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Beechgrove - tomato bottling

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Posts

  • it is a great way to get food poisoning. 
    the botting method had been shown to not
     reach high enough temps to safely jar produce. 
    it has not been banned in usa after test by USDA
    found it did not meet safety standards.  the 
    only safe and approved method are water bath 
    canning for acid food and pressure canning for
    non acid foods. 
    If USA opted not to ban this method after it failed to meet it's safety standards, either the problem was not considered serious or their safety standards need to be updated..

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I wonder if @war garden 572 meant to write "it has now been banned" rather than "it has not been banned", @philippasmith2...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • I imagine so @Liriodendron but hard to resist pointing out to someone who whinged about a poster missing out the U in courgette.  I suspect "botting" was not intentional either. "do unto others........" ?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I'm beginning to wish I'd never asked! Maybe we'll just scoff the lot fresh :p
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Certainly a freshly picked tom has more flavour than one bought in the SM and you pick it at the optimum moment instead of early so it ripens in transit.  We've eaten loads of fresh toms this summer and I've bottled loads too - 40 x 450g jars so far - but there are now just a couple of plants left with any fruit ripening as this latest heatwave seems to have killed off the plants early this year.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    I take no notice of what the Americans do …….I’m not American.
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    Obelixx said:
    Certainly a freshly picked tom has more flavour than one bought in the SM and you pick it at the optimum moment instead of early so it ripens in transit.  We've eaten loads of fresh toms this summer and I've bottled loads too - 40 x 450g jars so far - but there are now just a couple of plants left with any fruit ripening as this latest heatwave seems to have killed off the plants early this year.

    @Obelixx

    Wow that's a lot of jars Obelixx. Well done you. Wish I could get to grips with what you do. I end up giving 100's of toms to family and friends as I have so many . I did try once boiling the skins off them pureeing ( is that a word, you know what I mean) and put in the freezer but as its only me and the misses and I'm a lousy cook ( she's to disabled to cook anymore) and she's not keen on pasta dishes I gave up.

    C'est la vie.

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I leave skins on @Kili.  By thetime they've cooked down to less than a half of the volume I started with they blitz down well witha  stick blender.  No cooking skills required.

    I use the resulting sauce in spag bol, any recipe - especially Indian and Italian - that asks for tinned tomatoes and I make a tomato orange and ginger soup in winter that is refreshing but warming and has almost no calories cos there's no oil or butter.   Great for the post Xmas bloat.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • As far as I know (i'm in the growing and supply department, not Processing) you put lemon juice in to preserve it. Bacteria isn't an issue, that's often why we cook things - to kill off the bacteria.
    My O/H has just saved loads into jars for Winter use.
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    So long as you add either citric acid or lemon juice you'll be fine with practically any method. Remember the American advice is that the way we do Jam will kill you.

    The really dangerous thing that you can get in a badly preserved jar is botulism, (which is indeed deadly) it cannot survive in acidic environments and if you are ever in any doubt you can simply boil the contents, 10 minutes at a full boil destroys the botulism toxin.

    I do mine in Jars not bottles, I de seed and skin them, cook them down by about half, then add 1/4 tsp citric acid per 400ml jar, fill the jars hot and then simmer them in a fish kettle with water half way up the jars for 10 minutes. Any jar that does not seal is kept in the fridge and used within a few days.

    The toms are on the left. Over the course of the season I try to make about 70 jars of tomatos. I'm not sure if I will manage any this year, I've had 1 tomato so far and it looks like blight is coming :(
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