I have canned applesauce, apple preserves, apple jelly, and apple pie filling. It is a staple to have on hand. In addition to the classic pie, it allows you to quickly tum out luscious desserts such as apple turnovers, apple crisp or apple dumplings. The addition of cinnamon and nutmeg odds warmth to sweet or tort apple slices.
- 12 cups of sliced apples, peeled, cored, & treated to prevent browning
- 2 3/4 cup of sugar
- 3/4 cup of clear gel
- 1 1/4 cup of cold water
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
Prepare canner, jars and lids.
In a large pot of boiling water, working with 6 cups (1.5 L) at a time, blanch apple slices for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl.
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, ClearJel®, cinnamon, nutmeg, water and apple juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Drain apple slices and immediately fold into hot mixture. Before processing, heat, stirring, until apples are heated through.
Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot filling. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 25 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.
TIP ClearJel® is a cooking starch that is acceptable for use in home canning. Not all cooking starches are suitable for home canning, as reheating causes some to lose viscosity. Making mixtures too thick can interfere with required heat penetration during heat processing.