Canned Apple Juice

Once you have had home canned apple juice you will likely be spoiled and find the store purchased juice not as much to your liking.

 Methods to Extract the Juice

There are several ways to extract juice from your apples, the method you choose will likely be based on the type of apples you have.  Here we will go through a few ways and recommend the apple best suited for that method.

Crabapples

If you. are lucky to have a crabapple or ornamental crabapple tree these make great juice using a very simple process.
Wash your apples then cut into half or quarters into a large food grade plastic container.  For this we use a wine primary fermenter.

Fill your container 3/4 full with cut apples.  Top off with boiling water until all the apples are just covered.  Add a lid and let sit 24 hours.

The next day remove the spent apples and put the juice through some cheesecloth to get a clear juice.

Larger Apples With a Light Taste

Wash apples and cut into 6 or 8 pieces  depending on the size of the apple.  Place apples into a blancher or a pasta pot with a sieve portion.  Boil until the fruit is mushy.  Remove the apples then add another batch and repeat.  Once you are happy with the apple flavour remove the juice from the pot then pour through a cheesecloth to get a clear juice.

Larger Apples With a Strong Apple Flavour 

If you have apples with a strong flavour (in our area the Goodland Apple works well for this method) reserve the peels and cores left from making pies or when preparing apples for freezing.  

Place skins and cores into a blancher or pasta pot with a sieve, add water just to cover.  Bring to a boil and continue to boil until the skins and cores are soft.  Taste, if flavour is too light add another batch and repeat.  Remove spent peels and cores and again strain through a cheesecloth.

Time to Make the Juice
Place juice into a large stock pot.  Add sugar.  A rule of thumb is 1 Tbsp for every 2 Cups of juice.  As some apples are sweeter than others you may want to slowly add some sugar until it is to your liking.  
Bring the juice to a boil.  Now transfer your juice into sterilized quart sealers.  Add washed new sealer lids.  Process in a canner for 15 minutes.  

Note: With homemade juice over time you may notice little “stringy” pieces in your juice.  Nothing is wrong.  Apples are high in pectin and this can happen.  If it bothers you go ahead and strain prior serving.