Microwave Bottling

The summer harvest is in full swing at my place and my kitchen has been a fruit processing centre for some weeks. One of the new things I have tried is microwave bottling rather than the usual Fowlers-Vacola water-bath bottling. I have found this a very successful way to preserve small amounts of fruit.

I used small 300 to 400 ml sterilised jars. The jars need to have a pop top. This means they have a rubber seal inside the lid and the lid needs to be in good condition without any rust.

The fruit also needs to be in good condition without blemishes. I cut up the fruit and place it in the jar without any liquid allowing a space of approximately 1 to 2 cm at the top, secure the lid firmly and place two or three jars in the microwave at the same time.

I then microwave on high for approximately five minutes until it’s obvious that the fruit is bubbling up.

I then remove the jars and set them on a bench and wait for the tops to pop thus reassuring me that they have sealed.

Because the internal temperature of the fruit reaches about 85° any microbes will be killed off and the fruit is safe to be stored.

If the tops do not pop, I redo the cooking process for another couple of minutes. I have kept microwaved fruit successfully for over 12 months.

It is safe to put metal lids into a microwave oven because the small amount of metal involved will not cause any arching or damage to the oven. As a precaution I always allow a space of at least 3 cm between jars and the oven wall.

Because the power of microwave ovens will vary, it’s a bit of an experiment to see how many minutes you’ll need to achieve the desired result. In my case my microwave is not very powerful and about five minutes does the trick.

I recommend the process. Isabel Webb wrote 5 Minute Microwave Bottling and More Microwave Bottling (both published by The Five Mile Press). They provide full directions.

The local library has several books by this author on the topic. I have now successfully bottled tomatoes, peaches and nectarines. Quinces are next.

The advantages are that you can do a bottle or two at a time, it is fast and healthy, and there is no added sugar required, just fruit.

Happy bottling!

This blog post was first written by Marg M. for the Food Garden Group blog in February 2012. It was given new photos and a 'new improved' text by her in February 2026.