SLOW COOKER JAMS: perfect preserves to gift or enjoy at home

Extend the usefulness of your slow cooker with our easy sweet and savoury jams. They’re perfect for gifting or enjoying at your table.

Sterilising jars

The aim is to finish sterilising the jars and lids at the same time the mixture is ready to be bottled; the hot mixture should be bottled into hot, dry, clean jars. Jars that aren’t sterilised properly can cause deterioration of the contents during storage. Always start with cleaned washed jars and lids, then follow one of these methods:

1 Put the jars and lids through the hottest cycle of a dishwasher without using any detergent.

2 Lie the jars down in a boiler with the lids, cover with cold water, then cover with a lid. Bring to the boil over high heat and boil the jars for 20 minutes.

3 Stand the jars upright, without touching each other, on a wooden board on the lowest oven shelf. Turn the oven to the lowest possible temperature; leave jars to heat for 30 minutes. Remove jars from the oven or dishwasher with a tea towel, or from the boiling water with tongs and rubber-gloved hands; the water will evaporate from hot wet jars quite quickly. Stand jars upright, and not touching each other, on a wooden board or a bench covered with a tea towel. Fill jars as directed in the recipe; secure the lids tightly, holding jars firmly with a tea towel or an oven mitt. Leave the jars at room temperature to cool before storing.