Preserving Foods: Apples (SP 50-446)

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Many varieties of apples are grown in Oregon. Good varieties for sauce and pies include Gravenstein, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Yellow Newton, Ruby, Lodi, Mutsu, Granny Smith, Spartan, Honey Crisp, Fuji, and Melrose. Whatever variety you choose, select juicy, crisp apples which are neither too green nor too ripe.

Apples may be canned, frozen, dried, and made into jelly and butter.

Canning

If you plan to can your apples, select freshly picked apples and can them soon after harvest. Avoid canning apples that have been held in cold storage for an extended time.

It takes about 2½ -3 pounds of apples to fill a quart jar. A bushel of apples weighs about 48 pounds and yields about 16-20 quarts of sliced fruit or 15-18 quarts of sauce.

Canned apples must be processed in a boiling water canner.

Canning apple slices

Wash, peel, core, and slice apples. Remove any bruises or decay. To keep fruit from darkening during preparation, drop into a bowl of water with ascorbic acid. Use 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder per gallon of water, or crush and dissolve six 500-milligram vitamin C tablets per gallon of water. Drain.

Boil apple slices in sugar syrup, juice or water for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Fill hot jars with hot apple slices and cover with boiling cooking liquid, leaving ½ inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles by running a plastic spatula or blunt knife between the fruit and the jar. Wipe rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling water canner according to the chart. After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Processing times for apple slices in a boiling water canner
		Process time at elevations of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0-1,000 ft	1,001- 3,000 ft	3,001-6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	20 min	25	30	35

Canning apple pie filling

Instructions are available in Fruit Pie Fillings for Home Canners (PNW 736)

Canning applesauce

Wash, peel and core apples. Peeling is especially important when making applesauce from windfalls. Applesauce made from unpeeled apples can result in a higher incidence of spoilage during storage.

Cut large fruit into slices. Simmer until soft, adding a small amount of water to prevent sticking. Apple slices can also be cooked in the microwave. Two quarts sliced apples will cook in 12-15 minutes in a covered 2-3 quart microwave safe bowl on high power.

When apples are tender, put them through a food mill or strainer. Omit this step for chunky-style sauce. Add sugar to taste.

Reheat applesauce to boiling and pack hot into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner according to the chart. After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Processing times for applesauce in a boiling water canner
		Process time at elevations of
Style of pack	Jar size	0-1,000 ft	1,001-3,000 ft	3,001-6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints	15 min	20	20	25
Hot	Quarts	20	25	30	35

Note: Applesauce may also be frozen. Cool sauce before freezing.

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Spiced apple rings

(Yield: approximately 8-9 pints)

• 12 lbs. firm tart apples (maximum diameter, 2½ inches)
• 12 cups sugar
• 6 cups water
• 1¼ cups white vinegar (5%)
• 3 Tbsp whole cloves
• ¾ cup red hot cinnamon candies or 8 cinnamon sticks and 1 tsp red food coloring

Wash apples. Cut crosswise into ½ inch slices. Remove core area with an apple corer or melon baller. To keep fruit from darkening during preparation, drop into a bowl of water with ascorbic acid. Use 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder per gallon of water, or crush and dissolve six 500-milligram vitamin C tablets per gallon of water

To make syrup combine remaining ingredients except apples in a 6 quart saucepan. Stir, heat to boiling, and simmer 3 minutes. Drain apples, add to hot syrup, and cook 5 minutes. Fill half-pint or pint jars (preferably wide-mouth) with apple rings and hot syrup, leaving ½ inch head space.

Adjust lids and process according to the chart. 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. At 1,001-6,000 ft altitude, process for 15 minutes; above 6000 ft, process 20 minutes. After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Processing times for spice apple rings in a boiling water canner
		Process time at elevations of
Style of pack	Jar size	0-1,000 ft	1,001-3,000 ft	3,001-6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints or half-pints	10 min	15	15	20

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation

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Spiced crab apples

(Yield: Approximately 9 pints)

Crab apples are closely related to the more familiar, domesticated orchard apple, but they are generally smaller and more sour than standard apple varieties.

