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Jars for sauces and preserves
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| Preserves and homemade sauces are one of the glories of the Italian gastronomic tradition. They take a few hours of work but allow you to enjoy garden vegetables all year round. Storing these foods requires the use of special containers which must be absolutely sterile and with hermetic lids. This is how you make them and how best to use them. |
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Glass jars and bottles are ideal for containing homemade preserves. Amongst the many advantages of glass is its ability to withstand the high temperatures needed for sterilising and the ease with which it can be washed and re-used many times. Furthermore, glass produces no chemical reactions which could taint the flavour of the food. It is also worth mentioning that the transparency of the material shows the colour and quality of the products to good advantage, turning jars and pots into decorative items for the kitchen. You will find many shapes and sizes on sale, allowing you to choose the correct shape for the produce. For pickles, jams and preserves, for example, it is best to use medium sized wide-necked jars, while for tomato sauces large jars with a narrow neck are perfectly suitable.
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The first rule to follow in preparing preserves is one of strict hygiene. And if it is important to clean the worktops thoroughly, then it is even more so with regard to the containers which the produce will be stored in once it is ready. Jars and bottles must be washed in a dishwasher or by hand in hot water and it is advisable to carry out sterilisation by boiling for at least ten minutes. There are also sterilising pans which are particularly suitable for anyone venturing to make large quantities. Once sterilised, the containers must be left to dry completely to avoid the forming of mould by turning them upside down on a clean cloth or placing in a hot oven for a few minutes. The metal lids and rubber rings, which unlike the glass jars must be replaced every time to ensure the creation of a vacuum, should be sterilised in the same way.
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Once the jars are sealed, the preserves are ready to be placed in store. Ideally, this should be a cool, dry and preferably dark place, such as a cupboard far away from heat sources. Before storing the jars it is essential to label them, filling in a label for each one with precise details about the contents, the date it was produced and the expiry date, usually between six and twelve months later.
During the first two weeks the jars should be checked to ensure that no mould has formed and that there haven't been any changes in the colour and the lids haven't 'blown'. If one of these things should have occurred, the jar must be thrown out without hesitation, as is also the case with expired produce which must never be consumed even if it appears sound and looks inviting.
To make the jars even more attractive and turn them into an original gift idea, you can cover the lids with a scrap of colourful material and tie them with a ribbon to which you can attach a cardboard label.
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