Crabapple juice
easy
- 3 L (12 cups) sliced crabapples, blossom end removed
- 5 L (20 cups) boiling water
- 375 mL (1 ½ cups) mL honey
Prepare crab apples by washing and removing blossom end. Slice crabapples in half, leaving on peel and core. Pour boiling water over crab apples. Let stand 24 hours.
Fill water bath canner with hot water. Place six 1L (quart) preserving jars in canner over high heat to sterilize (15 min). Prepare metal snaps as per manufacturers’ instructions.
Strain juice, using cheesecloth, muslin or clean worn pillowcase. Add honey. Bring juice to boil. Remove from heat and ladle into a hot, sterilized canning jars leaving 1 cm (1/2in) headspace. Clean jar rim. Centre metal snap lid. Apply screw band until just finger tip tight. Place in canner. Repeat with remaining jars.
Process juice in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Start timing when water returns to a boil. Remove from canner. Set upright and space apart, out of drafts to cool 24 hours. Test for seal (sealed lids turn downward in centre.) Remove screw bands. Wipe jars, label and date. Store in a cool, dark location.
Yield: 6 L (quart) jars.
* Instead of canning, crabapple juice can be frozen in clean, scalded containers. Leave 2 cm (1/2") headspace.