Chutney jars

[patricia53]

I am making chutney for the first time - do I put the lids on while the chutney is hot or do I leave it to cool? Thanks

[jd_here]

Lids on straight away, creates a vacuum

[patricia53]

Thanks jd

[Clanad]

You did boil the jars for a few minutes before filling didn't you? One should boil the sealed jars for 20 minutes or so after filling as well... even for high acid items such as tomatoes and high sugar items such as jellies, jams and preserves...

[atalanta]

Chutney does not need to be vacuum-sealed - its preservative is vinegar, and it will last for years if the vinegar is prevented from evaporating. You can pot it up when the mixture and the jars are cold. If the jars are not 100% sterile, it doesn't matter as the vinegar is also a form of sterilizer.
What you DO have to avoid, however, is metal lids. The vinegar will rapidly start corroding the metal. Use coffee jars with plastic lids - if you are worried use a jam-pot circle of transparent plastic between the top of the jar and the plastic screw top.
I have made masses of chutney, and I know from long experience

[vodkancoke]

Everytime I have made jams and chutneys, I always let them cool. As atlanta says, use either plastic lids or use jam paper between the lid and the product.

[patricia53]

Thank you all - chutney is made!

[Clanad]

Even for a rubbish-speaker I would surmise that the chutney's canned as described (no boiling) are kept only in a refrigerator. I've seen the stuff that can grow on pickles, pickled beets and other vinegar or salt preserved foods... not nice, not nice at all.
I still say take every effort to prohibit contamination by the nasty little critters... but to each his own...

[Answerprancer]

"Clanad is talking absolute rubbish..."
Calm down Splinter - he's only trying to help !