Apple chutney

Several years ago a friend off-loaded bags of apples on me. I put them in everything, but the favourite by far was the Apple Chutney from Judith Wills’ brilliant New Home Larder. It’s now my go-to chutney recipe and I think I’ve made it every year since. It’s a long long time since I had Branston Pickle, but I think this chutney might be similar to it, with a deep, dark colour and prefect balance of sharp and sweet.

Apple Chutney

• 1.5kg apples
• 750g onions
• 1l malt vinegar
• 500g sultanas
• 1kg soft brown sugar
• 1 dsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
•  1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp dry English mustard

1. Pour the vinegar into a large heavy based pan
2. Peel and core the apples, cut them into chunks and pop them into the pan with the vinegar.
3. Peel and chop the onions and add them into the pan too.
4. Bring the apple, onion, vinegar mix to the boil and simmer for an hour.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and stir thoroughly to dissolve the sugar – it will go runny and glossy.
6. Bring back to the boil and simmer again for around 30 mins, stirring from time to time to prevent it burning and sticking tot he bottom of the pan.
7. Pour into sterilised jars and cover with wax discs, then the lids when cool.
8. Store in a cool, dark place. Eat with cheese. Or cold meat.

You can adapt this recipe by adding some fresh or crystallised ginger, using different spices, or adding some chilli, but I think it’s pretty near perfect and doesn’t need any messing about.

Edited to add…. It’s now early January 2020, and although we’re technically still in the darkest days of winter, those days are getting longer and it’s unseasonally warm in Scotland this year. Mum gave me a couple of apple trees several years ago: a Cambusnethan Pippin and a Galloway Pippin and this last autumn we had the biggest crop ever from the two wee over laden trees. I made jar upon jar of this chutney, but also LOTS of the crazily good spiced apple jelly. Many jars have been gifted as Christmas presents and many jars have already been consumed in cheese sandwiches, or under the cheese in toasted cheese on toast. Perfect.

If you want to see more of my recipes you’ll find them all listed here.

Tags: apples, Chutney, ginger, recipe