This traditional English marrow and apple chutney is a great way to use up a glut of marrows. Sweet apples and warming spices complement the mild flavour of marrow, while brown sugar and vinegar add the traditional sweet and tangy chutney kick. Perfect with cheese, cold meats, or a crusty ploughman's lunch, it's easy to make, stores beautifully, and tastes even better after a few weeks of maturing.
Every year, my husband tells me he's not going to plant too many courgettes on the allotment, and every year I'm inundated with a glut of marrows. This year was no exception! I always ask 'Farmer Giles' (aka hubby) to harvest the baby marrows while they are still small, as I prefer the taste of the smaller ones. And without fail, there are always one or two that hide themselves away under a large leaf and grow into enormous monsters the size of watermelons.
This year was no exception!. The latest marrow offering measured in at 25 inches in length!
So I made a yummy marrow and apple chutney with some of it (I don't have a saucepan large enough to use the entire marrow in one go!).
I also stuffed one-third of it with a tasty lamb keema curry, which was baked in the oven for a tasty supper. The remainder has been peeled and cut into chunks and will be cooked with tomatoes and onions, similar to this baby marrow with tomato and onion recipe. If you're like me and hate to waste food, you may also like to try this easy Arrabbiata sauce with marrow, which is amazing when served spooned over a dish of pasta.
But back to the zucchini and apple chutney!
I love the warming spices in this marrow and apple chutney recipe that pair so well with the flavour of the apples. A marrow is like a little sponge, and soaks up these flavours perfectly, spreading them throughout the chutney. There's not too much vinegar either, just sufficient to provide the traditional chutney 'tang'. This marrow and apple chutney is a well-rounded, well-balanced condiment that pairs perfectly with cheese, cold meat, and, of course, the traditional pork pie on a ploughman's platter!
And on a lighter note, I'm always banging on about Mrs Ball's chutney - the great South African chutney (you can find my copycat recipe here if you'd like to try it). But I think this marrow and apple chutney is going to give even Mrs Ball a run for her money. I'd love to be able to market this as Mrs Jerling's chutney 🙂 !
Jump to:
Why you should make this marrow and apple chutney
- Perfect for using an oversized courgette or zucchini. If you've grown a monster marrow (or had one given to you), this is a tasty way to use some of it.
- Sweet, tangy and spicy. This is a classic British chutney, with a rich sweetness, a slight tang of vinegar and a warming spicy taste that is perfect for adding zing to a sandwich or simply as an accompaniment to a ploughman's platter.
- Great for gifting. Pack it into a pretty jar or glass bottle, and it makes a thoughtful homemade gift for food lovers.
- Long shelf life. Properly sealed in a sterilised jar, this chutney will keep for at least a year, so you can enjoy the summer harvest all year round.
- Economical. Turns a homegrown vegetable into something special with very little effort or extra expense.
Recipe information
Prep time: Around 15 minutes to chop up all the vegetables and gather the spices and other ingredients.
Cooking time: 90 minutes at a slow simmer. Note the cooking time will vary depending on how much water is in the marrow. Don't worry if your chutney hasn't thickened in the time stated in the recipe - it won't come to any harm if you leave it to simmer for longer until it's nice and thick.
Yield: Around 750 ml - or 3 x 250 ml jars. For US folks, that's about 3 cups!
Ingredients for marrow chutney
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Marrow. The marrow should be peeled, deseeded and cut into small blocks, about 2-cm or just less than an inch in size.
- Apples. These should be cored and peeled and cut into half-inch or 1 cm pieces. I used Granny Smith apples but you could use any apple really. Just bear in mind that the sweeter the apple, the sweeter the chutney will be.
- Onions. Peeled and finely diced. White or brown onions are preferable, but you could substitute with red onions.
- Dark brown sugar. This provides the sweetness. Substitute with white sugar. You won't get the caramel taste provided by dark brown sugar and the chutney will be a lighter colour.
- Apple cider vinegar. Combined with the sugar, vinegar acts as a preservative and creates an environment that allows the chutney to be safely stored for months in sealed jars. Substitute with white vinegar, or for a stronger tang, use malt vinegar.
- Sultanas. For a little extra fruity sweetness. Leave them out if you don't like them.
- Cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger and salt. This combination of spices works well with the marrow and apple, providing a warm, aromatic flavour. The salt is optional, but as marrow can be quite bland, a little salt does help to improve the overall flavour of the chutney.
Instructions
There are only a few steps involved in making this easy sweet and tangy chutney. Once the vegetables have been peeled and diced, it's simply a matter of combining everything in a saucepan and leaving it to simmer until the chutney is thick and glossy.
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan.
Step 2: Bring gently to the boil, stir until sugar dissolves.
Step 3: Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: The finished chutney should be thick and glossy, and leave a distinct trail when you draw a spoon through it.
Pour the chutney into sterilised jars while still hot. Seal the jars and label them. The chutney can be stored in a cool pantry or cupboard for at least 12 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 4 weeks.
This chutney can be eaten as soon as it's cold, but the flavours do improve the longer the chutney stands.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your marrow and apple chutney always turns out perfectly:
- Cut the vegetables into evenly-sized pieces so they all cook at the same time. Also, don't make the pieces too large - for the marrow, aim for 2-cm pieces, or under an inch in size.
- Don't boil the chutney. Cooking the chutney too quickly won't allow it to develop the sticky, glossy texture which is synonymous with a good, thick chutney. Simmer it slowly. It may seem as though it's never going to thicken, but have patience, it will thicken eventually.
- For best flavour, leave the chutney in sterilised bottles to mature for a couple of weeks before eating. Although you are allowed to sample it once cooled, if you keep a small amount aside 🙂 .
