What to do with Crab Apples

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eparys

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jun 29, 2019
Messages
32
Location
New England
This is the first year in the 11 we have been here that my Crab Apple tree went crazy. It was loaded with apples.

The "local" bear twins showed up and started to rip it (and my Choke Cherry tree) apart the other night so Hubby and I went out and stripped the tree as far up as we could reach. Now that I have a huge container of apples I need to do something with them.

Any great recopies for Jelly or Jam? or anything else?
 
You could make apple jelly and flavoured jellies based on apple. I have been told that crab apples are higher in pectin than regular apples, but I don't know if it's true. I once made mint jelly using crab apples and fresh mint. It worked well without adding any pectin. My mint jelly was pink from the crab apple peels.
 
I don't have a recipe but my grandma made crab apple jelly every year and it was my favorite jelly! More than grape or strawberry! I miss having some since she died. If I had some crab apples that's what I would try.
 
When we were little we used to throw them at the kids across the street that we didn't like.
Other than that, Ive never used them for cooking.


:LOL: we did as well!! I was thinking it might be fun to try something with them. I was hoping that someone had a tried and true go to recipe for them.



Taxlady - I have read that they are higher in pectin too. We will see!! Tomorrow is the day I jump into them. Yesterday was Zucchini Relish, Chunky Applesauce today ..... and Jelly? / Jam? tomorrow.
 
My grandma would make crabapple butter. She used a roaster in the oven. I've used a crockpot for regular apple butter.
 
I used to make spiced crab apples. My ex-DH and I used to press the crab apples mixed with "field" apples (at the farm, there were old apple trees from an orchard that went by the wayside) and make hard cider, jelly (I liked to add mint), and a chutney. I don't have the recipes with me, but he made the apple press (hydraulic--had to make some adjustments--it threw apples all over the shop the first time we used it). At the time, he was a consultant for a company that was designing a soy-bean extractor with a hopper for making soy milk, so he scaled the design down and made a little one. Gosh, I miss those days. Who knew my days would be consumed with changing adult diapers, doing INRs, counting pills, laundry, more laundry, and all those fun things.
 
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So here is an update!I used 2 qts and made the Spiced Crab Apples that GotGarlic posted the link to.



The day was a disaster all round - lol. Didn't have cheese cloth for the bag for the cloves and Allspice so used a wire tea infuser which fell open on the first go round. Next tried a tea bag which I took apart and restapled shut - the tea bag fell apart!! I scooped out what was left of the bag and left the rest. The allspice made the pickling juice dark but when it was all done - it was really delicious all the same. Once the "juice" was thicker I added the apples and turned the flame way down. Some of the apples were more ripe than others so those kind of fell apart. Some of the crab apple skins still split despite following all the directions but they are done and all canned.



They look beautiful - my apples are bright red so the canning juices are now a beautiful red color. Can not wait to try them.



Jelly/jam Tomorrow with the rest of them!!
 
Argh! Yay! Argh! Yay!

Sounds like a topsy-turvy day, but with a positive result! Preserving is like that sometimes - it can be an adventure!
 
After canning the whole crabapples, I had about 7 lbs of apples left so I threw the mess of the into a big pot (after cleaning and halving them) and cooked them down. Since I still didn't have cheese cloth I dug out my 35 year old Victorio strainer. What I ended up with was was a fine applesauce consistency. So Jam it was.


I made 9 half pints of just plain Crabapple Jam and I took some and spiced it up with Cinnamon, Allspice, Nutmeg and ground Cloves and got 4 more half pints of spiced. Both Jams are excellent - I will do this again next year !!


Thanks for all the help!
 
Sounds good eparys. I really think you should try making some mint jelly. It is so much better than store bought. Make a half a pint and see.
 
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