Gooseberry and Ginger Chutney Recipe submitted by Jenny
Ingredients for Gooseberry and Ginger Chutney :
- 1 lb gooseberries
- 8 oz onions
- 1 pint wine vinegar
- 1 lb soft brown sugar
- 1½ oz salt
- 1 tbs ground ginger
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
Method for Gooseberry and Ginger Chutney:
- Gently cook the gooseberries in a little water until they have softened.
- Add chopped onions and vinegar, cooking for 10 minutes or so.
- Then add all other ingredients, boiling gently until some of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture has a slightly thick consistency.
- Cool slightly and pot into sterilised jars with screw top lids.
A dark, spicy chutney that is perfect with cheese – can be used in about a month but keeps for ages.
This recipe can be scaled up to any quantity to fit your preserving pan. You will want to make lots, it’s so good.
Like most chutneys, kept in properly sterilized and sealed jars this will keep for at least a year in a cool dark place. Once opened, keep in the fridge and try to use within 4 weeks.
General Chutney Making Information
Chutneys - How to Make Chutney
Chutneys originated in India – the name derived from the Hindu word chatni . They then came back to Britain with explorers where they were a hit and are now a very popular preserve all over the world.
The scope of chutneys is endless and t...
Is it red or white wine vinigar that i should use for this recipe?
It’s not my recipe but if I was making it I’d use white wine vinegar.
I used malt vinegar – because it is very cheap! – and the result was excellent.
Is it possible to use gooseberries that have been frozen for this recipe?
Hello,
Is 1 pint vinegar the right amount. Mine took ages and it didn’t seem to even slightly thicken that much at all. Followed your recipe to the letter and put barely a teaspoon of water in at the beginning. I suppose it was at low boil stage for 50mins or so. You didn’t give any length of time for cooking as such.
I have a huge number of frozen gooseberries – can I use them for this recipe? Do I just defrost them then follow the recipe as per normal?
Please print metric, us folk in New Zealand have forgotten pounds etc.
love the recipes such a choice, fruit time here so be trying lots of new recipes Thanks from a Kiwi
Agree with Jan that the amount of vinegar seems very large especially as the gooseberries release a lot of juice; most chutney recipes use about 500ml vinegar to 1kg veg/fruit. I measured out the full amount of vinegar but ended up using just half. Even then had to simmer for about an hour for the right consistency to be reached.
I walked away and forgot it when it was simmering. Not sure how long I was away but it must have been more than an hour. The result was a very thick and gooey substance which is gorgeous. I thought it looked burnt – it did look burnt – but the taste wasn’t burnt and it is very strong – maybe cut down the salt next time – but it’s delicious!!
Off to make some more.
Just made a batch of this with ripe red goosegogs and wanted to say I wish I’d used less salt and could have used less vinegar (I used half each red and white wine vinegars) as it took me a solid hours simmering to get it thick enough. I realise this is all dependent on your fruit and its relative juiciness. That said, we don’t mind a slightly runny chutney. The taste, although a bit too salty for us, is lovely, rich and fragrant, and has an excellent burgundy colour.
Used 1lb fresh red sweet gooseberries from the glut we have in garden – and 200ml malt vinegar + 200ml white wine (Asda bog standard Australian three for £10) changed recipe slightly – soaked 50g of dried sultanas in whiskey overnight and added with final ingredients – time will tell what it tastes like but at this moment whilst its still cooking smells fantastic.!
@Barbara:
Hello
Don’t you have conversion facilities in New Zealand?
We in UK often have to convert American measures if we wish to use the recipe.
Far too much salt 1tspn would have been enough absolutely inedible and a waste of my lovely gooseberries.
I’ve just made this today delicious,