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<\/p>\nTransform the tart flavor of crabapples into a delicious homemade crabapple jelly. Crabapples have enough natural pectin so no additional pectin is needed for this crabapple jelly recipe.<\/p>\n
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One of the fruit trees on the edge of our property is a crabapple tree. These are often planted along with traditional apple trees to help with pollination. They are hearty trees that don’t require much care.<\/p>\n
Both crabapples and apples are in the Rosaceae family, and members of the Malus genus. Crabapples are small trees often reaching about 15-to 25-feet at maturity. The fruit is under two-inches in diameter and the flavor is very tart. My crabapples ripen before the rest of the apple trees, so I like to take advantage of their ruby goodness.<\/p>\n
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With a little sweetening, crabapples can be transformed into a delicious crabapple jelly that can be enjoyed on homemade bread, swirled into yogurt or paired with roast pork.<\/p>\n
Jellies are made by heating juice with sugar, and need the right mixture of fruit, pectin, acid, and sugar for it to form a gel. Pectin is a naturally occurring complex carbohydrate in fruit that is concentrated in the fruit’s skin and the core. When pectin is cooked with sugar, it thickens to a gel.<\/p>\n
Crabapples contain lots of natural pectin, so no additional pectin is needed for this recipe. Here are tips for making crabapple jelly:<\/p>\n
Select firm crabapples with no signs of insect or worm damage. Unripe fruit has more pectin than ripe fruit, but ripe fruit has more developed flavor. So try to mix about 75% ripe fruit with 25% under ripe fruit. You can tell if an apple is ripe by cutting it open and looking at the seeds. A mature crabapple will have brown seeds, and an under ripe apple will have light colored seeds.<\/p>\n
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Allow time for the crabapple juice to strain. When making juice or jelly, I typically split the process over a few days to allow extra time for the juice to strain completely. This is even more important with crabapple jelly because you want to get as much of the natural pectin from the juice as you can so your jelly thickens up properly.<\/p>\n
Follow the recipe, and work in small batches when making crab apple jelly. Since you are counting on the natural pectin found in the fruit, you don’t want to overheat the mixture. If you double the recipe, it will take longer to heat to the proper temperature. Too much heat will destroy the pectin, and it will break down and fail to gel.<\/p>\n
If you are new to making jelly, the NCHFP website has a nice description of how to tell when the jelly point has been reached: Testing Jelly without Added Pectin<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cooking time will vary with each batch because the natural pectin level is different in each individual apple. I use all three testing methods but rely on the freezer plate method for the final check.<\/p>\n You can use a large pot with a lid as a water bath canner to process the jars. You will need a pot that will hold 6 half-pint sized jars in a single layer with some space in between the jars. The pot also needs to be tall enough to cover the tops of the jars with 2-inches of water, plus 2-inches of additional space to prevent boiling water from splashing out of the pot. Place a rack in the bottom to elevate the jars up away from direct heat, and allow the water to circulate around the jars as they are processed.<\/p>\n To make jelly, we are going to extract the juice and natural pectin from the crabapples, combine it with sugar, and cook it to evaporate moisture and form a thick spreadable jelly.<\/p>\n If you are new to canning or haven’t canned in a while, it may be helpful to review this article on water bath canning<\/a> at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.<\/p>\n A more detailed and printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but these are the illustrated steps for making crabapple jelly.<\/p>\n You will need:<\/p>\n Wash the crabapples plain water, remove stems, cut out any bad spots, and trim the blossom ends. Cut the crabapples in half. Use a kitchen scale to weigh out 3 pounds for this recipe.<\/p>\n Extract the juice by combining the prepared crabapples in a large saucepan with enough water so that the fruit is barely covered, about 3 cups.<\/p>\n Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook while stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. As the fruit softens and breaks down, gently mash with a potato masher, and continue simmering over low heat for about 20 minutes. Don’t be tempted to increase the temperature to speed things up, because too much heat will destroy the pectin.<\/p>\n Strain the juice through a damp jelly bag or double layers of cheesecloth. Allow the fruit to strain for several hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. If you want clear jelly, don’t squeeze the bag. When the jelly is finished straining, compost the solids.<\/p>\n When you are ready to make the jelly, gather your canning equipment, prepare the jars, set up the canner, and organize your work area.<\/p>\n Wash your jars, lids, bands, and canning tools in warm, soapy water. Rinse well, and set the lids, bands, and tools aside to air dry until you are ready to use them. As you wash the jars, look them over for nicks and cracks. Eliminate any jars that are damaged as these will break in the canner.<\/p>\n Jars must be heated before filling to prevent breakage due to thermal shock. Place the jar rack into the water bath canner, set the jars upright in the canner, and add water to cover the jars. Bring the canner to a simmer (180\u02daF) for 10 minutes, and keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them.<\/p>\n Place several plates in the freezer before you begin making your jelly. These will be used to test the jelly.<\/p>\n Attach the candy thermometer to a large saucepan, and pour 4 cups of crabapple juice into the pan. Add the sugar, and stir to dissolve. Bring the juice to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until jelly stage. Skim off any foam that forms.<\/p>\n Jelly stage is achieved once the temperature reaches 220\u02daF at altitudes of less than 1,000 feet (see notes for altitude adjustments), when the liquid forms a sheet that hangs off the edge of the spoon, and when the mixture gels on a cool plate and doesn’t run when tipped.<\/p>\n Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Use the jar lifter to remove a hot jar from the canner, drain, and place on the towel. Keep the remaining jars in the canner, so they stay warm.<\/p>\n Place the canning funnel on the jar, and ladle hot jelly into the jar while leaving 1\/4-inch headspace. Run the bubble popper through the jar to release any trapped air bubbles.<\/p>\n Wipe the rim with a damp towel to remove any residue. Center a lid on the jar, place the band over the lid, and screw it on until fingertip tight. Place the jar back into the canner, and repeat with the rest of the jars.<\/p>\n Adjust the water level so it is covering the jars by several inches, bring the pot to a boil, and process the jars for the times indicated in the recipe below. Let the jars cool, test the seals, label and date the jars, and store in a cool, dark location.<\/p>\n\n
Don\u2019t have a water bath canner?<\/h3>\n
Steps for Making Crabapple Jelly<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Gather Your Equipment<\/h3>\n
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Step 2: Prepare the Fruit and Extract the Juice<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nStep 3: Prepare the Canning Equipment<\/h3>\n
Step 3: Make the Jelly<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nStep 4: Can the Jelly<\/h3>\n
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