Christmas Ale Chutney

I have been making a version of this Ale Chutney for years and used to sell it at local farmers’ markets where it was incredibly popular, particularly around the festive period.

It’s easy to make and doesn’t lean too heavily in Christmas flavour so that it tastes out of place if you have a couple of jars left into Easter. It’s a simple base of rich soft dates and prunes, tang from sharp apples which contrast beautifully with the malty bitterness of your favourite ale.

This recipe (since my website is gluten-free) gives advice on which gluten-free ale is best to buy. However, this advice is just as useful if you are not gluten-free as it runs through the different types of ale and how they can complement the flavours in your chutney in different ways.

We’ll dig deep into the ingredients in this chutney, how they are perfectly balanced for flavour and safe storage. We’ll go through every single process so you understand why you have to sterilise your jars, the best way to store your chutney and how you can serve it.

Why Use Ale in Chutney?

Ale adds a bit of festive flair to this recipe and we’re using it in our chutney mainly for flavour. It adds a little bitterness and depending on which brand you use a little maltiness. Different brands of ale will impart different flavours.

What’s the Best Gluten-Free Ale to Use?

There are plenty of gluten-free ales around of all kinds of different flavour notes. Use the ale that you like to drink. I enjoyed a lovely taste test during the development of this recipe and if you are based in the UK then the Chiltern Brewery have an amazing selection of different gluten-free ales. I recommend using an ale which has a good malty depth, a touch of fruitiness and rich nutty flavour. Ultimately go with what you like.

Bitter. I like Chiltern Brewery’s Beechwood Best Bitter (which actually isn’t too bitter and has a beautiful toffee-like fruitiness).

Dark Ale. I like Chiltern Brewery’s Three Hundreds Dark Old Ale which has a good malty choice which stands up to the strong flavours in this chutney.

Pale Ale. This is the most common gluten-free ale found in UK supermarkets. BrewDog Gluten-Free Punk IPA or Peroni are versatile choices, although they lack the depth of the stronger ales.

If you are choosing a gluten-free ale from the supermarket then look out for Gluten-Free Old Speckled Hen which has a rich malty fruity aroma which goes well with the flavours in this chutney.

Always check that the ale you are using is certified gluten-free, even if you have bought it in the past check that it still adheres to current guidelines.

Ingredients Needed

Apples. I recommend using a mix of a good crisp eating apple and cooking apples. Bramley apples and Granny Smiths are perfect. You don’t want anything too sweet as we’ve already got a lot of sweetness going on from the sugar and dried fruits. A cooking apple like Bramley is sharp in flavour and breaks down into a soft smooth body so it’s great for the texture of the chutney. You can swap for any cooking apple. The Granny Smith also has a good tang but keeps its body a bit more so adds a slight bite in the finished chutney.

Red onions. These are a bit more festive than white onions and add a little more sweetness but you can swap with white onions if you like.

Vegetables. This chutney has great body from root vegetables. I like to use a mix of carrots and parsnips. Carrots have a sweetness and good bite plus they are a high acid vegetable so they preserve very well. Parsnips add sweet nutty flavour but don’t be tempted to add more parsnips than the recipe suggests as the flavour can dominate plus they are a low-acid vegetable so you might need to adjust the vinegar and sugar quantities to keep to safe standards.

Other vegetables. Swede, red peppers or cauliflower also work well. Avoid very low-acid veg like raw potatoes and squash as they may raise the pH which will affect safe long term storage.

Dried fruit. This recipe uses prunes and dates which cook down really nicely to form a good soft base to the chutney whilst also adding good sweet flavour. I usually use medjool dates but I couldn’t find any locally when I was taking photos of the recipe and actually the Deglet Noor dates I used worked very well too although they are firmer and less sticky. Ultimately make sure the prunes and dates you use are from a freshly opened packet and still soft and sticky.

Light soft brown sugar. You could swap for granulated sugar or even dark brown sugar. However, light brown sugar is a lovely mix of the two with a slight molasses flavour, perfect with all the rich flavours.

This is a sweet chutney but don’t be tempted to reduce the amount of sugar as it is a preservative and the quantities of this recipe have been carefully balanced to ensure a safe long term storage.

Black treacle. This is a traditional British ingredient and is a dark bitter syrup derived from sugar refining. It has a very unique flavour which beds down nicely with the malty flavour of the ale. However, if you can’t get hold of it then you can substitute for molasses.

Apple cider vinegar. You need a vinegar with at least 5% acidity to ensure safe storage. Apple cider vinegar works well with its mellow flavour. You could swap with malt vinegar (this is only if gluten-free is not a requirement for you as malt is not suitable for gluten-free diets). You don’t need a fancy apple cider vinegar, regular cider vinegar is fine.

Garlic and ginger. Use plump and fresh garlic and ginger for the best flavour.

Mustard powder. English mustard powder is lovely and strong, if you like your chutney to have a kick then you can use 1½ tablespoons. You could swap for mustard but check labels as some mustards are not gluten-free compliant.

Worcester/shire sauce. It adds a lovely base of flavour. However, you need to be careful if you are following a gluten-free or vegan diet as the popular Lea & Perrins brand is not compliant with either. I like to use Biona Organic Vegan Worcester Sauce which has a lovely flavour.

Orange zest. Make sure your fruit is unwaxed so you keep the zest nice and fresh. It gives a little bit more Christmas flavour.

Spice. The deep rich and warming triumvirate of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice add that signature Christmassy flavour. You can add ½ teaspoon of ground cloves if you really want to accentuate the festivities but sometimes I feel that can be a bit on the nose.

Salt and pepper. I use kosher salt which has a good flavour balance and pre-ground black pepper as that makes it easy for measuring.

Ale. This is a gluten-free chutney so check your labels. You can purchase gluten-free ales in most larger supermarkets and they are usually available in the gluten-free aisles. You won’t have a huge amount of choice in the supermarket (although they are perfectly fine to use). If you wanted an ale with a good rich flavour then look for specialist brands (see guide above).

How To Make Christmas Ale Chutney

The following gives a short concise method with step-by-step images.

Peel and chop the fruit and vegetables into even 1.5cm sized cubes, always end with the apples so they don’t brown before you start making the chutney. Put all ingredients into a large preserving pot with 150g water and half the ale.

Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook for an hour. Pour in the rest of the ale. Return the chutney to the heat and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Sterilise clean jars in the oven and new lids in boiling water.

Remove the chutney from the heat and decant into sterilised jars. Store in a cool dark place until ready to serve. Once the jars are opened the chutney should be kept refrigerated.

Serving Suggestions

This Ale Chutney works deliciously with this Glazed Christmas Ham, leftover turkey, pork pies, sandwiches and festive canapés.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to your cheese or charcuterie board.

Pair this Christmas Ale Chutney with British cheeses like really good Cheddar, Double Gloucester, Stilton or Wensleydale.

Serve the ale chutney alongside the cheese and cold meats with these Seeded Crispbreads, with oatcakes or even sweet digestives.

More Chutneys You’ll Love

If you are faced with a glut of plums then you will not regret turning your load into this delicious Plum and Beetroot Chutney. Gently spiced and gorgeously smooth with a few tender bites of seasonal beetroot. Perfect for sandwiches and lovely with cold cuts, quiche, sausage rolls or cheese.

This Easy Homemade Apple Ginger Chutney is a quick and easy sweet slightly spiced chutney. It’s perfect with cheese, on crackers, with pork pies or served up with cold meats to accompany a buffet table.

Piccalilli is delicious spicy British pickle. Bite-sized pieces of Autumn vegetables fragrant with curry spices which is excellent with any kind of cheese or cold cut.