Canned apple experiment

[valmom]

Well, I still don't know what to call it, but it is delicious! I cooked down some Macoun apples, used a pectin that doesn't need sugar, and used honey instead of sugar. So, it is sort of hard apple sauce? Sort of apple honey jam? It tastes good, anyway.

Next batch I am going to do with my home made Maple syrup. When I have time again.

 

[ducks4you]

Bad year for my apple trees, BUT, I usually can apple pie filling. Here is the recipe:

APPLE PIE FILLING (to can)
(Measure per pie, then fill jars, and use the excess over vanilla ice cream )
6-8 medium apples
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamin
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Core and peel apples. Mix thoroughly sugar, cinnamin and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Add to apples, heat to boiling. Fill jars (as your usual method,) boil for 25 minutes and check lids for seal. Label WITH DATE (Don't forget this!!).

Making the Pie
Make enough dough for a 2-crust pie. (RECIPE)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablesppons flour**
5-7 tablepoons VERY cold water
wax paper

Measure shortening in large mixing bowl. Pour in flour and salt. Mix BY HAND until it resembles coarse oatmeal. Use a large meat fork and mix in water. (In the summer, I put an ice cube in the water to keep the shortening solid.) Too little water and the dough won't roll out, too much water and it feels like paste. Do NOT overmix with water, put you can pour all in at the same time. IMPORTANT: cut two big pieces of wax paper. Place about 1/2 the mixture between the pieces and roll with a rolling pin until it's about the size of pie plate. Pull off on the pieces of wax paper, put your pie plate on upside down, hold top and bottom and flip over. It's okay if it doesn't quite fit right, because you take a knife and cut away the excess all the way around. You may need to splice in some dough in places. Leave enough of an edge (on inch) so that you can attach the top crust. **Open a quart jar or apple pie mix into a bowl and mix with flour. Empty into unbaked crust. Dot with butter. (Butter tastes MUCH better than marjarine--it turns the sauce into a rich, candy-like consistency.) Roll out remainder of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper. (If your original pieces are intact, go ahead and use those.) Pull off one piece of wax paper, hold in one hand and flip on top of plate with pie filling. Cut edges to fit the bottom crust, and seal, and use your knife to slice vent hole. Optional: Sprinkle sugar and/or sugar and cinnamin or cut leaves or design with a cookie cutter from any leftover crust. Cook in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Lots of ovens cook a little differently--YOU'RE looking for a browned crust, because when you canned the apples they were already cooked. ENJOY with ice cream or Cool Whip!

 

[patandchickens]

I tried various ways of making pie filling last year and in the final analysis decided that what works best for our family is to just raw-pack the apple slices in very light sugar syrup, and apply seasonings and thickeners when making the *pie*, rather than when canning.

Your "hard applesauce" sounds like of like the apple jam I make using sugar and commercial liquid pectin; your version sounds better except I can't use the no-sugar pectins because we don't use jam fast enough and the no-sugar pectin products don't keep long in the fridge after you open them, just a few weeks or so.

Pat

 

[ducks4you]

Wow, I didn't know that (about the no-sugar pectins). Thanks for sharing that!

 

[becky3086]

I really like the idea of using honey. So much healthier for you. Glad to see you experimenting with it. Will be interested to hear how the syrup one turns out.

 

[electrofarm]

Hi I'm new. Found this on Backyard Chickens and it looked great.

With the first batch of apples, I was trying to use up tomatoes too and made the Tomato/Apple Chutney in the Ball Blue Book. It turned out great. I want to can apples to use in various ways, so I'm just going to raw pack cored and peeled apple quarters with a tablespoon of lemon juice per pint. It worked great for the pears last year. Then we can make sauce, pies, and use them for cooking as needed. The book recommends drying apples for pies as well. As long as the acidity is correct, you should be able to can any fruit without sugar.

 

[big brown horse]

electrofarm!

 

[valmom]

Oh, I didn't think about drying the apples. I've never tried it. Any tips? I do have an awful lot of apples. (and too much company- I haven't had time to try my maple apple concoction yet)

 

[ducks4you]

electrofarm