How To Make Basic Chutney

Sharing is caring!

How to make chutney with a Basic Chutney Recipe that will produce the best homemade chutney.

Make the most of the summer bounty of fruit and vegetables with jars of delicious chutney for the winter months.

You’ll be pleased to hear how easy it is to make a chutney. Simply chop your vegetables and fruit, choose your favourite spices, add vinegar and sugar and you’re set to simmer.

Then simply simmer until your chutney is nice and glossy and just the right consistency.

Making chutneys and jams here at the Kitchen Shed is a great pleasure for me. Feedback, such as on my Spicy Courgette Chutney and Apple Chutney, tells me the recipes remain firm favourites. Whether from family, friends or Farmer’s Markets’ customers, there’s always a demand for tasty, easy to make chutneys and jams.

In easy to follow step-by-step format, I’m sharing all the chutney making tips I’ve learnt over the past 20 years.

My basic formula chutney recipe can be customised to your personal taste. Why not experiment with your favourite combination of sweet, sour, spicy and salty ? There really is a special pleasure in delighting family and friends with your very own homemade chutney.

Regular readers will perhaps remember how much I value my CrockPot. It’s a great appliance for chutney making and that’s why my recipe includes the method for Slow Cooker Basic Chutney. Ideal for those days when you don’t want to be in the kitchen for long. You can leave your chutney in the slow cooker and get on with other things.

And don’t forget, chutney is a great make ahead Christmas gift as a chutney improves with age. Come Christmas time chutney partners perfectly with Christmas cheeses and cold meats. I always make enough chutney to go in the Christmas hampers for our family and friends.

What equipment do I need ?

• Preserving pan – nice and wide so liquid can evaporate and your chutney becomes glossy and thick. If you make a lot of chutneys and jams it’s worth investing in a good solid preserving pan. I use an 8.5 litre Penguin Home Professional pan.
• If you are choosing the Slow Cooker method then you will need a slow cooker. I used a 4 to 6 person (4.7 litre) CrockPot.
• A spice bag or muslin cloth for the whole spices.
• A ladle.
• A jam funnel. I prefer to use a stainless steel funnel because vinegar reacts with other metals such as aluminium.
• 4 to 6 jam jars with screw top lids. Make sure to use vinegar proof lids – generally plastic coated on the underside to prevent any acid reaction with metal.
• Adhesive labels.

How to Sterilise Jars

Sterilise jars shortly before they are to be used. This minimises the time in which the jars might pick up new bacteria and ruin your chutney. Make sure your jars are dry when you come to fill them.

• I like to sterilise jars in the microwave. Clean your jars as normal and rinse. Whilst the jars are wet, pop them in the microwave for two minutes on full power. Remember the jars will be very hot, so remove with care.
• Pour boiling water into a bowl or jug and add the lids and leave for 5 minutes. Drain and leave to dry completely before using.
• Alternatively, wash jars and the lids in the dishwasher on a hot cycle.
• Always sterilise more jars than you think you will need.

What ingredients do I need ?

The full details of my basic formula for chutney are in the recipe card below. You can definitely customise chutney to your own taste and I’d encourage you to experiment. The potential is almost endless, so go ahead and enjoy your own creation.
Just don’t be tempted to change the amount/ratio of vinegar, sugar and salt. They play an important role in preserving your homemade chutney as well as adding flavour.

Spices – use your favourite spices to compliment the fruit and vegetables you are using. To start you off I’ve included the spices I have in my basic chutney.

• Apples – I used Braeburn but Cox’s Orange Pippin or Gala work well too. I don’t recommend Granny Smith’s or Pink Lady as they don’t soften or thicken the chutney in the same way.
• Onions – brown or red onions, bearing in mind red onions will make the chutney sweeter.
• Fruit or vegetables of your choice – from the first fruit of the rhubarb season through to pumpkins or squash at the end of Autumn. This recipe allows you to use whatever you have to hand. Choose firm fresh fruit or vegetables and discard any bruised parts. You don’t want to go to the trouble of making a chutney and it spoiling because some ingredients were damaged.
• Dried fruit – sultanas are a favourite in my chutneys but I also love to use dried cranberries and raisins.
• Vinegar of your choice – you will need a good quality vinegar with an acetic acid content of at least 5%. Most reputable brands have at least 5% acetic acid and some even go as high as 8%. My favourite vinegar to use is cider vinegar but I also use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar and Balsamic. Be careful with malt vinegar as there is a tendency for it to overpower the final flavour.
• Salt – adds flavour and helps to preserve your chutney.
• Sugar – white sugar makes a sweeter chutney and helps maintain the chutney’s vibrant colour. A light brown sugar imparts a gentle molasses flavour whereas a dark brown sugar produces a deeper molasses flavour. Also, a darker sugar delivers a darker coloured chutney.
• Coriander seeds – add a warm, aromatic and slightly citrus flavour.
• Yellow mustard seeds – aren’t quite as fiery as black or brown mustard seeds. Giving a warm spice tone as well as slightly sweet.
• Black peppercorns – not as hot as white peppercorns and tend to mellow during cooking.
• Ginger – this is optional. If you like a spicy chutney fresh ginger root adds a gentle heat.
• Chilli – this is optional as the chilli flakes add a final kick to boost the heat. The amount of chilli I use won’t blow your socks off but it does make a difference. Feel free to add extra heat or tone it down as you prefer.

