Cassis query!

[Sue]

I am making cassis from blackcurrants and vodka.

They've been soaking for months and now I've got to add the sugar.

All the recipes I can find say to use sterilised jars/bottles.

Does anybody know, is it really necessary to sterilise them? Surely vodka is strong enough not to need it?

I know you have to be very careful with wine and beer making to use sterile equipment, but cassis??? Is it because of the sugar?

I don't want to waste all the effort (and vodka expense!) I've gone to so far. On the other hand sterilising things is a pain ..... :(

[womanofdulwich]

Sue Sterilizing means either putting in a dishwasher or washing in very hot water and then leaving in a warm oven to dry out.

[DirtyBox]

I just made blackcurrant gin and didn't bother sterilizing the bottles but then again it tasted so good I drank the whole lot in under 2 weeks :-)

[JoeLeg]

It's worth doing. If any bacteria gets into your cassis - and remember you can't see it, it could get in there without you realising - it will multiply over time and could reach very dangerous quantities.

Despite the huge amount of sugar and alcohol, there is no guarantee that you wouldn't poison yourself and others. Yes it's a faff, but it is important; better safe than sorry.

And if you need someone to, you know, check it...hey, just offering :-)!

[Sue]

womanofdulwich Wrote:

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> Sue Sterilizing means either putting in a

> dishwasher or washing in very hot water and then

> leaving in a warm oven to dry out.

I'm not sure that's sufficient?

I have already done that, but I was going to use Milton as well.

[Sue]

DirtyBox Wrote:

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> I just made blackcurrant gin and didn't bother

> sterilizing the bottles but then again it tasted

> so good I drank the whole lot in under 2 weeks :-)

Oh dear.

I've done that in the past with sloe gin, but I've got about three litres of vodka in it (it was very embarrassing getting it in the Co-Op, I got some very funny looks when I asked for three litres of the cheapest vodka :)) )

Anyway, it's supposed to be for presents, hollow laugh :))

[Sue]

JoeLeg Wrote:

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> It's worth doing. If any bacteria gets into your

> cassis - and remember you can't see it, it could

> get in there without you realising - it will

> multiply over time and could reach very dangerous

> quantities.

>

> Despite the huge amount of sugar and alcohol,

> there is no guarantee that you wouldn't poison

> yourself and others. Yes it's a faff, but it is

> important; better safe than sorry.

>

> And if you need someone to, you know, check

> it...hey, just offering :-)!

Yeh, I guess you're right, better safe than sorry.

So do I need to sterilise the sieve etc as well? Also, one recipe suggests straining it through an old tee shirt, trouble is I gave all mine away during a clutter clear :)) but surely that wouldn't be very sterile??

[JoeLeg]

Well, the sieve will presumably be clean, but yes, drop it into boiling water for a 30 seconds (2 minutes at 75 Celsius or 30 seconds at 78 Celsius is required to kill bacteria - though spore forming bacteria present in things like rice are a different matter) to be safe.

Do not use an old t shirt. Please no! Though I imagine that's the equivalent of using muslin to pass liquids. Even so, the muslin would still need boiling first. At least I boil it first.

[Sue]

Anyone know where I can get muslin in ED?!

[Lowlander]

Same principle as jam making - sterilise everything!

Wash the bottles/jars and put in the oven on about 140 deg C for 10 minutes, that will sterilise them (if you have kilner jars, boil the rubber seals).

As will using a dishwasher if you have one.

[womanofdulwich]

I used old baby muslins-but you have to buy them in packs of 3. http://www.lakeland.co.uk/18722/Muslin-Squares-45cm

[Sue]

Thanks

[maxxi]

The cook shop near the edt sells muslin... I've made chilli vodka and cherry vodka in the past and the hot water and oven thing is fine.

[Nigello]

Are coffee filters a good substitute?

[Sue]

Thanks maxxi!

Coffee filters might be, but I don't have any so I may as well get the muslin!

[MissDumpling]

Brand new j-cloth lining your sieve will work fine with blackcurrants.

[Sue]

MissDumpling Wrote:

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> Brand new j-cloth lining your sieve will work fine

> with blackcurrants.

That's a good idea, as long as the blue dye doesn't come out :))

[Loz]

Nigello Wrote:

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> Are coffee filters a good substitute?

Not in my experience. They clog up very quickly (nay, immediately) and you can't squeeze them like you can muslin.

[JoeLeg]

Sue Wrote:

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> MissDumpling Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Brand new j-cloth lining your sieve will work

> fine

> > with blackcurrants.

>

>

> That's a good idea, as long as the blue dye

> doesn't come out :))

It is a good idea, and no, it won't run. Wet them a bit first, they'll 'stick' to the sieve better; otherwise I've known those cloths kind of 'collapse' when sauces are passed through them. Should be much easier to find than muslin, which I usually slog over to Lewisham for; there's a cloth shop there which sells good stuff but the staff are possibly ruder than Le Chardon.

[Sue]

JoeLeg Wrote:

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> Should be much easier to find than muslin, which I

> usually slog over to Lewisham for; there's a cloth

> shop there which sells good stuff

When you say cloth shop, do you mean fabrics?

Only I've been searching without success for 100% cotton (not polyester mix) red gingham - can't remember the check size but it's midway between the very small and the quite large :)

Nobody seems to have it by the metre/yard any more :(

What is the name of the shop, do you remember, or alternatively where abouts is it?!

[bawdy-nan]

muslins at AJ Farmers usually ...

re sterilising - dishwasher absolutely fine (very hot) if you're not sure about that then wash with soapy water and dry in a low oven (boil the lids in a pan); or boil the bottles in a large pan...

[Sue]

Thanks all!

[Seabag]

How much is a bottle of Cassis

Can we not have a whip round and put Sue (and us) out of her misery

I'll put ?4:95 in

Anyone?

[Sue]

Seabag Wrote:

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> How much is a bottle of Cassis

>

> Can we not have a whip round and put Sue (and us)

> out of her misery

>

> I'll put ?4:95 in

>

> Anyone?

If you're in misery you can just not read it :))

And buying it would not be the same! I've grown the blackcurrants!!

[Seabag]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Seabag Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > How much is a bottle of Cassis

> >

> > Can we not have a whip round and put Sue (and

> us)

> > out of her misery

> >

> > I'll put ?4:95 in

> >

> > Anyone?

>

>

> If you're in misery you can just not read it :))

>

> And buying it would not be the same! I've grown

> the blackcurrants!!

But it's such a gripping read, much like the Archers of late

I'd be only wondering 'what would happen' if I wasn't reading it. Can you include a land grab or some cattle breaking out in Lower Bellenden, to jushhhhh the story up a bit. Maybe a (contained) fire at the distillery where Ol' Fox Grundy puts the fire out by talking about his shop so much he starves the fire of oxygen