Le Parfait jars

[Uller]

I have loads of Le Parfait jars that I use for storage of stuff (nuts, dried fruit, sugar etc) at the moment. I want to make marmalade/chutney/mincemeat etc but am not sure how best to sterilise them - I know I have to wash them in hot soapy water, rinse and stick in the oven for a few minutes, but what about the rubber seal? Can that go in the oven too (I'm thinking not!), but if not, I'm damned if I get the seal on the hot jar! Also, I've read a bit about putting the jars in a hot water bath after they are filled - is this necessary with what I want to make or is it only necessary for tomato-based recipes - something to do with botulism?

Help!!!

[Green Aura]

I've used le parfait jars for all the above. All I do is wash thoroughly, remove the seal of course, bung in 125oC oven for about half an hour. Fill with whatever - hot like the jar. Or with tomatoes I put them raw in a cold, clean jar and bung in the oven as before but for about an hour with a little salt and sugar. You can put the rings on immediately, while they're really hot with the aid of a tea towel. A little practice and it's quite easy. Close immediately. Cool and store. Bobs yer uncle - not dead yet.

[invisiblepiper]

thanks Green Aura - that was handy for me too!

[Millymollymandy]

I put the rubber rings in the oven! though it'd probably be easier just to soak them in hot water just before putting them on. They are a pain anyway!

Marmalade, chutney and pickles don't need a 2nd sterilisation if you have sterilised your jars in the oven first. I don't know about mincemeat or other things.

[ina]

Gosh, you are all so careful about sterilising etc... Your stuff should keep a century! Is it really worth it?
I wash my jars in hot water, including the lids (all screw top). Water just as hot as it comes out of the tap. For jam I sterilise the lids by swishing them out with rum or whisky (which is them added to the jam for extra flavour). And then, fill jars with boiling hot jam/pickles/whatever. OK, there's the occasional bit of mould growing on jam... But very occasional, usually when the lid turned out to be a bit on the old side and lose.

Mincemeat I don't sterilise, either. As I don't make it for years in advance - it only has to keep a few months, but I have kept it for up to a year once when I had too much - it keeps perfectly well because of the natural sugar content and the alcohol. I don't even add sugar... and not a lot of fat, either; just a bit of oil.

Admittedly, temperatures up here at a bit lower all year round than in France, so that might help, too.

[Uller]

Thanks all - I"m satisfied that I am doing enough to prevent poisoning us all!

I agree Ina - I don't keep mincemeat for too long (although always make more than I need for Christmas), so probably don't need to be too paranoid.

Thanks for your help

[Millymollymandy]

Gosh, you are all so careful about sterilising etc... Your stuff should keep a century! Is it really worth it?

Definitely yes, because I've got jam from 3 years ago which is still good and all sorts of 2 year old pickles etc. Why go to the trouble of making more when it is still perfectly good?!

I don't bother with water baths and all that malarky. Putting jam jars in the oven for half an hour is no big deal!

I'm about to make another huge batch of apple chutney (already made 10 big jars full ) cos who knows, next year could be a bad year for apples and this year they are amazing!

[ina]

Putting jam jars in the oven for half an hour is no big deal!

But costs a lot of energy!

I chucked some rowan jelly last year which was 5 years old or so... In perfect condition - shame about the taste.

Leftover mincemeat is good in cake, btw...

[Jandra]

Caveat: I'm no expert. But on canning safety concerning botulism...

Botulism is caused by a toxin which is produced by a bacterium (clostro...whatever botulinum). It is a very powerful toxin, causing the muscles to relax (try breathing when your muscles don't work...).
That's the effect of botox BTW: relaxing face muscles, causing wrinkles to fade.

Back to the lecture: The bacterium multiplies in low oxigen and non-acidic conditions (read: under water or in fat) when the temperature is above fridge temperatures.

The toxin disintegrates in temperatures above 90 C. If contaminated food is boiled (cooked) for 10 minutes it should be safe.

As far as I have learned, it is safe to can acidic foods like apples and tomatoes and pickled beetroot with the hot-water-bath procedure. Chutney (if acidic enough) and jams are safe with hot-fill method.

Garlic in oil is not safe unless stored in the fridge.

Meat and non-pickled veg are not safe to be canned, unless canned in a pressure cooker. Temps get above 120 C in a pressure cooker and this destroys the spores of the bacterium. In the USA people say you can't use a regular pressure cooker, because the volume isn't big enough. My pressure cooker has instructions for canning: 20 minutes at the highest pressure should do the trick. I believe my manual, rather than the Americans. Methinks they are overly cautious.

But botulism IS a concern and the fact that my great-aunt never died of it, doesn't mean I would risk it.

End of lecture...

Jandra

[Thomzo]

I sterilise jam jars in the microwave (no good for the ones with metal clasps though). Put about an inch of water in the bottom and heat on high until the water has boiled for a couple of minutes. The effects of the microwaves kill most bacteria as well as the steam. I then pour the boiling water over the lids to sterilise those. Put the hot product straight into the hot jar and put the lid on straight away so that it seals. I've never had the contents go mouldy unless it has been opened for a while.

Zoe

[Brij]

Meat and non-pickled veg are not safe to be canned, unless canned in a pressure cooker.

Out of interest - what about rillettes, confit, etc?

[Jandra]

what about rillettes, confit, etc?

These rely on the fat for conservation, but as they don't contain enough sugar or acidity to conserve them you should keep them at very low temps (fridge or freezer).

It isn't complicated really, just remember that clostridium botulinum grows in oxigen deprived environments where it isn't stopped by acidity or sugar.

Jandra