Hi Kylie. This is the way my mom has been doing it so I had never questioned it before. However, I did find out why: If some of the jars have loose lids or they are not sealed well, this will prevent the water from getting in and give the jars time to seal properly during the cooking process (steam will form inside and a vacuum should form). So basically, this way you should have a lower chance of having unsealed jars. Hope this helps.

Hi Gerhard, the longer they sit, the better but if you pickle them in summer you can eat them in winter. So at least 4 months. Hope this helps!

Hi Sandy, yes. That is how my family has been canning for years. But you can submerge them in water completely if you feel more comfortable doing it this way.

Hi Femia! Thanks for your feedback! I am delighted to hear that not only you but also your friends love these. I will let my mom know as it’s her recipe. She will be delighted :)

Hi Amy. Sorry for the confusion. Caster sugar is just a name for superfine sugar (in the UK). If you don’t have it on hand, use granulated sugar (same amount).

Glad to hear that, Kathryn. I actually I did not know the reason behind this until I asked :) So there are 2 reasons for not submerging them fully in water: 1st – this prevents the water from getting inside. 2nd. – this way the by slowly heating up the liquid will be pushed out from the jar. Hope this helps! :)