[V-NH]

Last week I tried canning out for the first time. My wife has been very busy with our newborn daughter and I can't help much with the feeding so I decided to try making jelly. Made six jars of apple jelly out of some apples from the grocery store. They all came out great and sealed properly. I didn't even have the tools to do it with. I just used a regular old stock pot and a couple of spoons to lift the jars in and out with.

After my first successful experience, I spent $6.99 on some basic canning equipment and picked up 30 lbs of apples from a local orchard. As I type this, I am in the process of making another 12 jars of apple jelly and 12 jars of apple butter. Next I plan to make some apple cinnamon jelly and some hot cinnamon apple chunks.

Who knew this could be so fun and easy? I blame all of you for not telling me sooner!

 

[Chixarecute]

Do you know how good dried apple slices are?

 

[V-NH]

Shh. You're going to make me buy a food dryer.

 

[V-NH]

Ended up making 8 half pints of apple butter, 1 quart of apple butter (due to a lack of jars) and 14 additional half pint jars of apple jelly. I made my first rookie mistake and cooked up a HUGE batch of jelly all at once. None of the jelly set, so I had to go back, re-cook it, and add pectin. Now it seems to be good to go

I am going to make some apple cinnamon jelly, 10 or so quarts of apple sauce, and then try my hand at blueberry jam and "carrot cake" jam from the Ball canning guide.

I still have tons of apples to use.

 

[osbmail]

Dried apples are great .Good for snaking ,pies and I add them to sausage. They take time prepare .Drying is also good for apples that have spots on them.

 

[V-NH]

Tried the jelly that I rehabbed. It is good tasting, but the texture is not what you'd hope to get out of apple jelly. Adding pectin gave it a weird quality.

 

[Chixarecute]

Congratulation on the new bundle of joy! Wishing you and yours enough sleep!

 

[Chixarecute]

Save the apples for pie or sauce or butter, use the peels and cores for jelly:

http://www.food.com/recipe/apple-core-and-peeling-jelly-99636

 

[sss3]

I've made the jelly from peels and cores. Was good and made a lot.

 

[calliemoonbeam]

Uh oh, you're one of us now, lol! Glad you found out you liked it. Unfortunately, with jelly you're usually better off just making two batches than trying to double up, you just never know how it's going to come out. Apples usually make plenty of their own pectin, but again, bigger batches are just unpredictable.

Sounds like you're doing lots of yummy stuff with the apples...but are you sure you don't want to dry some of them?? You know, you can do lots of stuff with a dehydrator besides just dry fruits and veggies. You can make yogurt, proof bread dough, make jerky, dry flowers or potpourri, make dough ornaments, dry fresh noodles to keep in the pantry, make fruit rollups, and about a zillion other things. Just call me "Abe"...short for En-ABE-ler, ROFL! If you're going to get hooked you might as well get hooked good!

Congratulations on the little one!

 

[Rivmage]

Or save cores and skins of apples and make your own pectin.

Scott

 

[TraciInTexas]

I've made the jelly from peels and cores. Was good and made a lot.

Or save cores and skins of apples and make your own pectin.

Scott

Do tell... How does just peels and cores end up jelly? The abbreviated version would be fine, I am just not seeing how it would work.

 

[Riverdale]

One hint-

If your state is like Michigan (allows baiting for deer season), deer apples (and deer carrots) can be found very inexpensively.

We have over 100 qts of applesauce and 10# of apple chips (plus eating apples) for a grand total of $15. DW is going to pick up another 60# of apples (for $6).

They are mixed, and need the bruised spots cut out, but hey.

And with luck, the cores/peels hat are in a pile outside the back door willgive us some venison, also :gaptooth:

 

[Janis R]

V-NH, you don't need a dehydrator, you can use the oven, put apples on trays and put on dash of car with windows rolled up or use screens and dry in sun or string up and dry in the sun.
Welcome to the joys of canning you will never go back now

 

[calliemoonbeam]

Do tell... How does just peels and cores end up jelly? The abbreviated version would be fine, I am just not seeing how it would work.

Traci, I just noticed no one has answered your question. I don't do apple peel/core jelly because I don't know anyone who likes apple jelly, but I do make peach pit/peel jelly, and it's great!

Here's a recipe for apple "scrap" jelly with a nice picture: http://www.food.com/recipe/apple-core-and-peeling-jelly-99636

Here's a good description for making pectin too. They use crab apples here, but it can be other types of apples too. The trick is to make sure they're not fully ripe, as this is when they have the most pectin, and to not peel them. This can be used in any jelly instead of store bought.

http://www.buildanark.net/index.php?pages/Making%20Your%20Own%20Pectin!.html

Hope this helps!

 

[V-NH]

Made 25 more jars of jelly out of peels and cores. Also put up 25 quarts of apple pie filling.

 

[Rivmage]

Do tell... How does just peels and cores end up jelly? The abbreviated version would be fine, I am just not seeing how it would work.

There was a recipe on HT for it.

You save up the cores and skins until you have about a pints worth. Put the apple pieces in a pot, fill with water not quite covering the apple. Boil until everything becomes mush. Strain through layered cheese cloth and strained liquid is pectin. You can either freeze it or can it and use as needed.

Scott

 

[TraciInTexas]

Traci, I just noticed no one has answered your question. I don't do apple peel/core jelly because I don't know anyone who likes apple jelly, but I do make peach pit/peel jelly, and it's great!

Here's a recipe for apple "scrap" jelly with a nice picture: http://www.food.com/recipe/apple-core-and-peeling-jelly-99636

Here's a good description for making pectin too. They use crab apples here, but it can be other types of apples too. The trick is to make sure they're not fully ripe, as this is when they have the most pectin, and to not peel them. This can be used in any jelly instead of store bought.

http://www.buildanark.net/index.php?pages/Making%20Your%20Own%20Pectin!.html

Hope this helps!

Yes, those help immensely! Thank you!

 

[KansasBead]

Made 25 more jars of jelly out of peels and cores. Also put up 25 quarts of apple pie filling.

Lol he is sooo hooked I love this!!!

 

[fixitguy]

I bought a new in the box norpro peeler at the goodwill a few year's ago. Well, last week we finally remembered to try the thing out. Man, oh, man that thing is slick, it will peel potatoes also.

http://www.casa.com/p/norpro-red-ap...ion&ca_kw=&CAWELAID=1466633083&kpid=FPS-67351