Crabapple Jelly

12 jars. Some super good jelly.

We have two crabapple trees at the cabin yard and one was so loaded with nice apples we decided to pick some and do jelly this year. Great flavor, even better color. Just plain good.

Our Wealthy apple tree up there was loaded too and not a worm anywhere this year. Even the wasps were leaving them alone. We did two batches of applesauce while we were there and brought about 30 nice apples back for a couple pies and yes, more applesauce. The sauce needed no sugar, just a light touch of cinnamon…..darned near good enough to make a guy purr. But this jelly is out of this world good so I may have to find another way to show my pleasure….lol

What is crab apple jelly like? Is it really tart? Or do you add a bunch of sugar to make it sweet?

I don’t actually even know what a crab apple tastes like, I’m just assuming they are on the tart side of apples(could be totally wrong).

Typically crabapples alone are very sour. The jelly, like any other jelly is high in sugar content which makes for a sweet yet slightly tart jelly that is apple flavored. I prefer it over plain apple jelly.

I have no idea what variety of crab these trees are but the apples will make you pucker darned good right off the tree. There are maybe a hundred different varieties of crab apple trees, some purely ornamental, some both ornamental and edible. Some edible crabapples are relatively small, leaning towards the size of the ornamental types while others are almost as large as a small eating apple. The two trees we have set apples in the quarter size area, are very bright red and tart but make the best crabapple jelly we’ve ever had.

Someone gave me some crabapple apple sauce once and I’ve craved some ever since. If you run out of things to do with them, try making a batch.

Been making that for about 8 years and it is always amazing tasting and very attractive to the eye with a great color

How do you process the apples? Given the color you must utilize the skin?

We give the apples a quick rinse job then pop off the blossom end and the stems. I think we had maybe 8-9 pounds of crab apples for this batch and added maybe 5 cups of water to cook the apples with the skins on over a medium heat until soft. The apples make quite a bit of juice. The apple skins also have tons of natural pectin so a person can’t hardly screw the recipe up other than not getting the juice to a hard rolling boil after the sugar is added.

We strained the juice for the jelly’s recipe thru cheesecloth to get it clear.

I’ll add here that the apple pulp can be separated from the skins and cooked with sugar and some cinnamon to taste until thick and slightly browned to make apple butter…..which is another dangerously good spread for toast. And gives a person a double bang for the buck. Nothing more to buy other than the needed sugar and a small amount of cinnamon. Pour the hot, cooked butter into clean jars, add the lids and bands and let them seal….just like the jelly. Darned good eats in the middle of winter.

Tom
I really want to do this but I need full directions. Should I just do an internet search or can you fill in some of the blanks? Once cooked and strained what is the recipe for the juice to make jelly? I also thinking of trying black berries (thimble berries) or whatever they are that we have by the cabin that come on in late summer. Thanks

ps-how do you separate the skin from the meat? Oh and how do I know when the apples are ready? When do you do it?

@ Suzuki

Generally you can tell an apple is ripe by the color of the seeds. If the seeds are brown and fully formed then the apple is ripe. It seems pretty early still to be expecting ripe apples, but maybe crabapples are different.

suzuki wrote:

Tom
I really want to do this but I need full directions. Should I just do an internet search or can you fill in some of the blanks? Once cooked and strained what is the recipe for the juice to make jelly? I also thinking of trying black berries (thimble berries) or whatever they are that we have by the cabin that come on in late summer. Thanks

ps-how do you separate the skin from the meat? Oh and how do I know when the apples are ready? When do you do it?

Straining the pulp juice thru the cheesecloth does the separating Suziki. For any apple jelly you want to cook the skins and all, then squeeze the cooked pulp thru several layers of cheesecloth. If you’re short juice for the recipe, add pure, un-preserved apple juice to get your needed amount. The pectin you need to add will come in either a powder or liquid and instructions and sugar amounts are included in the pectin packet. The same pectin will be used for your berry jam and the recipe for it will be included .

IF you want to make apple butter you simply need to press the cooked pulp and skins thru a fine sieve, then add sugar and seasonings and cook it down until its the consistency you like. Jar up and lid boiling hot and your in like flint. Do an internet search for “apple butter recipes”. They’re all over and some may have spices you either like or don’t care for so its just up to your taste buds.