Preserving using the Water Bathing Method

I go back to basics and rediscover the water-bath method of preserving, just like grandma used to.

While I have covered lots of old and modern ways to sterilise jars before starting the preserving process, I hadn’t yet tried the water-bath method of preserving (aka ‘canning’ – hence my glorious grandmother’s saying: “Eat what you can, can what you can’t”).

In your search of jam recipes online you may come across some which uses the ‘canning process’, so the term may not be foreign to you. This weekend I turned my hand to preserving fruit pieces and lots of them!

Agee Utility Jars

These gorgeous jars have been around for generations. I salvaged some very old ones in my last house, half buried in the garden. After a good scrub down and sterilization they are as good as new (albeit the designs must be a good 50 years old!).

Due to their size you’ll find them tremendously useful if you have fruit trees. After trying other ways to preserve fruit (syrup, jam, jellies, pastes, chutney), nothing is as handy as jars and jars of whole fruit or fruit pieces. Just like the tinned variety (hopefully which you will never have to buy again) you’ll use home preserved fruit for baking, breakfast, desserts and smoothies, yet the jars are of course recyclable so your small investment can be enjoyed for years to come.

Priced at around $10+ for a 1 litre jar new (from supermarkets and homestores etc) not to be overlooked are recycled jars at $4+ in second hand shops. Check they are not chipped otherwise recycled is perfect. Not only are you supporting your local charity, you do recycling proud and save money.

Be aware that not all Agee jars are the same!

Screw-on lids for Agee Jars

The older Agee Special jars only fit the Gold screw-top rings as the mouths are just a fraction thicker (therefore wider) than the more modern Agee Utility jar designs that fit the Green screw-top rings. Size matters! Gold bands can be tricky to find, whereas Green bands are sold in most supermarkets.

The reason it is important that the screw tops fit perfectly is that the screw tops hold the metal seals in place over the mouth of the jar. In the process of cooling, the metal seal will affix to the jar mouth. The screw tops can then be removed and used on another batch. If the screw top is not the right size, the pressure isn’t there…therefore the metal seal can’t do it’s job…therefore if not sealed correctly, the contents will spoil.

Thankfully, the metal seals fit both Agee Special and Agee Utility jars. You’ll find them in most supermarkets.

Any Jars and Lids

You don’t need to just use the water-bath method for bulk fruit, you can use recycled glass jars and metal lids too. Be sure that the metal lids are not damaged (or showing any signs of rust, of course) and are well sterilised before filling. Jam and pickle jars, and lids, work perfectly too.

Water Bathing

The theory behind the water bath method is that the jars, prepacked with fruit and syrup and lids on, are submerged in water, brought to the boil then allowed to cool. During this heating and cooling process the seal will do it’s wickedly wonderful work. You’ll see the seal ‘dip’ in the centre meaning it’s perfectly sealed.

Now, to do this with tall Agee jars you really need a massive saucepan (or catering pot) so be sure to get your equipment sorted before disappointing yourself later. Remember Agee do half sized jars at 500g which may work better for you.

Once the glass jar (including contents and secured lid) has reached boiling point, you’ll need to remove it from the water. While you can allow the boiling water to cool naturally, then remove the jar, you may find that the contents of the jar (fresh fruit) are somewhat stewed. If this is not your desired result (as in, you wish for the fruit to still have an element of firmness) best to remove the jar from the boiling water and let it cool on the bench. This requires some health and safety, obviously!

There are some tools to help you in this process, without scolding your hands, including a ‘jar lifter’ which is a nifty accessory to have in the kitchen. It grips both large and small jars with ease and is a game-changer when undertaking water bath preserving.

This is one of several handy preserving tools within ‘canning set’ that the good guys at goodtohave.co.nz stock. The set includes a canning funnel, a jar wrench and magnetic lid lifter (to name a few) – all so handy to have at your fingertips whether using the water bath method or not!

Water bath to the rescue!

I find this method really handy for sealing lids when other preserving methods go wrong! I made a batch of marmalade the other day (using sterilised jars/lids and hot contents) but one of the lids didn’t indent. Rather than have a rather tasty jar go to waste, I used the water bath method to heat-cool-seal the jar, and the lid sealed and it worked perfectly. My previously dud-sealed jar of Bitter Grapefruit & Whisky Marmalade sees another day!

Kitchen hygiene is important at any time, and certainly no less when preserving fresh fruit and vegetables for months to come. Jars, utensils and lids needs to be squeaky clean and sterile before use.

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