I canned the sauce because we feared we wouldn't have enough freezer space this year and the apples we will sauce at my parent's house in a couple weeks will be easier to just put into containers and freeze (amidst the applesauce-making frenzy that occurs) than canning it there would be. We need all six burners for cooking down apples that weekend.
Sam did all the turning and about half of the scraping. Sadie did about half the scraping and a good portion of the entertaining of Miriam.
To the sauce, we added 3 quarts of red raspberries (in small increments). These add color and mild raspberry flavor. We add them to the strainer along with the hot apples so most of the seeds are removed. These were Cortland apples, not Red Cortlands. They taste the same, just have less pink color. The color isn't as important to me as is the fact that these apples are so sweet we add no sugar. The raspberries added the color we were missing- nature's own food coloring.
The day's work resulted in 44 quarts of applesauce.
Canning Applesauce
Ladle hot applesauce into sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Increase the acidity of the applesauce by adding 1 tbsp. of lemon juice to each quart either after the jar is filled or by stirring it into the applesauce before filling each jar. The lemon juice is not an option, regardless of whether you add sugar. Clean the rim of jar with damp paper towel, top with hot lids and place on rings (finger-tip tight). Process in a (boiling) hot water bath for 20 minutes. Refrigerate and eat any sauce whose jar did not seal. Pin It
Great job Gen. I can't believe you and the kids did all that yourselves! Way to go guys :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so gorgeous...44 quarts?! Oh my...seven hours, indeed!
ReplyDeleteWell done!! Good for you...those jars look lovely...YUM!!
ReplyDeleteAlso forgot to say...great job to get the kids involved...they will appreciate the applesauce!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome! I do have some questions..
ReplyDelete1) Did you use that big galvanized tub to wash the apples or something else?
2) You cooked the apples first, right? That was a lot of apples. Did you peel them or leave the skin on?
3) Sounds like you put them through some type of sieve?
4) Did you process these immediately as you packed them - hot pack or was it cold pack? If cold, how do you keep the jars from cracking when you put them in the hot water?
Can you tell I've never canned applesauce? !! I made fresh applesauce this weekend, but we ate it right away. I'd like to can some.
Cottage Comtesse,
ReplyDelete1) I unloaded full pans of applesauce into the tub for two reasons. One, to blend the applesauce so all the raspberries were dispersed and two, to save up enough applesauce for eight quart jars- this is how many jars my canner holds.
2) To cook the apples, I washed them, then cut them in 4-6 pieces depending on their size and removed their stems, leaving the skins on. Some people like to cut out the opposite end (from the stem) so they get no flecks in their sauce. I don't care about flecks. Fiber is a good thing:-). Then, I fill cooking pots with the quartered apples and add 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of each pot. Cortlands make a thick applesauce, hence all the water. The water also keeps them from burning. Other varieties may require less. I cover the pot, bring it to a boil and stir the apples every once in awhile to get the cooked apples to the top. I usually turn the heat down to medium high and leave them covered until the apples are like mush- real soft. Then, I...
3) Put them through the food strainer which is that contraption you see attached to the table in the first photo. Hot, cooked apples are ladled into hopper at the top (I try not to add the water in with it, but some goes in and that's okay). You turn the crank on the side while using a plunger to help the apples move down. The meat of the apples is pushed through a sieve and down a chute (on the side you can't see) and into your pan. The skin and seeds come out the right side into your compost bowl. I put the compost through again- I still get sauce from it. Our chickens LOVE the stuff.
4) I transferred the hot applesauce into the tub until I had enough for 8 jars, then filled them and hot water bathed them right away. The applesauce was still very warm at that point. It warmed up the jars a bit, so they weren't cold when they went in the hot water. I would not use non-canning jars (like mayo jars) in this way- they may not hold up to the temperature change.
I hope this was helpful!! Happy saucing!
What ...only 44 quarts??? What a slacker :)
ReplyDeleteJust kidding....I bet your house smells yummy. I noticed you put lemon juice in yours...I never have...is that so the color stays bright or botulism reasons?
Now, Mavis. This was applesauce part 1:-). The lemon juice is to keep the sauce from browning and to increase acidity for preserving purposes.
ReplyDeleteLooks Great!! Good job Sam & Sadie!!
ReplyDelete