Apple pie filling, canning, question

[Spike2]

So I have canned my own apple pie filling every year for years. A friend of mine was canning her apple pie filling for the first time and asked me how long to blanch her apples. I have never blanched my apples before canning into filling. What are the benefits to blanching first? Have I been doing it wrong?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Spike2

So I have canned my own apple pie filling every year for years. A friend of mine was canning her apple pie filling for the first time and asked me how long to blanch her apples. I have never blanched my apples before canning into filling. What are the benefits to blanching first? Have I been doing it wrong?

No you haven't and I see no reason to blanch something that is already going to be heated up anyway.
I do recommend fruit fresh I swear by the stuff for a fresh clean look when slicing apples and putting them in a bowl of water.
If they do go brown this will clean them right up.
Learned about using this stuff in the Marines of all places.

Worth

[greenthumbomaha]

I've never canned a fruit besides peaches. Have you ever canned pumpkins for pies and muffins? I have the same question re blanching. It would be interesting to see the difference between canned (a real metal can) and fresh.

I am a sucker for those giant pies at the warehouse store but my waistline says no this year. A small homemade single serving version would be ideal.

- Lisa

[GrowingCoastal]

When foods are blanched or cooked before canning they can become more concentrated, lose their shape a bit and fit more to a jar.

[PhilaGardener]

Must involve a pressure cooker. What is your favorite recipe, Spike2 ?

[coronabarb]

I don't think this is blanching per se. It looks more like heating up briefly (1 min) to get the apples hot, maybe remove some of the air before filling the jars.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/can_...e_filling.html

[coronabarb]

Lisa,

It is considered safe to pressure can pumpkin in chunks. Same thing here, the chunks are heated up briefly before filling the jars. Sugar pie pumpkins and butternut squash make very delicious pies.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/pump...er_squash.html

[Spike2]

Originally Posted by PhilaGardener

Must involve a pressure cooker. What is your favorite recipe, Spike2 ?

For Apple Pie Filling? I will give you my recipe if that is what you are asking for?

[Labradors2]

You mean you don't have to cook the apples first??? That would save an awful lot of time...... Getting more into the jar is always good though. I find that canning is a lot of work with a water bath.

Linda

[coronabarb]

I thought the pressure cooker comment was in response to the pumpkin canning comment.

[PhilaGardener]

Originally Posted by Spike2

For Apple Pie Filling? I will give you my recipe if that is what you are asking for?

Yup, sounded good!

[Spike2]

Makes 7 quarts

3 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups clear jel
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons all spice
1/8 teaspoons cloves
2 teaspoons salt
10 cups water
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
6 pounds apples

In a large pan, mix sugar, clear jel, salt and spices. Slowly add water and mix well. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly.

Fill hot jars with apples, fill jars with hot syrup leaving 1 inch head space, remove any bubbles, process in water bath for 20 minutes.

[Labradors2]

The way that I do it is to pick a washing-up bowl full of home-grown organic apples, then wash, core, and cut them into slices. Cook them in two large pans (one of which is a pressure cooker, so probably 5 quarts) adding a tiny amount of water so that they don't burn. No peeling, no sugar, no water, nothing.

When cooked, ladle them into 7 quart-sized mason jars and process in the water bath.

Linda

[Worth1]

I wonder what a fermented apple would taste like.
Gonna give it a try.

Worth

[Labradors2]

Apple cider Worth! YUMMY!!! Do watch out for wasps though.....

Linda