Homemade Apple Pie Filling

On the Menu Today~
Homemade Apple Pie Filling

Welcome to Apple Fest Week~
This week it's all about....
Apples, Apples and more Apples!!

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

To kick off the Apple Season..
Why not make Homemade
Apple Pie Filling~

Can't you just smell the apples and
cinnamon in the air.....

Apple Pie Filling~

Apple Pie Filling is really not difficult at all to make and
the taste and texture of homemade Apple Pie Filling
doesn't even compare to canned...
Don't get me wrong....
I like canned apple pie filling and
use canned in certain recipes but
Homemade Apple Pie Filling is the
Crème de la Crème of apple pie filling.
Once you make your own apple pie filling and
start using homemade in recipes,
you'll never go back to canned...

It's all about the Apples~

Apples...
You want flavorful, aromatic and firm apples.
Avoid apples that are to soft.
Always use a mixture of apples,
Never just one type of apple.
Choose apples that are naturally sweet and
tart...varieties such as: Bramley, Cox Pippin,
Fuji, McIntosh, Winesap, Jonagold, Rome,
Cameo, Jonathon, Red Delicious, Honey Crisp,
and Pink Lady. Choose apples that you and
your family like, after all, if you like the apples,
you will no doubt love the apple pie filling!

You can pick your own apples, buy them at
any apple orchard already picked for you,
buy apples at a farmers market or
buy your apples at a grocery store.

This recipe calls Clear-Jel~

Clear-Jel is a corn-starch that has been modified to
give special and unique characteristics when used in
food products. It is preferred for thickening canned
pie filling as well as other foods, over other corn-starches
because is has less or no aftertaste, the thickened juices
are smooth and clear, foods thickened with Clear-Jel
can be frozen and Clear-Jel thickens quickly.

Homemade Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 6 quarts peeled, cored, sliced apples
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup clear-jel
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 1/2 cups cold water
• 5 cups apple juice
• 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice

Cooking Directions

1. Sterilize Jars in one of three ways: In the dishwasher,  Washed in soapy water, rinsed and boiling the jars 10 minutes in water. Keep jars in hot water until needed, or In the oven.
2. Peel Apples: Use an apple peeler or peel apples by hand. Remove stems, seeds, and any brown spots. Slice apples using an apple slicer or slice by hand.
3. Blanch Apples: Place sliced apples, 1 quart at a time, in a large pot with at least 1 gallon of boiling water. Boil each batch for 1 minute, after the water returns to a boil..remember your only blanching the apples. Keep the hot apples in a covered bowl or pot. Set aside.
4. Make Filling: Combine the sugar and spices in a large pot with the apple juice and water. Mix the Clear-Jel with the lemon juice and add this to the juice mixture in the pot. Boil 1 minute on medium heat, stirring constantly, just until it starts to bubble and thicken. Remove from heat. It should be thick but still able to flow.
5. Fill Jars: As the liquid is now very thick, it won't easily flow, so you will need to fill the jars by alternating layers of liquid, then apple slices, then liquid, until the jars are full to 1 inch below the top. After each layer, use a spoon to press down to fill any air spaces. Gently jostle the jars and lightly press the slices down to help settle the slices in the jar and fill any air spaces.
6. Wipe any spilled apple pie filling off the jar tops, seat the lid and tighten the ring, you will need 1 inch of headspace per jar. Put jars in canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of boiling water. Boil for 25 minutes. Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping each other overnight. Make sure the jars are completely sealed and store jars in your pantry until ready to use.

All information is from the fantastic wedsite called: Pick Your Own.
Pick Your Own has everything you need.....
From Where to Pick Apples...in every State...
From directions on how to make any kind of pie filling to
how to make jams and jellies.....
Plus so much more!!!

Pick Your Own
Apple, Pie