Major Erwin's Chutney

This is the "good old" recipe we grew up with. Dad always made it with
green pears, but Irma Rombauer says you can use apples as well. Someday
I may try that .. 

The portions in this recipe have been quadrupled from the original.
Who needs one and a half quarts? This now makes six nominally - if
you fudge a little like I always do, it will make seven, which is
how many jars go in Karen's canner.

4 seeded chopped lemons (yes, peel and all)
4 minced peeled cloves garlic (big 'uns)
20 cups chopped fruit
4 pounds brown sugar (buy a 4 pound bag or two 2 pound bags)
2 pounds raisins (buy a 2 pound bag)
12 oz. crystallized ginger, chopped (buy a 16 oz. bag @ Uwajimaya)
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 quarts cider vinegar

In chopping in the ingredients, do the pears last.

To chop the crystallized ginger, put it in the Cuisinart along
with the cayenne pepper, the garlic, and the salt and process it with the
chopping blade until it is in small pieces.

The lemons, pears and apples should be cut into chunks about half an
inch thick.

To chop the lemons, first trim the ends and then cut them in half and use
the juicer to remove the seeds and separate the juice, then chop the
rinds into suitable chunks. (Our juicer is the saucer-type with the
serrated cone sticking up in the middle. I juice them first which removes
the seeds and some of the pulp and separates the juice. I check that
there aren't any seeds left in the rind and then chop the rind and then
pour in the juice. I lose a little pulp but it goes real fast.)

To chop the pears or apples, I trim the bottom and then use the 8-section
slicer/corer. Check the slices to ensure there isn't any insect damage or
retained seeds or seed pods, and then chop.

Put all ingredients in large thick-bottomed pan and bring to a boil.
Then turn down and simmer until the fruit is tender and looks sort
of brown. The trickiest part of this recipe is actually the canning.
I'm going to put down what I did this time (summer 2003) but I hope
to improve on the process.

Start with Karen's big canning kettle on the outdoor gas burner.
Filled it to 1" below the top indent line, bring to a boil and then
put in 7 quart jars. Leave them to sterilize for 15 minutes and then
start on the recipe. Prepare all ingredients except the apples/pears and
put them into the pot and start them on the stove on low heat, stirring
occasionally while you chop the fruit.

The recipe takes one Cuisinart bowl plus the Pyrex 4-quart measuring cup
full to the brim (about 5 cups) of chopped fruit (this is the pears
and/or apples, not the raisins or lemons). 

After the jars had boiled 15 minutes I shut off the outside burner.
Remember, you need to remove slightly over 7 quarts of water or
the pot will overflow when you put the full jars in!

While the chutney is cooking, get 7 rings and 7 new jar lids. Put some water
in a small pan and heat it to boiling, then turn it off and put the lids in
(shiny side up) one at a time to scald them. Leave them in the hot water
until time to use them. When the chutney is done remove the jars from the hot
water outside and set them all by the side of the stove and get out the
canning funnel and big ladle. This is a good time to remember to remove the 7
quarts of water! The fruit floats on the syrup, so stir well as you ladle.
Use one ladleful per jar, moving the canning funnel, until all 7 jars are
filled evenly to 1/2" from the top. Run a spatula around in the jars to make
sure there isn't any trapped air. Wipe off the tops of the jars and check
them by running a finger around them to see there aren't any irregularities
(usually bits of sealant left from prior use). Put on the lids and rings
(firmly but don't reef on them). Remove the jars to a spot right next to
the canning pot. Hold the rack above the pot and put the jars in and then
lower the rack into the pot. Set the timer for 20 minutes. When the timer
goes off lift the jars out one by one using jar lifting tongs. Set them down
to cool completely. When they are done, test to see if they have sealed:
press on the lids - they should not give. Jars with loose lids can be
recanned (check the jar tops!) within 24 hours.

NOTES:

August 2003: Quite a bit of syrup left at the end .. I might try
cutting back a little on the vinegar. Also, if the goal is to
make 7 quarts then I overdid it a little. No need to chop in
an extra pear or two. I used about 3/4 of a box of wonderful red
pears I got at the Kirkland Wednesday Market, plus six or seven
early apples (windfalls, insect damage).