One of my favorite foods is apple pie. Something about the smell and taste conjure up warm and fuzzy feelings every time. I guess it’s one of my favorite comfort foods, that always comes through for me.
But, I typically only eat apple pie in the winter months, near Thanksgiving time, when all of the pie baking is going on. So I decided that this year I would can the apple pie filling so I could have apple pies anytime I wanted one.
We were the blessed recipients of a giant grocery bag full of free apples from a friend, and the taste is just amazing. In the past week, we have eaten quite a few! But this weekend I dedicated a big bunch of apples to making apple pie filling, applesauce, and apple butter.
I made it through the applesauce and apple pie filling, and apple butter is on my list in the next day or so.
To make the apple pie filling, I used a cross between this recipe from Heavenly Homemakers and my apple pie recipe.
Here’s what I did:
Apple Pie Filling
12 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I use the Pampered Chef’s Apple Peeler, Corer, Slicer for this!)
4 cups sugar
8 tbsp flour
4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juicePeel, core and slice the apples. Put into a large pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium heat about 20-30 minutes until tender, stirring to incorporate all the ingredients. Prepare canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer’s directions. Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and screw band down until fingertip tight. Place jars in canner, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process 25 minutes.
You can whip up some nice pie crust, throw in a jar or two of apple pie filling, bake and viola! Apple pie all year round
The applesauce was the next batch, which was also a cross between this recipe from Heavenly Homemakers and The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
Homemade Applesauce
12 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I use the Pampered Chef’s Apple Peeler, Corer, Slicer for this!)
2 cups sugar
5 cups water*
4 tbsp lemon juicePeel, core and slice apples. Put into a large pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium heat about 20-30 minutes until tender, stirring to incorporate all the ingredients. Spoon apple mixture into your blender and puree until smooth. Prepare canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer’s directions. Ladle hot pie filling into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and screw band down until fingertip tight. Place jars in canner, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process 20 minutes.
*Note: This applesauce had a little too much liquid. Next time, I will reduce the water to about 4 cups.
The result of my hard work for the day? 7 pints of homemade apple pie filling and 7 pints of homemade applesauce. YUM! Apple butter is next on the list!
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To your success,
Dr. Laura
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That apple pie filling is a great idea! I usually make apple butter in the crock pot at this time of year.
Brenda recently posted..Bleu Cheese Dip-TMTT
Brenda, do you have your apple butter recipe on your blog somewhere? Mine is not in a crock pot…
Dr. Laura
I have just picked over 50 lbs of pears – I think i’m gonna order a corer/slicer and make pear pie filling…
THANks!
*Blessings*
YUM Liberty! I have never made a pear pie, but it sounds delicious!
Thank you for linking up your Apple Pie to Dr. Laura’s Tasty Tuesday too!
Dr. Laura
I was noting on your first recipe you are using flour but the USDA now says don’t use flour or cornstarch for thickener in canning any more because the mixture gets too thick and doesn’t adequately heat the center of the jar when you water bath it. They now recommend Clear-jel instead. I don’t bother with clear jel I just follow the recipe minus the thickener and add the thickener just before I bake with it. I’m not much of a fan of the USDA but when it comes to canning I’m not willing to take any chances.
I also make apple butter this time of year (and pear butter) in the crockpot. I pretty much fill a big oval crock with either (peeled, cored, sliced and dipped in lemon water)and add about 1/2 cup of water to get it started and cook for about 12-24 hours (keep it on low if you are doing it overnight) stirring every hour until its dark and thick. I add sugar to taste (usually 1- 1.5 cups) and about 2tsp or so of cinnamon or pie spice. cook for long enough to dissolve sugar and then water bath can it.
Melody, thank you for the insight. I always recommend that people check on the canning info. I am a newbie canner myself! I added the flour because I didn’t have any Clear-Jel (which was in the Ball book), but I like your suggestion of doing it without the thickener and just adding it before you bake it. But, for this batch, I don’t think they are sticking around long anyway – we are just eating them plain – forget the pie crust
And thank you so much for your apple butter recipe too!
