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fruit bottling

The fruit in each bottling jar must be heated to reach a high enough temperature to ensure that all micro-organisms are destroyed and chemical changes inactivated. The jar must be sealed when at its maximum heat to prevent the re-entry of any air and the bacteria it contains. Bottling jars are heated either by immersing them in water which is kept on the boil for a time or by heating them in the oven. A correctly used bottling jar should give an effective seal provided the initial heating is adequate. Large jars and solid packs (fruit which has been packed tightly) will need more heating than small, loose ones. For a beginner, the more acidic fruits are easier to preserve than, say, pears or tomatoes.

types of bottling jars

To ensure a seal, a jar must have both a gasket, such as a rubber or plastic band or washer which may be built into the lid or separate, and also a sealing device such as a screwband or bail-type clip (on continental jars). Purpose-made bottling jars with glass lids and separate screwbands are recommended.

Sterilising Bottles

Use bottles with screw caps or corks; heat them in a cool oven and boil the caps or corks for 10 minutes. Place the filled and sealed jars in a deep pan with something at the base, such as an upturned plate, a pad of newspaper or a folded cloth.
Fill up with cold water to reach the necks of the bottles. Heat to 76°C (170° F) (simmering point, if no thermometer is available); maintain this temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the bottles, tighten the screw caps; alternatively, push in the corks, and when the bottles are partly cooled, coat the corks with melted paraffin wax. Secure the corks with wire. Store the bottles in a cool, dry place.