*Run jars and rings through dishwasher cycle to sanitize them. Leave them in the dishwasher until you are ready to fill them so that they will stay warm and clean.
*After filling the jars, run a small plastic spatula or knife around the jar sides and through the middle of filling to get air bubbles out of the jar.
*Heat water in a bowl in microwave until boiling. Put new lids in boiling water for a few minutes before putting on filled jars. Make sure the wipe the jar rims off with a clean dishcloth before putting the hot lids on them.
*Bring the jars in water bath pot to a boil and start timing them once the water starts boiling
*Place processed jars on a towel on the counter after they are done processing. Do not let a fan or open window blow cool air on the hot jars…they will burst.
*Lids should “pop” when they are sealed although not all of them will make that sound. After 24 hours, you can test the jars 3 ways to make sure they are sealed.
1) Push on lid. If it pops up and down, it is not sealed.
2) Using a metal spoon, tap on lid. If it makes a high pitched ping, it is sealed. If it makes a low pitched sound, it is not sealed.
3) Take of ring and pick jar up holding onto the lid. If it pops off, it is not sealed.
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Onto the recipes:
I found this apple pie filling recipe here. Random story about Apple Pie Filling: when I first moved to Idaho, a super nice girl by the name of Natalie befriended me. She taught me how to sew, can, etc. She is amazing! She gave me a similar recipe for canned Apple Pie Filling. It was the same as this recipe but didn't call for the 10 cups of water. Everytime I made it, it turned out SO THICK and gelled up. I couldn't figure out why until I looked up a recipe online and realized that the water had been left off the recipe. It still tasted good but it's definitely better with the water :)
* Canned Apple Pie Filling *
4 1/2 c. sugar1 c. cornstarch
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
10 c. water
6 pounds of apples, washed, peeled and thinly sliced
Note: Slice apples into a solution of 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 quart of water to avoid discoloration. Drain the fruit well before packing in jars.
In a large pot, blend together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the water and lemon juice with a wire whisk. Cook and stir until bubbly and thick; remove from heat. While the filling cooks, slice the apples and add them into a solution of 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to 1 quart of water to avoid discoloration. Drain the fruit well before packing in jars. Pack apples into clean, hot canning jars leaving an inch from the top of the jar. Fill with the hot syrup, leaving 1/2 inch space from the top of the jar. Remove air bubbles by running a knife around the insides of each jar. Close the jars with hot, sterile lids and rims. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 -30 minutes Use a jar tongs to remove the jars from water. Place the jars on a dish towel to dry and allow the jars to cool for several hours Check the seals to make certain the lids are sealed properly (the lids should be lowered in the middle and not move up or down)
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This next recipe is from my Grandma Williams (and my mom...after I lost the one from my grandma) I LOVE this stuff and so do my kids! It is so yummy and the pieces are cut into the perfect size for kids! I'm not sure why it is called "sauce" since it is definitely not "saucy"...it should probably be called Baked Apples. My grandma uses this as a side dish, in jellos, etc. My sister and I were also thinking you could use it in apple cake, cinnamon roll filling, etc.
* Chunky Applesauce *
6 quarts apples: peeled, cored, cut into chunks2 c. water
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes until soft. Bottle and process for 25 minutes. Makes 8 pints. (on this one, I don’t worry about cutting the apples into a lemon juice/water solution to stop them from browning because you are going to cook them in cinnamon so they will turn brown anyways.)
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Lastly, apple butter. So so yummy! Ill be honest...I haven't technically made this yet. I am in the process of it as I type! The apples are cooking in the crockpot and it smells heavenly! I used the recipes found here and here (I found the allrecipes one first but used the second one for the canning directions)
*All Day Apple Butter *
5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness. (can also puree with a hand blender)
Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate, freeze, or process in waterbath for 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.
A special thanks for my parents for providing us with the apples :)
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