Press – and hold it! What is worth remembering when preparing homemade preserves?

2020-09-28

Everything sounds great in theory. But what if we open a preserve jar and find mould in it? In order to avoid this kind of unpleasant surprises, it is necessary to adhere to a few important rules.

• Before starting work, it is necessary to inspect the jars (or any other containers we intend to use) with regard to presumptive leaks and damage. At such a moment it is also best to pair the screw lids with jars, and lids with containers. Bent or rusted lids should be discarded. It is also worth checking the rubber gaskets used for making preserves – they must not be broken.
• When preparing preserves at home we should care for cleanliness first and foremost – all container, jars, funnels, and spoons should be carefully washed. Additionally, the containers and jars to be used for storing the finished product should be poured over with boiling water or heated in an oven.
• The finished preserves that contain a lot of sugar do not require any additional preservation processes since their composition preserves food naturally.
• Any other preserves (in bottles, twist-off jars, or Weck jars) should be subjected to pasteurisation. This process consists of heating the preserves up to the temperature of 60-100°C during several dozen minutes (the actual time depends on the type of food). This allows us to destroy microbes and enzymes that cause the spoilage of preserves. Pasteurisation can be done in a pot with water, in an oven, or even in a dishwasher. It is necessary to remember, however, that such temperature should be achieved by the product insider the jar, which is why the outside temperature should be higher – the best option is to use boiling water, an oven set to 120-130°C, or a dishwasher set to a program with temperature of about 70°C. Certain preserves, e.g. meat, require carrying out tindalisation, i.e. triple pasteurisation in 24 hour intervals.
  
  

In order to take advantage of the whole range of ingredients that we use to make preserves, we should not pasteurise brine-pickled preserves. They are a source of natural probiotics, i.e. lactic fermentation bacteria, which have a beneficial impact on our alimentary tract (they restore and regenerate the gut flora, support digestion by improving peristalsis in the intestines, and facilitate removal of pathological toxins), as well as on the whole of our body (they are a source of vitamin C and help reduce the cholesterol levels). In order to be able to use fresh brine-pickled preserves as long as possible, it is necessary to care for removing the access to oxygen (the product should be fully immersed in brine) and have the brine pickling process take place at low temperature. The brine prepared (at least 3% salt) is a preservative in itself, as it speeds up the lactic acid bacteria growth process (they lower the pH value), while the additional ingredients in the form of dill, allspice, garlic, or onion have antimicrobial properties that help destroy harmful microbes. A method that has been used for a long time is weighing the cucumbers or cabbage down with a heavy plate or even a board with a stone on it, so that they do not emerge above the brine. It was quite onerous and made the brine pickling process require attention for a longer while. Now brine pickling is not only very popular among the enthusiasts of good and healthy home cuisine, but also much simpler – BROWIN has made sure that anyone can prepare their own brine pickled preserves easily. Check out our preserve press, specially designed by our R&D team. It is a sort of screen that perfectly presses down the jar content and hold it under the brine surface, while the properly tall shock-absorbing feet allow keeping optimal space under the lid. This press will also be perfect for separating layers of different ingredients arranged within a jar, as well as separating the products from the brine. The “Hold it!” press is a simple and effective product that will allow you to enjoy longer the highest quality delicious preserves, while at the same time being available for some other practical applications.