You have bought a bushel of apples from the farmer’s market and want to enjoy it for long before you they get rotten then there is a much easier way of storing them. Canning is a wonderful technique of storing your food items- vegetables and fruits for a longer period of time to enjoy them for a extended period of time. With the apples you have got from the farmer’s market you can make batches of applesauce and preserve it to enjoy it year long.
Homemade canning is not a difficult job and even if you are not a good cook you can still can the food as there are no special skills required. Canning apples are also a good idea so that you can still enjoy them even when they are out of season. Kids love applesauce and just crack opening the canned jars of applesauce you can serve them any time.
By homemade canning you can be sure that you are serving your loved once the best quality food, all natural without the preservative those other commercial canning products have.
First step in canning applesauce starts with washing the fresh apples and removing the wax, pesticides and the dirt. You can use the white vinegar to clean the apples thoroughly and set them aside to towel dry.
Now make slices and carefully remove the core of the apple. Make sure you do not peel of the skin as it contains significant amount of nutritional value. For around 10 to 20 minutes boil the apples and add drops of lemon juice in the boiling water so that it prevents the apple from browning. Once you can see that the apples have become tender just take them out of the boiling water. Do no throw the remaining boiling water as you will need it when blending and processing the apples again.
During the process of blending the apples keep on adding the water until you reach your desired level of consistency and thickness. If you want to add a flavour to your canned applesauce then you can blend a little amount of cinnamon powder to it. On the low heat let the applesauce cook for some time.
Meanwhile your applesauce is cooking you can start the process of sterilizing the canning jars. Just boil the jar, lids and other canning tools for 10 minutes so that they completely are sterilized. When filling the can with the homemade applesauce make sure you leave ½ inch of space on the top and cover up the jar with the lid tightly.
If you are using the water bath method for canning applesauce then ensure that the water should be at least one inch over the top of the jars.
The process time for canning apples will vary depending upon your altitude level. For every 2000 feet above the sea level add 10 minutes of processing time. It is because at higher altitude the air pressure is lower and the water will boil at lower temperature. Therefore to kill all the harmful bacteria you will require the extra processing time.
After removing the jars from the boiling water do not immediately store it in a cool place as then the jar can crack. Let the jar cool down in the most natural way. To know if homemade canning is done right the jar lid should be sucked down and not flex when you press it.
Canning applesauce is not difficult at all and the best is to do homemade canning so that your family can enjoy a healthy and fresh applesauce throughout the year.
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