When apples go on sale or when you have a tree full up apples, you look for delicious and creative ways to make use of them. I usually end up canning apple pie filling, apple preserves, applesauce, and apple jelly. I will also put some in the freezer and will freeze dry a load for snacking when they are out of season.
Yield: About 6 half-pint jars
Apple Preserves with powdered pectin
INGREDIENTS
- 6 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 package powdered pectin
- 4 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Sterilize canning jars. Combine apples, water and lemon juice in a large saucepot. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in pectin and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar. Return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; add nutmeg. Pour hot preserves into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Canner.