I've improved my recipe from last year: see how many more apples are crammed in the jar! and the 'sauce' is thicker.
|
2013 |
Supplies:
7 quart jars/batch
a crank apple peeler/corer
canning supplies (pot, jar lifter, lids, rings, funnel)
lemon juice
water
apples enough to fill 7quart jars 5-8 apples/jar depending on size
Process:
Peel
and core apples on a peeler/corer/slicer as seen above. If you'd
rather you can do any other preferred method but this is much faster.
Using
a very large bowl pour lemon juice and water (maybe a half cup of lemon
juice/quart of water). about 1/3 full (you can add more water/lemon as
needed).
As
each apple comes off the end of the corer, cut it in half and remove
any pieces with skin, flaws, etc. Then you will have smile shaped
slices. Save the skins in one container (puree cook them down sweeten
and make them into apple butter...mmm). Place the slices in the lemon
water to wait until you process to prevent browning.
If
you have someone helping (which I recommend because this is a pretty
time consuming project) Have the other person prepare the filling
sauce:
Filling Recipe:
USING HONEY:
4 cups honey (I will likely use 1 cup less next time + a little extra water)
5 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups flour
3 tsp cinnamon (I used more spice to balance w/ the honey flavor)
In a large pot dissolve honey in the water. Measure flour and stir in the cinnamon and salt. Whisk flour mix into the water until smooth. Heat until bubbling. Reduce heat to keep warm.
USING SUGAR:
5 cups sugar
1 cup thickener (I prefer flour for a hearty apple pie--some like cornstarch for a clear jell--looks store-bought to me)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
5 cups water *
Mix
the dry ingredients in a bowl making sure to break up any flour or
starch lumps. Measure cool water in a large sauce pot, whisk the dry
ingredients into the water until smooth. Place on stove top and bring
to a boil (watch closely and stir) I do this on high so I don't have to
stand around all day waiting for it to boil. You don't want to leave
it to boil or it can boil over and make a big mess of the stove (I
know).
Fill the Jars:
When
you've filled a large bowl of apple slices, take a minute and prepare
your jars by rinsing in very hot water or have them waiting in a hot
dishwasher and fill your canner maybe 1/3 full with hot tap water. Prep
your lids by letting them sit in hot simmering or near simmering
water.
Using
a funnel fill each warm jar with 1 cup of hot filling *. The best way to measure is by following measuring marks on the jar-if they have them. Then pack apples into the jar and push down into the
filling until you get the jar filled up to just beneath the neck of the
jar (1 inch head space). It is just right when you push the apples down
and the filling rises up to that level flush with the apples. It's
okay if the apples rise up a little higher after you pull your hand
away.
This
is the method for filling jars I came up with because you have a
consistent amount of filling and apples in each jar and very few bubbles
in the jar. You will have some leftover apple filling/sauce. You will
have more or less depending on how long your pot sat there
warming/evaporating while waiting for the apples.
Canning:
Wipe
the rims of each jar with a clean damp cloth, top with a lid, and
secure with a ring nice and tight. Lower the jars into your canner
filled with quite hot water (not boiling or even simmering). Add cool
water if you warmed it too hot. Your filling is not very hot because of
the cold raw apples, so be sure the water isn't too hot or you might
break some jars. Make sure their is 1-2 inches of water above the tops
of the jars. Bring the water to a boil and time it (process it) for 25
min. at sea level.
Be sure to adjust processing according to your altitude. I do mine for 30 min.
Altitude Adjustments for Boiling Water Bath Canner |
Altitude in Feet |
Increase processing time |
1001-3000 |
5 minutes |
3001-6000 |
10 minutes |
6001-8000 |
15 minutes |
8001-10,000 |
20 minutes |
(chart from http://www.simplycanning.com/canning-apple-pie-filling.html
-- I adapted the recipe and made up my own method after trying out the
recipe/process from this site).
Carefully
remove your jars with a lifter from the hot water and place on a towel
to cool and seal. Don't mess with them until completely cool or you
could hamper the sealing process.
When
ready to bake a pie follow the directions for your crust recipe for a
filled pie. Each jar will fill an 8" covered pie. I always make sure
to cover my edges with foil to prevent them from burning. Because I'm
lazy I often use 1-1/2 to 2 jars of filling in a 9x13" pan to make an
apple crisp (plus it's got whole grain oats instead of pastry). We
serve it warm with vanilla ice-cream.
Enjoy!
Stay tuned:.....MY APPLE SKIN APPLE BUTTER Post is going up on Sat. Nov. 1, 2014.