Both. 2 1/2 c water and 5 c apple juice for the 7 qts. recipe.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Canned apple pie filling

Just apple juice, no water.

Same as Dave. But no safety issues using all juice.
It'll be a little sweeter.

Deanna

Is the juice or water needed for safety? If I were making apple pie from fresh apples, I would not put liquid into the filling, the apples are juicy enough.

How do fresh apple slices canned in water per the NCHFP instructions hold up to processing? Are they mushy?

Thanks,
Cheryl

Apples canned in water are very blah. Poor texture, color and little flavor. A real waste of good apples IMO.

The NCHFP recommendation is hot pack (no raw pack) in syrup or at least use apple juice. But canning apples and canning apple pie filling are very different things so yes, for canned pie filling the water and/or juice are required. It is the liquid that facilitates the heat transmission.

Dave

Dave - when you use the canned apple pie filling, do you drain off the liquid? I have seen recipes that call for Clear Jel to be included in canning, and many posts on this forum (including from you) which say to reduce or eliminate the Clear Jel. I don't like my pies to be filled with starchy goo.

Cheryl

Cheryl - I suppose you could drain it, at least part of it. Keep in mind the canned apples are cooked now so they won't contain anywhere near the moisture the moisture a fresh apple sliced for a pie would. All the liquid is now in the canning liquid so you'd want some of it at least I think.

We like all the goo so when we open the jars wife dumps them into a pan re-heats it all and stirs in the cornstarch or tapioca we prefer for thickening then into the pie shell for baking. It looks just like the canned apple pie filling you would buy only tastes better.

Dave

Dave, thank you. Good to know.

Cheryl