SAFE PRESERVING METHODS
• Hot jar & sauce method
I use this method when making a small batch of apple sauce to preserve into jars that are 500ml or smaller. For safe handling, I set the hot jars on a tea towel-lined wooden board beside the stovetop.
Clean the jars and sit them on an oven tray. Put the tray in the oven at 120°C for 15 minutes. Place the lids and the scoop of the ladle into a saucepan, cover with boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes.
Bring the apple sauce back to a simmer. Once the timer goes off, remove one jar from the oven and place it on the prepared board. Ladle the piping hot sauce into the hot jar. Fill to within 5mm from the top, then give the jar a gentle tap on the board to remove air bubbles. Use tongs to remove a lid from the boiling water, shake off excess water and place onto the jar. Secure the lid firmly using an oven glove and/or tea towel to hold the hot jar. Repeat with the remaining jars and sauce.
Leave jars to cool, then check the lids have vacuum sealed (they will concave into the jars).
The water bath method
This is my preferred preserving option for large quantities and/or when using larger jars (over 500ml). A preserving unit can be used for this method or use a large pot that can hold the jars completely covered in water.
Cool the prepared apple sauce (I cool the sauce overnight). Ladle the cool sauce into cold clean jars and secure the lids.
Place the jars into a water bath preserver, or use a lidded pot with a rack or inverted plate in the base to sit the jars onto. Fill the preserver or pot with cold water to completely immerse the jars and cover by 1-2cm.
Place the lid and turn on the preserving unit, or use a moderate heat on the stovetop. Once the water reaches a gentle simmer, turn the heat down to low and hold at this temperature for 15 minutes.
After this time, use jar tongs to carefully lift the jars from the unit/pot onto a tea towellined board; if using a preserver drain the water first. Check the lids are still tightly secured, the heat can sometimes loosen them (give them an extra twist if needed) and leave to cool.
Once the jars are completely cool, check the lids, making sure they have vacuum sealed (the lid will be concaving into the jar).
Name and date the jars and store in a cool, dark pantry for up to six months. Once opened, keep the sauce refrigerated and consume within a week.