Look at the ingredients in a good jam, pickle or chutney recipe and you will usually find three familiar helpers: sugar, acid and salt. Each of them has a job to do, and each of them works best in the company of the others. Knowing a little about their roles will not turn you into a chemist, but it will help you to see why a recipe is written as it is, and why it is unwise to change it casually.
Sugar does more than sweeten. It draws water out of fruit, thickens the mixture as it cooks, and, together with pectin and acid, helps a jam to set. Acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, brightens the flavour, helps the pectin to work and creates conditions that many unwanted organisms do not like. Salt draws moisture out of vegetables, seasons the food and plays a part in many traditional methods.
Balance and good habits
The important word is balance. If you cut the sugar in a jam, it may not set, and it may not keep as well. If you reduce the vinegar in a chutney, the flavour and the storage life can both change. That is why experienced cooks stick to tried and trusted recipes, especially when they are new to the craft. Change spices and herbs freely, but leave the foundations alone.
None of the three is a guarantee on its own. They work together with clean jars, well-fitting lids, careful cooking and cool storage. Wash jars and lids well, rinse them and let them dry, and wash your hands and tools before you begin. Label every jar with the contents and the month, and keep them somewhere cool and dark. Look at them from time to time and check the lids.
If a jar smells wrong, looks odd, has mould on the surface or has a bulging lid, throw it away. Do not taste it to find out. When you have a new idea, make a small batch for the fridge or the freezer first, and eat it soon. In this way you can experiment safely, learn what you like and build the confidence to make bigger batches that you can share with friends.
