It's getting to be apple time ...

11 years ago

It's that time of year ... apple time!! Even this year, when apple crops have suffered a lot, there are apples filling up farmers markets and shelves right now, and in the next couple weeks. I've never canned an apple product before, and I'm looking at 3 recipes: Onion, Apple and Ale Relish (which I posted about separately), Applesauce, and Apple Cider.

For applesauce: I've been reading through lots of old threads. The recipe I have calls for 3 lbs of peeled and chopped apples, water, sugar and 1 tbsp of lemon juice ... all of which sounds approved and safe, basically just boiled down. Then BWB for 20 minutes??

There are variations suggested too, though, about adding pomegranate juice instead of the water to make Pomegranate Applesauce for example. I assume this would be safe as well, as long as the amount of liquid remained the same?

And for Cider ... I searched this site but couldn't find much on canning Apple Cider. Is this because most people don't do it, or am I just missing the recipes. Is it safe to BWB can?

I might try a variation or two of apple butter later on, if I have the time and enough apples ... but I think 3 apple recipes are enough to start with for my first year :)

Comments (5)

cziga
Original Author
11 years ago
I am assuming that applesauce is high acid, because of the apples, like jams are ... so the risks are more for mold than anything else, right? I know some variation is ok with jams, is applesauce in the same category?
annie1992
11 years ago
apple sauce is considered high acid but be careful not to get it too thick. In addition to density issues, you'll get "tiny bubbles" that you can't get rid of. Ask me how I know, LOL.

Apple cider can be canned without a problem, but as soon as you can it, it becomes apple juice and loses much of the "cider" quality. I press my own cider and I freeze it because of that.

Annie
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cziga
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, I read about keeping applesauce with a SAUCE-like consistency :) I'm glad that I can add other fruit flavors to it - was just reading about raspberry, blackberry or cranberry as well as the pomegranate I was planning - and it sounds like a great way to have some fall fun.

Why does the cider lose it's quality when you can it, and becomes juice? Is it because of the heat when processing? Does it lose the texture, the color, the fresh taste? Most cider has to be pasteurized, which is also a heat treatment, isn't it? Does it lose any of the quality when freezing? I know some recipes are better canned, and some are better frozen ... my freezer is getting crowded, so I was looking for apple recipes that I could can instead. I don't want to can apple juice though, lol.
malna
11 years ago
My friends make cider - they pasteurize it at (I think) 160 degrees F. I've frozen it and it's great. Just make sure there's enough headroom in the container (another "ask me how I know" thing). I think anything above that temp will, as Annie said, turn it into cooked juice and you just lose that fresh cider taste.
cziga
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks you both for the tip on Cider ... I didn't know you should freeze instead of can although I guess that's why I had trouble finding a good canning recipe for it, lol!
I appreciate it :)