Every British larder seems to have a jar of apple chutney at the back of it, usually from a neighbour with an apple tree and too many Bramleys. It is the chutney that goes with everything: a ploughman’s lunch, a pork pie, a cheese toastie, the leftover turkey. This spiced apple chutney recipe is the reliable, everyday version, gently warm with ginger and chilli rather than fiery.
Spiced Apple Chutney
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Bramley apples peeled, cored and chopped into 1 cm pieces
- 500 g onions finely chopped
- 250 g sultanas
- 400 g light brown sugar
- 500 ml cider vinegar 5% acidity
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds lightly crushed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp salt
Method
- Put the apples, onions, sultanas, vinegar, ginger and garlic into a large, heavy, non-reactive pan. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the apples begin to soften.
- Add the sugar, spices and salt and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring more frequently as it thickens, until dark, glossy and jammy.
- Test: drag a spoon across the base of the pan. If the line stays clear for a few seconds without liquid rushing in, it is ready.
- Fill hot, sterilised jars with vinegar-proof lids, leaving 1 cm headspace, and seal immediately. For a shelf-stable seal, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
- Store somewhere cool and dark for at least a month before opening.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Why Bramleys?
Bramley apples are sharp and collapse as they cook, which is exactly what you want here: they melt into a thick, jammy base that carries the spices. Eating apples hold their shape and turn out sweeter and chunkier. Both work, but if you use only eating apples, add a splash more vinegar and a little less sugar. A mix gives you soft chutney with some pieces of apple still visible.
Six Mistakes That Spoil Chutney
1. Rushing the cook
Chutney needs time for the vinegar to reduce and the fruit to break down. Turn up the heat to hurry it and it catches on the bottom long before it thickens.
2. Stirring too little near the end
In the last half hour the mixture gets thick and sticky. That is when it burns. Stay close and stir often.
3. Using an aluminium or copper pan
Vinegar reacts with these metals and can give the chutney a metallic taste. Use stainless steel or enamel.
4. Bare metal lids
The vinegar corrodes them over time. Use lids with a plastic lining, or put a waxed disc between the chutney and the lid.
5. Opening it too early
Fresh chutney tastes harsh. Give it at least four weeks. Two months is even better.
6. Cutting back the vinegar or sugar
They are what preserve it. Change the spices as much as you like, but keep the vinegar at 5% acidity and the sugar close to the recipe if the jars will sit in the cupboard.
Change Up the Spices
- Christmas spice: swap the coriander for 1/2 tsp ground cloves and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Curried apple: add 1 tbsp mild curry powder and a handful of chopped dates.
- Tomato and apple: replace 500 g of the apples with ripe tomatoes.
- Pear and apple: use half pears, like in our spiced pear chutney.
For a darker, richer jar to set alongside it, try our damson chutney. And for more apple recipes this season, our apple crumble with oats uses up a few more Bramleys.
Good Questions
How many jars does this make?
About six 340 g jars.
Do I need to water bath chutney?
Traditional British chutney is simply sealed hot in sterilised jars. A 10-minute water bath gives a more reliable, longer-lasting seal, as recommended by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Can I freeze apple chutney?
Yes, in freezer-safe containers for up to a year. The texture stays much the same.
