Canning Apple Pie Filling

By Jalapeno Gal77 -via APN

Canning Home Made Apple Pie filling

You always hear of people canning peaches, and meats, jams or jellies, but I never heard of canning apple pie filling until a woman at my church suggested it.  So I rushed home, excited to have something new to can and of course, getting the lay out of this article together in my mind as well, because I love to share my recipes and adventures with you all so much.

Everyone has their own special recipe for baking their delicious apple pies so my advice would be stick to what you know if you would like or try my recipe and see how you like it.  If you have never made apple pie filling, then you can also look around for a recipe that might appeal to you as well.   However, I assure you, the recipe I use has been passed down and is so good you can eat it right out of the jar.  You can always go stock up on canned apple pie filling, but I think in the long run, making your own is always better and might even save you some money.



One of my favorite things about canning apple pie is when the kids come home from school, or the husband comes home from work and they rush to the kitchen expecting to see an apple pie ready to eat.  Then they round the corner and find that the kitchen looks like a tornado hit it.  My daughter always moans, ” I am NOT cleaning this up mom!”   Then I open the oven and she sees the pie and starts helping lol.  Kids are great.

So back on topic now, here are the things you will need:

Tools:

• 4 quart canning jars
• water canner
• canning utensils
• apple slicer

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups white sugar 

  (Or 3 cups white sugar and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 

  choice is to your taste.)

• 1 1/2 cups of Clear Gel (Not Sure-Gel, it is not the same thing)

• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoon clove (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 10 cups of water

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 6 pounds of apples*

* Using the right kind of apples is important when it comes to the flavor of the pie.  A crisp, tart pie apple such as Jonagold, Empire, Rome, Macintosh, or Ganny Smith is important to attain proper flavor.  I personally would never use Red Delicious, it is strictly and eating apple.

Directions: While putting together the ingredients, begin sterilizing your jars, rings and lids.

• In a large pan, mix sugar, clear gel and spices in 8 cups of hot water; stir until it is dissolved and then place over low heat.  Bring to a slow boil and cook until thick like syrup.
• Mix 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons lemon juice; set aside.
• Peal, core and slice your apples.  This is much easier and less time-consuming with an apple slicer.
• After you have the apples peeled, sliced and cored, pack apples into hot sterile jars leaving an inch of head space.
• Bring sugar mix to a boil and cook until thick like syrup.  As it begins to boil, whisk in the water/lemon juice/corn starch mix.  Whip/stir quickly until there are no white lumps.
• Once the lumps are gone, ladle over your apples leaving 1/2 inch head space.
• Using a plastic knife or utensil, remove air bubbles from jars.  (Metal can make the jars bust during processing.)
• Place rings and lids in a water bath processor for 20 minutes.
• Using your jar tongs, remove the jars from the canner and place on a dry dish towel to cool.  Allow to cool for several hours before checking the seals.  You should hear the little ping when they do seal.  That’s it!

Now that you have your jars of apple pie filling, let’s make the apple pie:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Pour 1 quart jar of your apple pie filling into a 8-9 inch pie crust and add 3-4 little dollops of butter.
• Place top crust across pie, then pinch the sides however you like it.  (Everyone in different, I like the lattice look myself.)
• Cut slit in top crust to vent steam.
• Sprinkle with sugar if you wish and bake for 30 minutes or until it is bubbly.  One little thing I like to do the last 5-10 minutes of cooking is to take a baster brush and spread melted butter lightly across the top crust for a nice golden brown look.

That’s all there is to it!  If you do not know how to use a water bath canner, here is a wonderful tutorial that will take you through the steps.  I promise it is MUCH easier than it sounds and once you do it for the first time, you will want to do it all the time.  Have fun and feel free to comment or leave your own delicious apple pie filling recipe in the comments section below.

Keepin It Spicy,
Jalapeño Gal