Canning Apple Cider

canned apple cider (photo by jhy)

You will need: apple cider
quart canning jars
lids and rings
canner
jar lifter
funnel
paper towel
utensils

Canning apple cider is one method to preserve the goodness of cider all winter. The ones I canned have a small amount of floating "stuff" on top, but I can easily strain that out when they are opened. It's the result of not skimming the foam quite completely enough.

Prepare canning jars by washing and sterilizing. Then fill with hot apple cider leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Follow general directions for hot water bath canning, and process for 20 minutes.

Remove from water, cool, remove rings, label and store.

No Mess Grape Juice

jars of juice just after processing (photo by jhy)

You will need:
Wild (or domestic) grapes
sugar (and optionally, substitute)
quart canning jars
lids, rings
canner
measuring cup
pans, utensils, etc

This method of making juice does not result in a beverage you can drink immediately, but it's incredibly easy. You have to wait a few months to drink the juice. I can hardly describe how wonderful wild grape juice is... it's like stepping into the autumn woods in mid-winter every time you take a sip.

A friend told me about this method. I've tried it with several different kinds of fruit, but this post will focus on grape. The great advantage is that you don't have to squeeze and strain grape juice which can stain things very badly.

Wash and sterilize as many quart jars as you think you will need. You can cover with a clean towel and let them rest until you have the grapes ready.

The part of this job that takes a lot of time is taking the small, wild grapes off the stems. Wash the grapes- it's easiest to do this while they are still in bunches. The main things to watch for on wild grapes are mold or spider webs. You'll need one cup of clean grapes for each quart. OK, your fingers will get purple doing this, but it's nothing like the mess of boiling grapes and squeezing the liquid through a jelly bag.

grapes, sugar and sugar substitute in a quart jar (photo by jhy)

Set water to boil- enough to fill all the jars you plan to use. Then, in each quart jar put 1 c of grapes and 1/2 c of sweetener. This can be all sugar, or half sugar and half substitute. I have not tried it with all sugar substitute, but it would probably work since there is no texture issue in this recipe as there is with baking.

Fill jars with boiling water, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Clean rim, put on lids and rings. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. See basic instructions for hot water bath canning.

juice that's been in the pantry for a year (photo by jhy)

The just-processed juice will be very pale. The picture doesn't show it very well, but if you look at the left-most jar in the front row (top picture), you can pretty much see how translucent it is. When the jars have cooled, remove rings and place the juice in a pantry or somewhere to store for at least three months before opening. Over this time, the juice will develop. When you do open the jars, strain and remove the fruit. The juice is then ready to drink.

Preparing Crabapple Juice for Storage

skim the foam with a metal spoon (photo by jhy)

You will need: Prepared juice, see Making Crabapple Juice
kettle large enough to heat the juice you want to process
quart canning jars
lids and rings
canner
jar lifter
canning funnel
a kettle to sterilize the jars (or you can do this in the canner)
spoons, ladle, scoop, small dishes, etc.
paper towel (or some very clean cloth)
cloth towel

Basically, you are going to fill sterile jars with hot juice, and process for ten minutes in a boiling water bath. Be sure you understand the Basics of Hot Water Bath Processing, and that you have all the necessary Equipment.

jar with a half-inch headspace (photo by jhy)

Heat the juice to boiling. It will probably develop some foam on the surface, and you can skim that off with a metal spoon.

Fill clean, sterile jars with the hot juice, leaving a half-inch headspace. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp paper towel. Make sure the rim is really clean or the jar probably won't seal. Cover with a softened canning lid, snugly screw on a ring, and place the jar in the canner which should be about half full of hot water.

When all the jars are filled and in the canner, process for ten minutes. Remove to a surface covered with a towel. Let cool, check to be sure they are sealed. Remove rings if desired. Label and store.

seven quarts of crabapple juice, sealed (photo by jhy)