How to make Basic Chutney

Making a chutney couldn’t be easier – just follow these easy steps for your best homemade chutney.

• Cut your vegetables and fruit into roughly the same size pieces so they cook evenly. Bear in mind whether you want a chunky chutney or a smaller diced chutney. If you go too big you’ll have pieces of fruit or veg falling out of your cheese or ham sandwich. Equally, don’t be tempted to shred your fruit and veg or you will end up with more of a sauce.

• Add the diced vegetables along with the sultanas, chilli flakes, sea salt and grated ginger to a large preserving pan.

• Make up your spice bag by tying the spices in a large muslin square or use a ready made bag.
• Add spice bag to the pan, pour in vinegar, give everything a good stir and slowly bring to the boil.

• Turn down the heat to low before stirring in the sugar until it has dissolved.

• Simmer until nice and thick. You don’t need to watch chutney like you do jam but you still need to keep an eye on it. Stir every now and then to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• The chutney is ready when the liquid has reduced and the fruit, vegetables and sultanas look plump and glossy.
• Check your chutney is ready by drawing a silicone spatula or wooden spoon through the chutney mixture. If the chutney parts and the base of the preserving pan remains visible for a few seconds, it’s done.

• Ladle your chutney into sterilised jars whilst still hot, filling to within 6 mm (1/4 inch) of the top. Pack down with the back of a spoon to remove any air pockets.
• Seal tightly with a lid and label when cold.

How to make Chutney in the Slow Cooker

Can you make chutney in a slow cooker ? Yes you can! A slow cooker is the perfect appliance for making chutney as the process needs to be gentle. A slow cooker removes the the worry of your chutney drying out too much or catching on the bottom of your pan.

• Firstly, the onion, apples, fruit or vegetables, sultanas, spices and vinegar are brought to the boil in a pan. Do this on your stovetop before adding the ingredients to your slow cooker.

• Next, cook for an hour with the slow cooker lid on to cook the fruit and onion.

• Then, the sugar is added and stirred in. The slow cooker lid is put back on but now it’s propped open with a wooden spoon or spatula. This allows the chutney to reduce down until it is nice and thick. This process usually takes about 5 hours on the high setting.

• As with the stovetop method, check your chutney is ready by dragging a wooden spoon or spatula thought it. If the chutney parts and the base of the slow cooker remains visible for a few seconds, it’s done.

• Ladle into sterilised jars whilst still hot and tightly seal the jars with their lids. Label when cold.
• There is no need to water bath Basic Chutney. The sugar and acidity are sufficient to preserve the chutney.

Here in the UK, the water bath method is not generally used for chutneys. Jars and lids are sterilised before filling with hot chutney and tightened lids on filled jars form a vacuum seal as contents cool. However, if you prefer to use a boiling water canner, process for 15 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

How long before I can eat my Chutney ?

Chutney improves as it matures. Leaving it in sealed jars for at least two weeks before sampling is definitely preferred. Leave for a couple of months if you can.
Despite knowing I should leave chutney to mature, I admit I have opened a jar the day after cooking. It was delicious and surprisingly there was no overpowering taste of vinegar.

How to use Chutney

• My basic chutney is perfect on a cheese or ham sandwich. Serve it up with a traditional Ploughman’s lunch or with cheese and crackers. On barbecue evenings we’ve been known to add a spoon or two to a hot dog or burger.
• But don’t limit your chutney to your favourite sandwich, use it in your cooking too:
• Add a tablespoon or two to your favourite stew, casserole or tagine.
• Puree a couple of tablespoons, add a little water and use as a glaze for your Christmas ham or roast.
• Puree a few tablespoons, add a little water and mustard and use as a dipping sauce.
  Spread some on toast, layer with cheese and grill – Yum !

More Homemade Chutney Recipes for you to try

• Onion chutney is made with deliciously sweet caramelised red onions, flavoured with bay leaves and gently spiced with chilli flakes.
• Pumpkin chutney is spiced with coriander, mustard seeds, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, a touch of chilli and studded with plump cranberries. It’s a taste of Autumn in a jar.
• Courgette Chutney is spiced with coriander, ginger, mustard seeds and a touch of chilli. It’s the perfect recipe for using up your overgrown courgettes / zucchini or marrows.
• Cranberry Chutney is packed with the Christmas flavours of mulled wine spices and orange.
• Tomato and Chilli Chutney  – a blend of ripe tomatoes and fiery chilli bursting with Indian spices.
• Green Tomato Chutney is sweet and sour with aromatic spices and a touch of chilli. 

Let’s Keep In Touch! You can Find Me On Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter