The Great British Chutney Taste Test
As Christmas approaches, the quest for the perfect chutney to accompany cheeses, cold meats and festive platters becomes paramount for many households. Our dedicated food reviewer recently embarked on a comprehensive tasting mission, sampling ten different chutneys from major UK supermarkets to determine which products truly deliver on flavour, texture and value.
What Makes a Great Chutney?
Chutney represents a heritage recipe that has remained largely unchanged for over a century. The best versions tend to be simple and traditional, typically containing just fruit, sugar, vinegar and occasionally pectin. Colourings and preservatives are generally unnecessary and are omitted from most quality products, with sugar serving as the primary preservative.
Unlike some food tastings that can become challenging, the chutney evaluation proved to be a genuine pleasure. Nearly all products sampled scored highly, making the selection of a clear winner surprisingly difficult. However, the research revealed a significant gap in provenance information across most brands, with little detail provided about ingredient origins or growing methods.
Top Chutney Picks for Your Christmas Table
Tesco Finest Spiced Apple & Pear Chutney emerged as the overall winner. Priced at £1.85 for 220g (84p per 100g), this rich, orange-brown chutney features prominent apple flavours balanced with warm spices including cinnamon and ginger. Sweetened with sultanas and treacle, it offers a smooth texture with rough fruit puree elements. Excellent with roast pork, ham and strong cheeses, this versatile option represents outstanding value.
For budget-conscious shoppers, Mrs HS Balls Original Recipe Chutney provides the best bargain at just 50p per 100g. This South African import combines peaches and apricots with subtle spicing and a mild chilli kick. While it contains artificial colouring E150d, which some health apps flag as potentially concerning, its saucy texture with soft fruit chunks makes it ideal for cold meats, cheeses or curries.
Other Notable Contenders
Tracklements Apple & Cider Brandy Chutney stands apart not only for its quality but for its B Corp status and clear sustainability commitments. Priced at £1.50 per 100g, it delivers homemade aromas with sweet, tart flavours from bramley apples, muscovado sugar, sultanas and onions, enhanced by a rich, boozy depth from cider brandy.
Morrisons The Best Beer-Braised Chutney (£1.50 for 200g) offers a sweet, rich and tangy profile featuring caramelised red onions, muscovado sugar and bramley apples, with distinct flavours from Black Sheep ale. Its thick texture with soft onion strips makes it perfect for ploughman's lunches, pork pies or cheese.
Waitrose Rhubarb, Apple & Ginger Chutney (£2.60 for 320g) provides excellent value for its quality, featuring well-balanced sweet and tart notes with warm spices from stem ginger, orange zest, brown sugar and cider vinegar. With minimal processing, high fruit content and low salt, it pairs beautifully with cheese, roast goose, duck or turkey.
The Complete Lineup
Other strong performers include Asda Extra Special Caramelised Onion Chutney (76p per 100g) with its wonderfully complex layers of onion, apple, muscovado sugar and treacle; Co-op Irresistible Caramelised Red Onion Chutney (£1.02 per 100g) offering sweet, sticky perfection for cheese toasties; Tiptree Hot Gooseberry Chutney (£1.17 per 100g) delivering a distinctive fizz on the tongue with warm spices; The Bay Tree Cheeseboard Chutney (£1.87 per 100g) featuring multiple fruits perfect for brie or stilton; and Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Apple & Pear Chutney (93p per 100g) with its chunky texture and warming spices.
With Christmas entertaining on the horizon, these chutney recommendations provide something for every palate and budget, ensuring your festive spreads will be memorable and delicious.
