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!!
ReplyDeleteI tried applesauce, jam, carrots, tomatoes, and green beans last year. I had to ditch most of it, my tomatoes went rancid and my beans turned milky at the bottom. My applesauce and jam wound up with canning water IN the jars, and I followed the directions in my Ball Blue Book. Any suggestions as to what went wrong? I would really, REALLY love to start canning again, but the fear of giving my family food poisoning is just too great. Some canning pointers would be great! Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteAnnabelle, I am SO sorry to hear about your canning troubles! I'm not sure what is going wrong for you but wasting time and produce is no fun! Do you know anyone who is an experienced (and successful) canner? Sometimes watching someone else go through the process is helpful for folks. Maybe reading through my instructions would give you another perspective- if you haven't already, go here: http://www.thyhandhathprovided.com/p/preserving.html and read the posts under canning help. Best of luck to you!
DeleteGood afternoon,
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if you ever make apple butter (leaving the applesauce in a crock pot overnight with spices) If you do what do you use the apple butter for. I make some every year and always have lots leftover. (I use mine to cook chicken and porc)
thanks so much
Hi Saralie. We've haven't made our own apple butter before but whenever we get our hands on some, we love eating it on warm rolls instead of regular butter or jam- it's delicious:-).
DeleteHi Jane.....I'm going to be canning applesauce in a few days (need to get lids, etc. first) and I'm a bit paranoid as all my sauce molded a couple years back. Have you ever had that happen? The only thing I can figure is some of my apples were too old, I used half galas and they were pretty mealy....when you wash them do you use vinegar solution, or plain water? I have a strainer similar to your's (Roma) it's so much easier than peeling all the apples....the orchard I got the apples at said they were picked within the last two weeks. I wanted cortlands, but they weren't ready yet....so I got Paula Reds and Gingergolds. Hoping for the best :) Thank's for letting me bend your ear! Janet
ReplyDeleteHi, Janet. The only time I see mold in the top of canned food is when the seal has come undone, letting in air. I would be careful about two things as you can your applesauce this year- first, make sure that your jar rims are nice and clean so you get a nice, tight seal, and secondly, make sure you're not filling your jars too full. If your jars are too full, some sauce can bubble out into the canning water, leaving residue between the rim and the lid. There can be false seals- it may appear it seals at first (and kind of does) but then residue can pry lids up, allowing in air and causing mold. I find that even though I know all the "rules" I sometimes get in a rush and cut corners and that's when I kick myself because those "rules" are important:-). Best of luck to you! We're canning our 6 bushels this weekend and I'll be trying to remember all this stuff, too! Blessings, Jane
DeleteThank you so much for your advice. I canned a batch this morning as my refrigerator is bursting with apples and I needed to get groceries, so I needed the room. I've tried not to over fill my applesauce as I have had it bubble out before....the Ball Blue book says 1/2 in. and I did it that way only to have it bubble out. This time I wised up and only filled to the bottom of the neck. I saw a little sauce in the waterbath, but I think it was off the side of the jar.....I always seem to miss the hole, even with a funnel. On a side note, my husband bought me the new Ball electric waterbath canner. I used it today for the first time and love it already. It's so nice to have the stovetop freed up for other things....Thank you again, and God bless you as you make your applesauce, Janet
ReplyDeleteon a sidenote I'm returning my electric canner.....it didn't keep a full rolling boil, so now I have to open all my "canned" jars of applesauce and freeze them. Hope your applesauce weekend went better than mine! Janet
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