An Apple A Day...Day 2

Day 2: Canned Apple Pie Filling

This is another fanatastic favorite of mine. I started canning Apple Pie Filling about 2 years ago. It makes great Christmas gifts and is a staple to every Holiday meal.

You need a few ingredients to get started:

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons salt
10 cups water
3 tablespoons lemon juice

6 pounds apples

(I used 14 apples total, 9 large and 5 medium sized)

First: Sterilize canning jars, lids, and rings. Do this by boiling them in a large pot of water.

Second: In a large pot, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add salt and water and mix well.

Third: Bring to a boil and cook the mixture intil thick and bubbly, stirring occasionally. This process takes approximately 15 minutes.

Fourth: Remove from heat and add lemon juice.

Fifth: Peel, core, and slice apples.

Sixth: Pack the sliced apples into hot canning jars. Leave 1/2 inch headspace. Fill the jars with hot syrup, gently removing the air bubbles with a knife or spoon.

Seventh: Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

Eighth: Remove the jars after 20 minutes. You will start to hear the lids pop once they are sealed.

This recipe made 7 quarts of canned apple filling. Like I said, these make great gifts. Everyone loves homemade apple pie, and in this case, the hard part has already been done.




These will store for at least 1 year, possibly 2, but I doubt they will last that long before someone eats them up.



When you are ready to use...

Place crust in ungreased 9 inch pie plate. Press crust firmly against sides and bottom.
Trim crust even with pie pan edge.
Add filling.
Top with second crust. Using thumb and forefinger, pinch crust to create a scalloped edge.
Trim excess.
Cut slits in top of crust.
Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
To avoid excess burning, cover edge with foil.
Bake at 375 degres for 45 to 50 minutes.

When I give these as gifts, I like to cover the tops with some gingham fabric or burlap and tie with twine, adding a cute little tag that I made. Here is the recipe card that I created and attach to the jar.

Home Made in a Jar...Love it!