How to sterilise jars
The marrow and apple chutney can be stored for at least a year (or longer) in a sealed, sterilised glass jar or bottle. See this post for how to sterilise jars.
And here's my tip for buying jars for storing chutney and other preserves:
- I find that proper preserving jars are very expensive. I tend to search for the cheapest bottles of jam I can find in the supermarket. You can pick up a bottle of 'no-name-brand' jam for a few pennies in the UK. Throw the jam away and keep the jar. It's a whole lot cheaper than buying expensive jars.
You can also save the more expensive Hartley's or Rose's brand jars, which have more attractive shapes and use those too.
Ingredient ratios for a good chutney
The ratio of the combination of fruit and vegetables, sugar and vinegar plays an important part in a successful chutney.
A classic sweet chutney recipe, uses an approximate ratio of 4 : 2 : 1. That's 4 parts fruit and vegetables, 2 parts sugar and 1 part vinegar. You don't have to be too precise, a few grams more or less won't make any noticeable difference.
If you want to make a larger batch, you can scale the recipe according to this ratio.
Variations
Here are a few ways in which you could vary this recipe:
- Spicy - add one or two chopped fresh chillies or a half to one teaspoon dried chilli flakes for heat.
- Marrow and tomato - replace half or all the apples with ripe tomatoes. This will give a more savoury flavour.
- Curry-spiced marrow chutney - swap the mixed spice for a tablespoon of your favourite curry powder, either mild, medium or hot, depending on your heat tolerance. This would be perfect as a dip with poppadums, samosas or pakoras.
- Fruity - swap the sultanas with chopped dried apricots or dates for a rich, sweeter, slightly chewy texture.
Equipment
Apart from a sharp knife, vegetable peeler and chopping board, the only other piece of equipment you will need is a saucepan large enough to hold all the ingredients.
I also have to mention that a set of kitchen scales doesn't cost the earth, and it is so much more accurate for measuring ingredients.
Storage
Store the sealed marrow and apple chutney in a dark cool cupboard or pantry for a year or more.
Once opened, store in the refrigerator and eat within 4 weeks.
FAQ
The short answer is the size, and also where in the world you live. All of these come from one plant!
In South Africa, a baby marrow is what we called the small, very young courgettes. As they grew larger, we referred to them as courgettes, and when they became enormous, we called them marrows.
In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the small and larger varieties are known collectively as courgettes, and the larger version is called a marrow.
In the US, they are known as zucchini, and I believe the larger version is referred to as an oversized zucchini.
Here's a quote from Google which might explain it better. "A marrow is simply a fully-grown courgette (zucchini), common in British gardens when one gets away and grows too big."
This could be due to a few reasons:
- Marrows have an exceptionally high water content, which is one reason they can grow to such impressive sizes. However, this means they release a lot of liquid during cooking, which will take a long time to evaporate.
- The temperature at which the chutney was simmered was too low. If you have a thermometer aim for a temperature of 85F to 95C (185F to 200F). If you don't have a thermometer, look at the bubbles. They should be small and slowly rising to the surface, breaking though every second or so, rather than a fast rolling boil.
To thicken the chutney, increase the heat slightly and continue to cook until the chutney thickens. If you have use the ingredient measurements stated in the recipe, the chutney will thicken eventually.
Peelings, seeds and cores don't contribute to the chutney and they are discarded. The ratio of sugar and vinegar has been calculated based on peeled weight. If you weigh before peeling and trimming the vegetables, you risk ending up with too much sugar or vinegar, making the chutney either too sweet or too sharp.
Save for later
If you would like to make this marrow and apple chutney, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my sauces, dips and marinade recipes page for other tasty ideas. Here are a few recipes you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Traditional English marrow and apple chutney
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Vegetable peeler
- Large saucepan
- Kitchen scales optional but recommended
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds / 670 grams marrow peeled, deseeded and diced
- 2 small /165 grams apples peeled, cored and diced
- 2 small to medium / 165 grams onions peeled and diced
- 2¼ cups /450 grams dark brown sugar
- 1 cup 240 ml vinegar
- ½ cup 80 grams raisins or sultanas loosely packed
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan.1½ pounds / 670 grams marrow, 2 small /165 grams apples, 2 small to medium / 165 grams onions, 2¼ cups /450 grams dark brown sugar, 1 cup 240 ml vinegar, ½ cup 80 grams raisins or sultanas, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon mixed spice, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Bring gently to the boil, stir until sugar dissolves.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The finished chutney should be thick and glossy, and leave a distinct trail when you draw a spoon through it.
- Pour the chutney into sterilised jars while still hot. Seal the jars and label them. The chutney can be stored in a cool pantry or cupboard for at least 12 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 4 weeks.
- Serve on sandwiches, with cheese or cold meats, or as part of a ploughman's platter with a traditionally British pork pie!
Notes
- Cut the vegetables into evenly-sized pieces so they all cook at the same time. Also, don't make the pieces too large - for the marrow, aim for 2-cm pieces, or under an inch in size.
- Vegetable weight is calculated after peeling/deseeding.
- Don't boil the chutney. Cooking the chutney too quickly won't allow it to develop the sticky, glossy texture which is synonymous with a good, thick chutney. Simmer it slowly. It may seem as though it's never going to thicken, but have patience, it will thicken eventually.
- The actual cooking time depends on how much water was in the marrow. If the chutney hasn't thickened sufficiently after 90 minutes, simmer it for longer until it does thicken.
- For best flavour, leave the chutney in sterilised bottles to mature for a couple of weeks before eating. Although you are allowed to sample it once cooled, if you keep a small amount aside 🙂 .
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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