• 5 lbs. crab apples 4 tsp whole cloves
• 4½ cups cider vinegar (5%) 4 sticks cinnamon
• 3¾ cups water 6 ½ inch cubes of fresh ginger root
• 7½ cups sugar

To can them, remove blossom petals and wash apples, leaving stems attached. Puncture the skin of each apple four times with an ice pick or toothpick to prevent them from bursting. Mix vinegar, water, and sugar together in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add spices tied in a cheesecloth bag. Using a blancher basket or sieve, immerse one-third of the apples at a time in the boiling syrup and cook for 2 minutes.

Place cooked apples and spice bag in a clean 1- or 2-gallon crock, bowl or jar and add hot syrup. Cover and let stand overnight. Remove spice bag, drain syrup into a large saucepan, and reheat to boiling. Fill pint jars with apples and hot syrup, leaving ½ inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process according to the chart. After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Processing times for spiced crab apples in a boiling water canner
		Process time at elevations of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0-1,000 ft	1,001-3,000 ft	3,001-6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints	20 min	25	30	35

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation

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Apple butter

(yield 8-9 pints)

Apple butter is an old-fashioned spread. Spices and sugar are added to apple pulp which is cooked until thick.

• 8 lbs apples
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups vinegar
• 2 ¼ cups packed brown sugar
• 2 ¼ cups white sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground cloves

1. Wash, remove stems, quarter and core fruit. Cook slowly in cider and vinegar until soft. Press fruit through a colander, food mill, or strainer. Cook fruit pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently.
2. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon. Another way to determine when the butter is cooked adequately is to spoon a small quantity onto a plate. When a rim of liquid does not separate around the edge of the butter, it is ready for canning.
3. Fill into hot, sterile half-pint or pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Quart jars need not be presterilized.
4. Adjust lids and process in boiling water canner according to the chart. After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars. Butters can also be frozen or stored for short periods of time in the refrigerator.

Processing times for apple butter in a boiling water canner
		Process time at elevations of
Style of pack	Jar size	0-1,000 ft	1,001-3,000 ft	3,001-6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints and half-pints	5 min	10	10	15
Hot	Quarts	10	15	15	20

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Apple jelly without pectin

(Yield: About 4 or 5 half-pint jars)

• 4 cups apple juice (or make your own juice with 3 pounds apples and 3 cups water)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, if desired
• 3 cups sugar

If making your own juice, select about one-fourth underripe and three-fourths fully ripe tart apples. Sort, wash, and remove stem and blossom ends; do not pare or core. Cut apples into small pieces. Add water, cover, and bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until apples are soft. Extract juice by pouring into a suspended jelly bag and allowing to drain through slowly.

Measure apple juice into a kettle. Add lemon juice and sugar and stir well. Boil over high heat to 220°F if near sea level (if at higher elevations, heat to 8° F above the boiling point of water at your location), or until jelly mixture sheets from a spoon. Remove from heat, skim off foam.

Pour hot jelly immediately into hot, sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in boiling water canner according to the chart. After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid. Wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

Processing times for apple jelly, without pectin in a boiling water canner
		Process time at elevations of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0-1,000 ft	1,001-3,000 ft	3,001-6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints and half-pints	5 min	10	10	15

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation

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Freezing

Wash apples and remove peel and core. Slice to desired thickness. To keep fruit from darkening during preparation, drop into a bowl of water with ascorbic acid. Use 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder per gallon of water, or crush and dissolve six 500-milligram vitamin C tablets per gallon of water. Drain.

Sugar pack

• Layer a couple inches of apples in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar. Repeat until all apples are sugared. Cover and let set for several hours, or until sugar is dissolved and apples have made their own juice. Pack apple and juice in freezer containers.

Syrup pack

• Prepare a light syrup (1½ cups sugar to 4 cups water, heat to dissolve sugar, cool). Pack apple into freezer containers and cover with cooled syrup.

Drying

Wash apples and remove peel, if desired, and core. Cut into slices or rings ¼-⅓ inch thick. To keep fruit from darkening during preparation, drop into a bowl of water with ascorbic acid. Use 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder per gallon of water, or crush and dissolve six 500-milligram vitamin C tablets per gallon of water. Drain well and spread in thin layer on drying trays. Dry until leathery and pliable in dehydrator at 140°F. can also dry in the sun or in oven. Store in cool, dry, dark location.

For additional information on preserving apples and other fruits see Drying Fruits and Vegetables (PNW 397).