Well, we didn't exactly get to go apple picking this year. My Sweetie took me, but turns out the rain we got this year means the orchards will have apples next year but sorry, nothing this year.
We were able to get some apples from Bountiful Baskets, and then one of the local grocery stores had some at not too bad of a price.
After the appleless picking experience, I had a good friend email me for my apple pie filling recipe. I tried to get ahold of her to see if it tasted as good as I remembered it did. She didn't answer.
So I have another fabulous friend that asked for some basic canning help with her apples. Always help a friend out, it makes the time you spend on your own canning at home go quicker because you have the kinks worked out :)
For those that ask, here are the basics....
Gather your jars. If I am buying jars, I only purchase wide mouth quarts since that is all I use. I have some regular mouths, but it is hard to shove chicken or a whole apple in those, so I have only collected wide mouths for the last 10 years or so. After 7 years, I have finally used up my rubbermaid tote of lids. I had to buy more. The second trip to the store, the lids were $3 but a dozen new jars was only $10, so my Handsome man indulged me (he always does :) and we got a couple dozen new ones. Good thing, we have stored so much we only had 10 jars left!
We were able to get some apples from Bountiful Baskets, and then one of the local grocery stores had some at not too bad of a price.
After the appleless picking experience, I had a good friend email me for my apple pie filling recipe. I tried to get ahold of her to see if it tasted as good as I remembered it did. She didn't answer.
So I have another fabulous friend that asked for some basic canning help with her apples. Always help a friend out, it makes the time you spend on your own canning at home go quicker because you have the kinks worked out :)
For those that ask, here are the basics....
Gather your jars. If I am buying jars, I only purchase wide mouth quarts since that is all I use. I have some regular mouths, but it is hard to shove chicken or a whole apple in those, so I have only collected wide mouths for the last 10 years or so. After 7 years, I have finally used up my rubbermaid tote of lids. I had to buy more. The second trip to the store, the lids were $3 but a dozen new jars was only $10, so my Handsome man indulged me (he always does :) and we got a couple dozen new ones. Good thing, we have stored so much we only had 10 jars left!
Wash the jars and screwbands in the dishwasher and let them stay warm in there until you are ready to use them. I didn't get a picture of the lids (the "flats"), but those need to be in boiling water for about 5 minutes before you put them on the filled jars.
Apples of the Granny Smith variety
Fuji's
Sassy Molassy showing what the apples look like before the fun begins...
Peel and slice the apples
The fuji's weren't very round, and required a little manual peeling after the Peel away was done with them.
They make a very nice "spring" when they are all sliced.
Put them in water with Fruit Fresh, or Vitamin C or lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
Blanch them for 1 minute. Don't start timing your minute until the water returns to a boil.
Slice them in half to get wedges for your filling.
Make the sauce, it is so yummy!!!
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups clear jel A or Ultra Jel
1T Cinnamon
1t. nutmeg
5 cups apple juice
2 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup lemon juice
Add the dry ingredients together and stir them well. This is an important step. The Ultra Jel or Clear Jel will clump if you don't mix it in with the sugar. (I found this out helping Fab Friend).
Add the apple juice and water and heat until boiling. Once it is boiling, add the lemon juice and let it boil for one minute, remove from heat.
Pour over your bowl of sliced apples and gently stir well.
Pack them into the warm jars from the dishwasher. Leave 1 1/2 inches of head space.
Process at 15 lbs of pressure for 35 minutes.
Quick Release your pressure and remove your beautiful apple pie filling.
We had 60 pounds of apples and made 34 quarts of pie filling.
We enjoyed some apple crisp tonite and boy was it good!
1 comment:
I LOVE apple crisp. How do you get your husband to help you with all of the canning?! I can barely get mine to take out the trash!
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