Apples, 90's Pop, and Some Crazy Chicks



I have this horrible habit of being over prepared. I buy several sacks of flour at a time, ten pound bags of sugar, bulk spices and in this instance, 16 pounds of Gala apples. What would I do with 16 pounds of apples you might ask? Why can them of course! But what to can?

Its the holiday season! And a staple that is an American classic is of course apple pie! So I put a post up on the canning group I started inviting the girls to come and can with me. Danyale and Sayrah were the only ones not otherwise engaged and so we made a day of canning apple pie filling while listening to Pandora's 90's pop station. I honestly had forgotten that actually knew the words to some Backstreet Boys songs, and that is rather sad. I also realized that I knew some of the dance to "Scrubs" by TLC, and made everyone laugh as I grooved a bit in the kitchen. Truly a lot of fun! 

Canned apple pie filling is so much better than store bought because you can adjust your spices to make it taste as original as you like! The only difference is that if you are home preserving it, you cannot use cornstarch as a thickener like you would if you were just making the filling and then making the pie. The only USDA approved thickening agent for home processed pie filling is called ClearJel, which is a modified starch that will not break down during cooking, processing and recooking. It guarantees that nothing odd goes on with what you've canned that could cause any bacterial growth which can lead to spoilage or just making you sick. So always, always, always, follows USDA guidelines when it comes to home canning. Luckily, ClearJel is easily purchased in some major stores with the usual canning supplies, or ordered from Amazon rather cheaply. One regular sized bag will can about 15 quart sized jars of filling.

Now due to the amount of apples I had, and the amount of ClearJel, I actually made a triple batch of pie filling, but the recipe I am posting will get you about three quarts of pie filling, a quart being perfect for a nice big pie.

This recipe is from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

12 cups sliced, peeled, cored apples treated to prevent browning

2 3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup ClearJel

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

(or 2 teaspoons apple pie spice, which is what I used)

1 1/4 cup cold water

2 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice

1/2 cup lemon juice



As usual, sterilize all your jars and equipment using either boiling water or your dishwasher. Place all caps in a saucepan of water on low and get your canning pot filled with water and heating.

Peel, core and slice the apples, and let them sit in a bath of water and ascorbic acid, following the directions on the jar.

While peeling and coring, we found one really wonky looking apple, and had to share it for posterity.

 LOTS of apples. And lots of gossip and singing and dancing went along with getting this big ol' bowl full. I did mention my weird TLC dance right?

Once the apples are all sliced and treated, they need to be blanched. This is easily done in batches. Dunk them in boiling water for a bout a minute, then ice water to stop the cooking, then plop them back into a bowl until they are needed.

Next, in a large pot, combine the water, juice, sugar, spice and ClearJel. Over medium low heat, heat the mixture until it starts to thicken and bubble. By now we had heard about three Backstreet Boys songs. I didn't realize they were THAT big in the 90's. (Of course I was more of an alternative music lover back then).

A whisk works best to get the ClearJel fully dissolved into the liquids, and friends holding the pot while another takes the photo is great too!

Add the lemon juice and return to a boil, stirring constantly. Once at a boil, let it boil for 1 minute.

Add the apples and stir them into the mixture until they are heated through and well combined. At this point we were all singing the 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air', the full version, not just the one they played on the show. Sing-along canning is the best! And just a warning, this will give you one heck of a work out in the arm department. That stuff gets thick fast!

Ladle the hot apple pie filling into jars leaving about 1 inch of headspace. Use a plastic utensil to remove air bubbles by running it along the sides of the jar. Cap and screw on bands to finger tightness.

Process in a boiling water canner for 25 minutes, ensuring the jars are covered with at least one inch of water. Do not start timing until the water has reached a full boil. When the processing time has elapsed, remove from the water and let cool undisturbed for 24 hours.

 It was so much fun to hang out with Sayrah and Danyale making something we knew so many people would be able to love and enjoy. Now, we have pie filling for whenever we get the wild notion to bake an apple pie! We actually still had apples to spare! So after Sayrah had to leave, Danyale and I made the rest into about nine half pints of caramel apple jam, the favorite of so many! I love canning with my friends. We get to chat, laugh, sing, dance and just enjoy each other's company all around. Not to mention the rewarding feeling of making something homemade from the heart!

Brightest Blessings!