My chutney is too thick
I made two batches of chutney a week ago, one with tomato, apple and raisins, the other one with plum and cranberries. Making the chutney I added all the usual spices, sugar, vinegar etc. but I tried one of the jars and it is way too thick. Could I take the chutneys out of the jars and put them in a pot with some apple juice to heat up? Would this lighten it and would it be okay? As you may have guessed I have never made chutney before. I hope someone can help.
Best Answer
Cranberries (and to a lesser extent, apples) have a great deal of natural pectin, which will make your chutney gel when it is cool or refrigerated.
If you want a thinner consistency, you can reheat it and add any complimentary liquid that you desire: apple juice would be fine, but remember, you are diluting the flavor of your chutney with the additional juice, so you will want to find balance between texture and flavor that you like the best.
The other thing you can do is warm the chutney for service, which will make it more liquid.
When I make cranberry chutney, chilled, it is as stiff as a good commercial jam. This might even be desirable.
Note: I am assuming these are refrigerated chutneys. If they have been home canned, you should not change the recipe, as the acid balance is essential for safety in canning.
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Quick Answer about "My chutney is too thick"
It is quite a thick chutney. It will not loosen as it matures. You could let it down with a little water then simmer it for 10 minutes before potting.What texture should chutney be?
Place in a large pan with sugar and vinegar and cook down gently until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Simmer the mixture until the fruit or vegetables have softened and the consistency is thick and syrupy, with no runny liquid.Can you Reboil chutney?
If the chutney is too runny then in our opinion the best solution is to put it into a pan and bring it back to the boil, then simmer rapidly until it is the required thickness. If you can do this in a couple of deep frying pans (not aluminium) then it should help to speed up the process.How do you thin out chutney?
If you want a thinner consistency, you can reheat it and add any complimentary liquid that you desire: apple juice would be fine, but remember, you are diluting the flavor of your chutney with the additional juice, so you will want to find balance between texture and flavor that you like the best.Is chutney supposed to be thick?
Combine all ingredients in a deep pot. Heat to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer; reduce for as long as an hour or until excess liquid boils away and what remains is thick and jamlike in texture. Taste chutney at several points during cooking and adjust seasoning.Can You Split A Loc If It Is Too Thick?
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Answer 2
Pour some water to it and keep it freezed all time, have it with hot rotis and it will be fine.
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