We're moving next week to a property that has some crabapples growing. I've heard you can make jam from them? What else? They're ready to be picked right now and I'd like to put them to use. If it's not a useful fruit, though, it may have to go in order to make room for something more useful! So, help me save the tree! What can I use it for?
Crabapple uses?
- Thread starter Tracylhl
- Start date
miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
I've had spiced crabapples and candied crabapples before. I think you can make pectin from them (?) I've have crabapple jelly.
there are so many things you can do with crabapples, my son even eats them off the tree.
there are so many things you can do with crabapples, my son even eats them off the tree.
patandchickens
Crazy Cat Lady
Crabapple jelly is of course the classic thing 
You can make juice (it will want a good bit of sugar before being drinkable
), presumably you could ferment it once or twice, to hard cider or on to vinegar, although I've never heard of anyone doing that.
Pickled crabapples are kind of tasty.
Crabapples are great for making pectin to use when 'jamming' other lower pectin fruits, but the only way I know how to do that requires unripe crabapples so probalby not an option anymore this year.
One thing to consider is how it seems to be faring in terms of diseases and pests (remembering that it *is* in the apple clan and thus *will* have some afflictions), and how good the fruit tastes. If it is a serious disease/pest farm and the fruit isn't earthshaking, you might consider ripping it out for something more useful.
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
You can make juice (it will want a good bit of sugar before being drinkable
), presumably you could ferment it once or twice, to hard cider or on to vinegar, although I've never heard of anyone doing that.Pickled crabapples are kind of tasty.
Crabapples are great for making pectin to use when 'jamming' other lower pectin fruits, but the only way I know how to do that requires unripe crabapples so probalby not an option anymore this year.
One thing to consider is how it seems to be faring in terms of diseases and pests (remembering that it *is* in the apple clan and thus *will* have some afflictions), and how good the fruit tastes. If it is a serious disease/pest farm and the fruit isn't earthshaking, you might consider ripping it out for something more useful.
Good luck, have fun,
Pat
dragonlaurel
Improvising a more SS life
They make good jelly. Spiced apple rings from them are so good and are hard to get in grocery stores. 
They only seem to carry them for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I miss them the rest of the year. 
They are not bothered by pests as much and they can pollinate regular apple trees. Could you graft some regular apple branches on and get apples producing sooner than if you grow the tree. Can you tell I'm a bit biased?
They only seem to carry them for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I miss them the rest of the year. They are not bothered by pests as much and they can pollinate regular apple trees. Could you graft some regular apple branches on and get apples producing sooner than if you grow the tree. Can you tell I'm a bit biased?
It is a very useful tree if it is healthy and producing good crabapples. I have had a crabapple tree for many years and never did anything with the apples until this year. Now I kick myself and wonder why I waited so long. I've always known a crabapple to be just the little teeny apples have a tart, dry taste. See other references, I get the feeling there is another variety that gets bigger apples? Are yours the real little apples about the size of a big cherry? I can tell you that those pack a major punch in the flavor department. You can actually use the same batch of apples to make two different recipes - one that uses the juice like jelly, syrup, etc. and the pulp from the same apples to make crabapplesauce, crabapple butter, etc.Tracylhl said:
This year, I made crabapple butter and jelly. I posted pictures and the links to the recipes here:
http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=77121#p77121
If you are into making wine, I bet they would make an awesome wine also.
Let us know what you end up making!
mrbstephens
Lovin' The Homestead
I actually don't like the crabapple jelly, BUT I LOVE crabapple butter!
enjoy the ride
Sufficient Life
I agree with Dragonlaurel- crabapple trees are very useful even if you don't make use of the fruit. They are a great pollenizer as she said. They also provide good root stock for grafting. Excellent for crafts.
Just watch them with horses as they will eat the fruit to excess and can colic from them.
Just watch them with horses as they will eat the fruit to excess and can colic from them.
I could take or leave regular apple butter but discovered I LOVE crabapple butter.mrbstephens said:I actually don't like the crabapple jelly, BUT I LOVE crabapple butter!
I will have to make more next year. It's disappearing a lot quicker than expected. 
