Author Topic: Chutney not thickening (Read 61427 times)

Sudanpan · « **on:** August 15, 2011, 07:08:41 pm »

The last couple of batches of chutney we have made this year have been a real nightmare

EG this was the batch we did yesterday:
3kg ripe toms
1 kg apples
500g onions
750ml vinegar
600g sultanas
400g sugar
Chilis

We ended up simmering the mix for about 6 hours (!) and it still didn't thicken up very much

And to add insult to injury - although there is no evidence of burning (we invested in thick bottomed pans and a heat diffuser) there seems to be a slight burnt taste

We also made ketchup which also just didn't particularly thicken (despite losing half its fluid volume in the simmering process)

What am I doing wrong? Any ideas/suggestions would be most welcome

Thanks
Tish

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #1 on:** August 16, 2011, 11:59:28 am »

Reduce your temperature and cook for longer. Towards the end you will have to watch the consistency and stir the bottom of the pan a lot so that it doesn't stick and/or burn. Never let it cool and reheat, that will definitely burn...my experience. You are not alone, been there - done that a lot of times myself!
Looking at your recipe again, it looks like a lot of vinegar for the amount of veg/fruit. I would try to reduce it to 500 ml, especially as tomatos contain a lot of liquid.
Ketchup - same advice, longer stewing on very low heat. I have produced a few bottles myself when impatience has caused some juice to collect at the top of ketchup - after bottling!

Olly398 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2011, 09:41:44 am »

I have nursed a pot of chutney on the stove all blinkin day to get it down to a decent consitency. Yep - less vinegar. I'm sure it will taste good though!
Olly

Sudanpan · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2011, 07:11:01 pm »

Thanks - will give it a go on the next batch

doganjo · « **Reply #4 on:** September 10, 2011, 09:36:30 pm »

Ellie had the same problem yesterday - I said to drain off the excess liquid and bottle it as a sauce. It was a gorgeous dark colour.

I have just made spicy plum and apple chutney, very little sugar, but it tastes delicious even if I do say it myself - good enough to have with ice cream even! It was too sweet fro a whiel but I added more vinegar and I think it's just right now. Time will tell - No 1 son is coming over tomorrow - he can test it!

VSS · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2011, 06:26:55 pm »

You just need to leave it for longer on a low heat. I have been known to leave chutney on the cool side of the Rayburn overnight. It was perfect by the morning.

I generally find that chutney recipes have too much vinegar in them

Sudanpan · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2011, 03:03:51 pm »

The last batch we tried I used about half the vinegar that was stipulated in the recipe. Also I brought the whole mixture up to a rolling boil for a while and then letting it go back down to a simmer - seems to work much better

Thanks

Hermit · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2011, 03:21:26 pm »

I do find tomato chutneys take longer to reduce. more moisture in the fruit. Also in sultanas, my recipe says raisins. Well worth the trouble though.

ellied · « **Reply #8 on:** September 15, 2011, 06:08:57 pm »

As doganjo says, I had too much vinegar in the recipe I am using for plum chutney this year and all 3 batches done to date have taken way longer to get down to proper chutney consistency, but they've all made it eventually and been really yummy too..

I had a first attempt at mayonnaise yesterday and that too seems to have had way too much oil in the recipe, it came out more of a salad dressing than a mayo

but was used up on a bowl of coleslaw and coated it well enough, tasted fine too so just not sure what is wrong with recipes and me!

On a brighter note, a bright yellow note, my friend was up from Sussex and we had a first go at lemon curd - she did all the stirring cos I sometimes lack patience

but it came out absolutely gorgeous and has been tested on oatcakes, porridge and off a spoon with 3 jars off a recipe using 5 complete eggs..

The egg whites from the yolks used for the mayo sadly refused to peak/beat/whip up at all and had to be abandoned, or I would have had meringues with lemon curd on for tea

No idea what I did wrong, maybe using the hand blender but a hand balloon whisk did no better

doganjo · « **Reply #9 on:** September 15, 2011, 08:03:53 pm »

Quote from: doganjo on September 10, 2011, 09:36:30 pm

No 1 son is coming over tomorrow - he can test it!

No 1 son went off with one jar, No 1 Sister went off with another, No 1 Daughter went off with the third, leaving poor old me with the dregs in a bowl in the fridge - which No 1 sister helped me finish off. So now I am bereft of plum chutney

However, my pal just gave me some pears so that's the next project, possibly tonight. Don't like eating them so will look for a recipe on the net

terrypen · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2017, 01:58:50 pm »

I have had this problem a few times and have had varying results with

!: Add vegetable thickeners like the "BIG Company's" do: neutral bulkers like carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, squash or other 'bland' fillers

2:Try vegetable thickeners like Okra, or apple ( or other pectin rich fruits)

3:Instead of reducing the entire batch, do a strain and drain:: reduce the liquid part of the mix ONLY, leaving the mass behind to avoid overcooking or burning. Once the liquid part has simmerd down, re-add to the mix.