It must be deep enough to take the bottles and the false bottom. It must also be able to maintain a steady low pressure of 0.35kg/cm2 – not all models can be set so low.

Preparing the bottles
Before using the bottles, check their rims carefully for chips, as even the smallest imperfection will prevent an efficient seal. Also inspect the tops of the bottles closely (and never use them more than once). Ensure the metal lids are not distorted or scratched, and that the screw caps are not too loose or that the spring clips are weakened. Discard any rubber rings that show signs of drying or cracking as they will not make an efficient seal. Test the jars and lids by filling the jars with water, putting on the lids and turning the jars upside down. If there is any sign of leakage after 10 minutes, either the bottle or fittings are suspect. Wash the jars thoroughly, then boil them for 5 minutes in a pan that either has a built-in false bottom or contains a grid or a thick pad of newspaper. Invert the jars to drain, but do not dry them, as it is easier to pack produce into bottles that are wet. Soak the rubber rings in warm water for 15 minutes, then dip them in boiling water immediately before putting them on. This will make the rings more supple.
 

From: Grow Your Own Fruit & Vegetables The Easy Way