Dr. Laura
Oh, I like them apples a lot!! Lovely job…and I drool just hearing the words apple butter, LOL! So glad you shared this with the hearth and soul hop this week, Laura…thanks!
girlichef recently posted..Hearth and Soul Hop volume 18
I know girlichef – I just love all things apple.
!)
I had to restrain myself when at my friend’s home (since she said I could pick apples for free, and I really didn’t want to clean out all her trees
Thanks for co-hosting the Hearth and Soul!
Dr. Laura
Oh, apple pie filling is so yummy – I really could just eat it by itself – no pie crust necessary! Thanks for sharing this with us at the hearth and soul hop!
Christy recently posted..Hearth and Soul Hop Vol 18
Christy,
That is exactly what is happening – we are too impatient to wait for a pie crust and just eating the filling straight out of the jar. Really, I should have just skipped the canning part and made it for dinner
Thanks for co-hosting Hearth and Soul!
Dr. Laura
Is there anything better than seeing all of those jars line your pantry? I’m so happy to say that I’ve only one batch of apples to go, and they will become apple butter. I do mine in the crock pot, too. No recipe, though, just stick the pureed apples in there with lots of warm spices and some sugar, and cook it down for a day or so, until it gets nice and thick and deep brown. Smells like heaven. Thanks for sharing at the Hearth and Soul hop.
Butterpoweredbike recently posted..Wild About – Plums Wild Plum Ketchup
Butterpoweredbike,
I may just have to make the apple butter in the crock pot for the heavenly smell alone! Thanks for co-hosting Hearth and Soul.
Dr. Laura
Great minds think alike. I also used some apples I had to make my own batch of applesauce (linked it up). I loved it and yours looks just as good. I’d love to try making your apple pie filling next.
Lisa recently posted..Homemade Applesauce
Lisa,
Thanks for linking up and I love the spice additions in your version of applesauce! I may have to add those before we eat ours
Thanks for sharing with Dr. Laura’s Tasty Tuesday!
Dr. Laura
HI Dr. L! Sorry I am so late linking but I was away! This week I am sharing a wonderful confetti brown rice salad that you can flavor either with Mexican spices or Mediterranean spices. I love it both way! I also wanted to stop by and thank you for sharing on the hearth and soul hop this week. Your apple pie filling really looks amazing and reminds me that I have to get on the ball with my Thanksgiving planning. I have some leaf lard to render because I plan on making all my pies from scratch the REAL way this year. Hugs! Alex@amoderatelife
alex@amoderatelife recently posted..Tackling Bittman…Shredding Him But Good…His Coleslaw That is!
Alex, no problem, the linky is open all week
I love the colors in your brown rice salad, and I would lean toward the mexican side, but I love the variations!
And pies from scratch….oh my….can I get directions to your home?
Thanks for sharing with Dr. Laura’s Tasty Tuesday!
Dr. Laura
I love this apple round up. We always preserve apple pie filling and applesauce it taste so good when there is snow on the ground.
Thank you for sharing and thank you for hosting.
Miz Helen recently posted..Whats For Dinner Next Week
Miz Helen, I didn’t intend for it to be an apple round up, but I guess apples are on everyone’s minds! I love it though, as I am a big apple pie fan. Thanks for sharing your wonderful apple pie on the blog hop!
Dr. Laura
Your canned apples are a beautiful sight! I would especially love the pie filling!
Thank you Sue! It was my first time canning pie filling. Not sure it will last long here. We are eating out of the jar…no crust needed!
By the way, your cookies look fantastic – feel free to link them up here too!
Dr. Laura
My SIL made us some apple pie filling one year for Xmas but I guiltily never used it and 4 years later I don’t trust it. What a waste. I’d totally make this if we had more apples to harvest. Thanks for linking. Since we’re both doing apple themes I’ve linked up my apple crisp. Enjoy!
Melodie recently posted..Vegetarian Foodie Fridays 22
Melodie, I’ve been thinking of getting an apple tree for my yard, but how many apples did you harvest from yours? Thanks for linking up here too. The apple crisp looks wonderful, and I am loving all the apple recipes! Thanks for hosting as well.
Dr. Laura
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