Hot Fill-ins
This method is relatively new and in the absence of a proper English term I have named it after the direct translation from the German term “Heiß Einfüllen”. It has partly substituted the old fashioned sterilisation method and is mostly used for preserving fruit and vegetables, especially tomatoes.
It is a simple and easy, energy and labour saving method and only a funnel is needed to pour the hot produce into Twist-off jars.
Fruits and vegetables are either heated in their own juice for 1 minute or are preserved whole or sliced in hot vinegar water or salt water. While cooling down a vacuum is created that keeps the preserve for up to 1 year, when ideally it should be consumed. Heat treatment is very short and the nutritional value of Hot Fill-ins is superior to sterilising fruit and vegetables for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Basic method: The 7 Magic Steps to Hot Fill-ins
1. Clean jars and let them air-dry.
2. Wash fruit, peel and cut or mash.
3. Sterilise jars in the dishwasher or oven (60 degrees Celsius) or in a pot of boiling hot water.
4. Bring fruit or vegetables in their own juice to the boil, fill boiling mixture in hot jars.
5. Alternatively: Put whole or sliced fruit or vegetables in sterile jars and fill up with boiling vinegar water (50% vinegar, 50% water) or salt water (1tsp of salt per half litre water).
6. Close with twist of lid.
7. Place upside down on a towel for 1 minute and then allow to cool down.