Chutney adds a new dimension to everything from a Ploughman’s Lunch to the humble sarnie. This gorgeous homemade Guinness Chutney raises the bar (oops couldn’t resist) even higher, it tastes fabulous.
It’s St Patrick’s Day tomorrow, rivers will flow green, shamrocks will be in abundance and the world’s population of Irish will multiply by millions as so many will find an ancestor or two that hail from the Emerald Isle.
There are so many wonderful things to conjure with when one thinks of Ireland, but an ever-popular image is that of Guinness, the deep, dark brew that lifts the heart of any Irishman worldwide.
I’ve decided to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a homemade Guinness Chutney.
Is chutney easy to make?
I love making chutney. There is none of the frantic activity and anxiety that can come from those last moments of boiling up a jam and getting the right set.
With chutney making it is a simple case of letting all that goodness bubble away till it sets up all my itself.
You just watch and wait and potter around the kitchen doing other stuff while time and heat work their magic on the ingredients you so thoughtfully tossed into the pan.
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in no time at all.
Just check out these handy articles to get you heading in the right direction fast;
How to make great jam and marmalade
How to make chutney and relish
How to sterilise jars and bottles
Ingredients for Guinness chutney
This was one of my ‘use it or lose it’ type recipes. A case of hauling together bits and bobs from fruit bowl, larder and fridge and hoping for the best.
It starts with an idea – Ah Guinness! and then it’s a case of casting an eye around the kitchen to see what is available.
Living in the middle of nowhere means that popping out for a single ingredient would be a total waste of time and petrol, you have to make do with what you have to hand.
Use up those few battered apples, that half-inch of chilli pepper lurking at the bottom of the fridge alongside the mangled remains of a hunk of ginger that has seen better days but still holds a kick or two and raid the baking box for the raisins left from making all those festive treats.
The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How long does chutney keep?
Like all my homemade chutneys this Guinness chutney will keep for up to a year. Just store your jars in a cool dark place. once opened store the chutney in the fridge and use within a month.
Please Note – We do not usually do water bath or other canning methods here in the UK. Our preserves keep perfectly well without this.
How much chutney does this make?
It will make 4 small jars of Guinness chutney from this recipe, just double up the recipe to make more.
Ladies and gentlemen wherever you are this St Patrick’s Day I give you Gorgeous Guinness Chutney!
How to serve your Guinness chutney
Serve this chutney with burgers and BBQ. Have it with the traditionally British ploughman’s Lunch.
Slather it on a toasty with cheese and ham.
Serve Guinness chutney alongside a roast, especially pork or beef.
Add a little pot of this delicious Guinness chutney to your cheeseboard.
Looking for some more fun and easy chutney recipes to try? Then check these out before you go;
Easy spicy courgette/zucchini chutney
Spiced apricot and almond chutney
Looking for more Guinness recipes? Then don’t miss these!
Homemade Guinness bread recipe
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Gorgeous Guinness Chutney
Ingredients
- 350 g apples I used 4 peeled and cored
- 125 g raisins
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/2 tsp chopped fresh chilli
- 1 tsp chopped fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 125 ml white wine vinegar
- 125 ml Guinness
- 150 g light muscovado sugar
Instructions
- Chop the peeled and cored apples into small cubes about 1cm in size and cook these along with the raisins, onion, ginger, chilli and mustard seeds until they are soft and tender.
- Don’t add any water here just keep stirring, it will take about 15 minutes.
- Add the vinegar, Guinness and sugar and allow the sugar to dissolve completely.
- Raise the temperature to a boil and then lower back to a simmer.
- Let the chutney bubble away for about 1 1/2 hours or until a wooden spoon dragged through will leave a clear trail on the bottom of the pan.
- Ladle into sterilised jars and pop on the lids.
fantastic idea
Thanks so much.
K x
The 1/16th of me that has Irish roots raises a pint to you!
Cheers Sean!
I need to make this and put it on EVERYTHING. #NOM
Hi Jac,
Glad you like the recipe, hope you are enjoying that Guinness Chutney by now.
K x
I made this and loved it, so I am now making two more batches to give as Christmas gifts. Thank you for Star.
Hi Chris
So glad you are enjoying my Guinness chutney so much. Hope your friends enjoy their gifts.
K
how long will it keep for?
About 6 months
K x
I love this chutney!! I have been experimenting with a lot of different recipes and have sold some of my chutneys at markets. This is the one people keep asking for. I used palm sugar as I could not get muscovado. It is soooo good!!
Glad it was such a success for you Julie
Kx
could I use plums in this chutney
Yes go ahead, great idea.
K x
What size jars do you recommend? You say 4 small jars but what is that in ml or ltrs?
Thanks
About 25ml size I think
think these were about 25ml jars
Thank you for this recipe so easy to make, made my first batch on Sunday now on to the send back tasted fantastic but only time will tell after it has matured. Roll on Christmas
Hi Jacqui
Glad you like it so much.
K x
How long are you leaving it to mature?
I’m hoping to eat it ASAP 🙂
I dont rally let it mature. Used it right away.
K x
I just bought a shihtzu pup from breeder named Karon. Guess she is Irish. She named the pup Guinness so I make chutney soon
Going to make this for Christmas time! Does it require ageing?
Seperate question If two of the jars I am using are ones I am reusing would they then need to be stored in fridge as technically open?
🙂
Hi Alex
I didn’t age this chutney. Just used it straight away. I always mention if I think a chutney should be aged in the recipe. Some are just too strong at first. If you feel that it’s too vinegar tasting then let it mature a week or so, all a matter of taste really.
Hope you enjoy it.
K
Looks delicious !
I wonder , first to cook for 15 minuten and rhen cook for another 1 1/2 hours, isn’t the fruit then completly cooked away? Will pieces of fruiT still visible ?
I’m definitely going to try it.
Thank you for the delicious
Linda
Hi Linda
You could try cutting the cooking time if you like. This is just how I made it and found I still had lovely pieces of fruit in my chutney as you can see in the photos. Hope you’ll give this one a go. It tastes marvelous and makes a great gift for any Guinness fan!
K
I made a batch for the first time last week. It’s easy to make and so tasty. Thank you so much. I am currently standing in my kitchen, waiting for my second batch. Most of which will be given as gifts. Had to triple the recipe as my husband would not be happy if we didn’t have extra for over Christmas.
Thanks again for the recipe. I’d recommend anyone to try it.
Hi Jo
So thrilled that my Guinness chutney is such a hit in your house. Thanks for letting me know I really appreciate that.
K
Beautiful result – a lovely rich, dark, goopy chutney. I doubled the amount and got four 250 ml jars, plus a bit in a bowl. I also added extra chilli and a dash of date mollases. I couldn’t get light muscovado sugar, so used half dark muscovado and half raw caster sugar – so quite treacly. Delicious – definitely a keeper!
Hi Sally
Glad you liked the recipe so much and I like the sound of your additions
K
Hi, im very keen to start making chutneys, alot of the recipes have rasins in them, im wondering if you could please suggest a substitution? I’m not a fan of rasins or sultanas…
Hi Beck
There are lots of other dried fruits you could use instead, apricots etc. Just use the fruit you like.
K