Month by month
| Month | In season | Ideas for your jars |
|---|---|---|
| January | Oranges, bitter oranges, lemons, cabbage, leeks | Marmalade, sauerkraut |
| February | Bitter oranges, kumquats, grapefruit, root vegetables | Marmalade, candied citrus peel, lacto-fermented carrots |
| March | Beetroot, carrots, the first rhubarb | Lacto-fermented beetroot, chutneys |
| April | Rhubarb, asparagus, radishes | Rhubarb compote, pickled asparagus, fermented radishes |
| May | Rhubarb, the first strawberries | Strawberry and rhubarb jam |
| June | Strawberries, cherries, gooseberries, peas | Strawberry jam, cherries in syrup |
| July | Apricots, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, green beans, courgettes | Apricot jam, redcurrant jelly, courgette pickles |
| August | Tomatoes, peaches, plums, blackberries, peppers, aubergines, gherkins | Tomato sauce, peaches in syrup, blackberry jam, gherkins in vinegar |
| September | Tomatoes, plums, figs, grapes, the first apples | Tomato sauce, fig jam, plum chutney |
| October | Apples, pears, quinces, pumpkins, chestnuts | Apple sauce, quince jelly, pears in syrup |
| November | Apples, pears, quinces, cabbage, celeriac | Sauerkraut, apple and pear compote |
| December | Citrus fruits, cabbage, the last apples | Marmalade, jars to give as Christmas presents |
Fruit or vegetables: not the same method
Jams, fruits in syrup and compotes are acidic: a boiling water bath is enough. Low-acid vegetables (green beans, peas, ratatouille…) need a longer processing — ideally in a pressure canner — or another method such as lacto-fermentation. The details are in our guide on how to sterilize your jars.
Pumpkin and squash are a special case: never can them as a purée, which is too dense for the heat to reach the centre of the jar. Freeze the purée, or can the flesh in cubes in a pressure canner.
Plan your season
Before the big batches of summer, take stock of what is left in your pantry: there is no point in making ten more jars of a jam you still have plenty of. Jarrito shows your stock by category and the date of each batch, so you know what to make this year — and what to eat first.
