How to Make Homemade Apple Pie Filling
You think making and canning your own
apple pie filling or jam is
difficult or expensive? Not at all! Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and
completely illustrated. The apple pie filling will taste MUCH better than that
over-sugared tasteless glop in the can from the grocery store, and by selecting the right apples, it will be so
naturally-sweet that you won't need to add any sugar at all.
Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of 18 months to 2 years, and require no special attention.
Now here's how you can, too!
Directions for Making Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients and Equipment
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Recipe and Directions
Step 1 - Selecting the apples
The most important step! You need apples that are sweet - NOT something like Granny Smith's. Yeah, I know you like them to eat fresh, but you'd have to add a lot of sugar.
Instead, choose apples that are naturally sweet, like Gala, Fuji, Rome and always use a mixture - never just one type. This year I used 4 bushels of red delicious and one each of Fuji, Gala and Rome. This meant it was so sweet I did not need to add any sugar at all. And the flavor is great! The Fuji's and Gala's give it an aromatic flavor! Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are also excellent, sweet, flavorful apples. you may want to use firmer apples - Golden and Red delicious tend to be very soft
Step 2 - How many apples and where to get them
You can pick your own, or buy them at the grocery store. You can also get them in large quantities for prices (in 2005) in the $14 to $20 range at the real farmer's markets, like the Atlanta-Forest park Georgia State Farmer's Market and orchards in the southeast of the U.S. You'll get about 14 to 18 quarts of apple pie filling per bushel of apples, depending upon bruises and size..
Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids
Now's a good time to get the jars ready, so you won't be rushed later. The dishwasher is fine for the jars, the water bath processing will sterilize them as well as the contents! If you don't have a dishwasher, you can wash the containers in hot, soapy water and rinse, then sterilize the jars by boiling them 10 minutes, and keep the jars in hot water until they are used. Leave the jars in the dishwasher on "heated dry" until you are ready to use them. Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot apple pie filling.
Put the lids into a pan of hot, but not quite boiling water (that's what the manufacturer's recommend) for 5 minutes, and use the magnetic "lid lifter wand" to pull them out.
Step 4 -Wash the apples!
I'm sure you can figure out how to wash the apples in plain cold water.
Step 5 - Peel the apples
The fastest way to peel the apples is one of these peelers! With firm apples, it takes about 20 seconds per apple. These apple peelers don't work well on soft, mushy apples or apples with soft spots on them. In that case your stuck with a hand peeler!
Once
they're peeled, remove any remaining brown spots.These apple peelers work absolutely great on firm apples, pears and potatoes. They don't work so well on apples that are mush or have soft spots. There are 2 types of peelers: those that have a suction base ("Back to Basics", below) and those that clamp on to the edge of a table ("Progressive" below"). I prefer the suction type as you can use it more places. Click on the links below for more info or to order one.
Step 6 - Core and Slice
You can use a knife, but the $5 corer/slicer you see in the photo is the easiest way to do it. The apple corer/slicer, available at almost any large grocery store, kitchen store, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.
With this or an ordinary knife, any slices that are between 1/4 inch and
1/2 inch thick will do.
Remove seeds, stems, any hard parts near the seeds and and brown or soft
spots.
Here are the apple slices, ready for the pie filling!
These corer/slicers are fantastic. Think about it; it makes six slices in the time you can cut one with a knife AND it cores. The one sold here through Amazon.com is better than any I've seen in the stores because it has tall handles (so you won't knock your knuckles) and is washable in the dishwasher. Click on the link below for more info or to order one.
Step 7 - Blanch the Apples
It's pretty simple: place 6 cups of sliced apples at a time in a large pot with 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch 1 minute after the water returns to a boil. You're not really "cooking" the apples - just blanching them. Blanching means heating the at high temperature for a brief time to stop the enzymes that can cause the flavor to degrade during storage.
Drain and keep the hot cooked fruit in a covered bowl or pot.
Photo is coming!!!
Step 8 - Make the liquid for the filling
Combine sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in a large pot with the 7 cups of apple juice (you could use water and 3 cups of sugar instead of apple juice. I use apple juice to add the flavor and natural sweetness. Stir almost constantly while cooking on medium high heat until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
Mix 2 tablespoons of ClearJel starch to 3/4 cup of lemon juice and add this to the juice in the pot. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. ClearJel® is a corn starch that has been modified to give it special and unique characteristics when used in food products. It is recommended by the USDA for making pie fillings because it does not break down in the acid food mixtures and does not thicken enough during heat processing to interfere with the intended effect of the heat on killing bacteria during canning. In other words it reduces spoilage and is safer than corn starch. It is preferred for thickening canned pie fillings as well as other foods over other corn starches because it has less or no aftertaste, the thickened juices are smooth and clear, and foods thickened with ClearJel® may be frozen.
Step
9 - Fill the jars with the apple slices
Pretty self explanatory. A jar funnel helps. Gently jostle the jar and lightly press the slices to help them settle in the jar and reduce the amount of air space.
Step
10 - Pour the liquid over the apples in the jars
Fill them to within 1/2 inch of the top, wipe any spilled apple pie filling of
the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them.
Step
11 - Process the filled jars in the water bath
Put them in the canner and keep them cover with at least 1 inch of water and boiling. if you are at sea level (up to 1,000 ft) boil pint and/or quart jars for 25 minutes.
If you are at an altitude of 1,000 feet or more, see this chart.
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USDA-Recommended process time for Hot Pack Pint or Quart Jars of Apple Pie Filling in a boiling-water canner. |
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| Process Time at Altitudes of | |||
| 0 - 1,000 ft | 1,001 - 3,000 ft | 3,001 - 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
| 25 min | 30 | 35 | 40 |
Step 12 - Remove and cool the jars - Done
Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or
bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can
then remove the rings if you like.
Other Equipment:
From left to right:
- Jar lifting tongs
helpful to pick up hot jars - Lid lifter
- to remove lids from the pot
of hot water - Lid
- disposable - you may only
use them once - Ring
- holds the lids on the jar until after
the jars cool - then you don't need them - Canning jar funnel
- to fill the jars
 Features: Average Customer Review:
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VillaWare V200 Food StrainerWith this Food and Vegetable Strainer, you'll be able to prepare more healthy foods, make natural sauces, soups and jams - even your own baby food! The tedious job of peeling and coring is eliminated as the strainer continuously separates the seeds and skins from the juices and pulp with just a turn of the handle. The highly polished body contains no paint or coatings that can chip or peel off, is easy to clean, and stands 19-in. high with the attached hopper. Click at left for more information, images accessories or to order. Features:
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With the Deluxe Food Strainer/Sauce Maker, you can make
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The Deluxe model comes with the standard Tomato/Apple Screen; as well as the Berry Screen, Pumpkin Screen, and Grape Spiral. Note
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