5 Ways To Home Can Apples - Getting Off The Grid

 

 

Apples, apples and more apples! Since apples has a short shelf life what can you do with so many apples? Home can them for later! This past weekend I made apples five different ways and its not as difficult as you think.

Putting apple products up for the Winter is more than just applesauce and apple jelly, what about an apple pie from apples that were ripe in July? Or something spicy and different to add to the dinner table? 

 

 

First-  I began with the payback for the free apples, three five gallon bucket filled to the top, by making apple butter. I made 24 - 8 oz.  (half pints), one batch heavy with spices and very sweet, another milder with less spice and less sugar and last I made a batch of sugar free, or rather I added Splenda for those who cannot eat sugar. You can get the recipe here : http://getoffthegrid2.blogspot.com/2016/07/making-apple-butter.html

Second-  I was thinking about a warm applesauce cake on a cold winter day so I went for a batch of applesauce, why not its a classic!

I washed the apples and peeled them, removed the core and chopped them into pieces. I only added one half water to the cooking pot because the apples make their own juice. I cooked the apples till tender and drained any excess juice off. I then put them into the food processor and pulsed until smooth. I returned the applesauce to the cooking pot and added sugar a little at a time till I got it right to my taste.

Pour into clean sterile jars and seal with new lids. Process in the water bath for 15 minutes.

I made 10 - 8 oz. jars (half pints)

 

 

Third- Hot Apple Pies with snow on the ground, natural air freshener, I made apple pie filling. With this being my first time to can apple pie filling I talked with my canning group because all I could find in my books were the freezer version  and I used this recipe : http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/can_pie/apple_filling.html

Pour into clean sterile jars and seal with new lids. Process in the water bath for 15 minutes.

I made 2 - 8 oz. jars (half pints) and 13 pints

Fourth- Apple chutney. I have never made chutney before, never tasted it but since I seen a recipe in every cookbook I own I decided to make chutney. I followed the recipe in the Ball canning blue book, This is the recipe:

 

1- quart chopped apples

12 oz. dark raisins

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons of mustard seed

1 tablespoon of ginger

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon of curry ( I used 1/2 teaspoon because curry is powerful)

1 teaspoon ball canning salt

1 chopped hot pepper ( I was out and used one Tablespoon of red pepper seed)

1 minced clove of garlic

2 cups of white vinegar

 

Mix together in a large cooking pot, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Allow to cook till the apples are tender and its made its own syrup.

 

 

Pour into clean sterile jars and seal with new lids. Process in the water bath for 15 minutes.

I made 7 - 8 oz. jars (half pints)

Fifth- Well you know someone will ask for apples jelly, never fails! So I did a twist on this old time favorite and I made more of a jam but I will refer to this concoction as jelly/jam.

I washed the apples and peeled them, removed the core and chopped them into pieces. I covered the apples with water to the cooking pot, plus the apples make their own juice.  I cooked the apples till tender and falling apart, and the pot as filled with juice. I removed the cooking pot from the stove top and I measured out the amounts for what is called for on the sure-jel box for " pear preserves." So its apple jelly with a few apple chunks, jelly/jam :)

Pour into clean sterile jars and seal with new lids. Process in the water bath for 15 minutes.

I made 16 - 8 oz. jars (half pints) Note: 16 is two batches.

 

 

Now that I have 72 jars of apple products I am sure to have a sweet apple winter, oh, and I paid back my elder that provided me with these delicious apples. ( Yes I did get in a few jars of tomatoes :)

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry