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Preserving (rec.food.preserving) Devoted to the discussion of recipes, equipment, and techniques of food preservation. Techniques that should be discussed in this forum include canning, freezing, dehydration, pickling, smoking, salting, and distilling. |
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crabapples
I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today
to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. (I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? These are small crabapples, I don't know the variety, they are red skinned with rose-colored flesh, and about 3/4" to 1 1/4" in diameter. It would be *way* too much work to clean these. I just wanna wash 'em, pick out the leaves and loose stems, and boil them (the apples, not the loose stems and leaves). I may try juicing the next batch in the steamer and see what difference it makes. Best regards, Bob |
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zxcvbob wrote:
> I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today > to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the > stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. > (I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam > juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? These are > small crabapples, I don't know the variety, they are red skinned with > rose-colored flesh, and about 3/4" to 1 1/4" in diameter. It would be > *way* too much work to clean these. > > I just wanna wash 'em, pick out the leaves and loose stems, and boil > them (the apples, not the loose stems and leaves). > > I may try juicing the next batch in the steamer and see what difference > it makes. > > Best regards, > Bob I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added about 5 1/2 cups of water, brought them to a boil, simmered for 5 minutes, and started mashing them with a potato smasher. It looks like mixture of ketchup and applesauce. There's no way this will drip through a jelly bag -- and not all the crabapples have even broken up yet. If I run this thru a food mill, I will get sour red applesauce. Do I need to add a bunch more water? Is it cheating to add frozen concentrated apple juice if I water it down too much trying to get it to drip? Bob |
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zxcvbob wrote:
> I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today > to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the > stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. > (I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam > juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? These are > small crabapples, I don't know the variety, they are red skinned with > rose-colored flesh, and about 3/4" to 1 1/4" in diameter. It would be > *way* too much work to clean these. > > I just wanna wash 'em, pick out the leaves and loose stems, and boil > them (the apples, not the loose stems and leaves). > > I may try juicing the next batch in the steamer and see what difference > it makes. > > Best regards, > Bob I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added about 5 1/2 cups of water, brought them to a boil, simmered for 5 minutes, and started mashing them with a potato smasher. It looks like mixture of ketchup and applesauce. There's no way this will drip through a jelly bag -- and not all the crabapples have even broken up yet. If I run this thru a food mill, I will get sour red applesauce. Do I need to add a bunch more water? Is it cheating to add frozen concentrated apple juice if I water it down too much trying to get it to drip? Bob |
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In article >, zxcvbob
> wrote: > I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today > to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the > stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. > (I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam > juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? You'll die. HTH. :-) (I pull the stems and trim the blossom end. Stop whining.) -- -Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> An update on 7/22/04. |
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Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >, zxcvbob > > wrote: > > >>I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today >>to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the >>stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. >>(I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam >>juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? > > > You'll die. HTH. :-) That *does* help. Thanks! > (I pull the stems and trim the blossom end. Stop whining.) I didn't trim them, and if you read my other message you'll see what happened... Bob |
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Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >, zxcvbob > > wrote: > > >>I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today >>to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the >>stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. >>(I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam >>juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? > > > You'll die. HTH. :-) That *does* help. Thanks! > (I pull the stems and trim the blossom end. Stop whining.) I didn't trim them, and if you read my other message you'll see what happened... Bob |
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In article >, zxcvbob
> wrote: > zxcvbob wrote: > > I may try juicing the next batch in the steamer and see what > > difference it makes. > > > > Best regards, Bob > > > I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the > crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added > about 5 1/2 cups of water, brought them to a boil, simmered for 5 > minutes, and started mashing them with a potato smasher. > > It looks like mixture of ketchup and applesauce. There's no way this > will drip through a jelly bag -- and not all the crabapples have even > broken up yet. If I run this thru a food mill, I will get sour red > applesauce. > > Do I need to add a bunch more water? Is it cheating to add frozen > concentrated apple juice if I water it down too much trying to get it to > drip? > > Bob Sweeten the mush for sweeter applesauce. Or make crabapple butter. I'd pitch it, myself. Your mush problem is exactly why I don't boil my fruits -- they turn to mush and the juice takes forever to drip, if it does. I've got time, but not forever. Mashing them didn't help a bit. What were you thinking? I sliced in the food processor the first batch of Dolgos I did; I threw the second batch in whole, with the trimmed ends. The steam extracted great juice from both of them. I don't know about adding more water. Heck, add the apple concentrate if you think it's gonna be too wimpy. <sigh> I don't even think I'd pressure cook the apples to cook them -- that would really turn them to mush, I think. Good luck. -- -Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> An update on 7/22/04. |
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In article >, zxcvbob
> wrote: > zxcvbob wrote: > > I may try juicing the next batch in the steamer and see what > > difference it makes. > > > > Best regards, Bob > > > I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the > crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added > about 5 1/2 cups of water, brought them to a boil, simmered for 5 > minutes, and started mashing them with a potato smasher. > > It looks like mixture of ketchup and applesauce. There's no way this > will drip through a jelly bag -- and not all the crabapples have even > broken up yet. If I run this thru a food mill, I will get sour red > applesauce. > > Do I need to add a bunch more water? Is it cheating to add frozen > concentrated apple juice if I water it down too much trying to get it to > drip? > > Bob Sweeten the mush for sweeter applesauce. Or make crabapple butter. I'd pitch it, myself. Your mush problem is exactly why I don't boil my fruits -- they turn to mush and the juice takes forever to drip, if it does. I've got time, but not forever. Mashing them didn't help a bit. What were you thinking? I sliced in the food processor the first batch of Dolgos I did; I threw the second batch in whole, with the trimmed ends. The steam extracted great juice from both of them. I don't know about adding more water. Heck, add the apple concentrate if you think it's gonna be too wimpy. <sigh> I don't even think I'd pressure cook the apples to cook them -- that would really turn them to mush, I think. Good luck. -- -Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> An update on 7/22/04. |
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zxcvbob > wrote in message >...
> zxcvbob wrote: > > I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today > > to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the > > stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. > > (I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam > > juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? These are > > small crabapples, I don't know the variety, they are red skinned with > > rose-colored flesh, and about 3/4" to 1 1/4" in diameter. It would be > > *way* too much work to clean these. > > > > I just wanna wash 'em, pick out the leaves and loose stems, and boil > > them (the apples, not the loose stems and leaves). > > > > I may try juicing the next batch in the steamer and see what difference > > it makes. > > > > Best regards, > > Bob > > > I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the > crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added > about 5 1/2 cups of water, brought them to a boil, simmered for 5 > minutes, and started mashing them with a potato smasher. > > It looks like mixture of ketchup and applesauce. There's no way this > will drip through a jelly bag -- and not all the crabapples have even > broken up yet. If I run this thru a food mill, I will get sour red > applesauce. > > Do I need to add a bunch more water? Is it cheating to add frozen > concentrated apple juice if I water it down too much trying to get it to > drip? > > Bob Hey Bob, Sounds like you're having about the same problem I had 2 weeks ago. Here's what I did: After cooking down the apples and ending up with 'ketchup and applesauce', I forced it all through a strainer in small batches to get out the big chunks (skins, core, blossom ends, whatever) and ended up with pretty pink (but VERY tart) applesauce. I also had a high pectin problem (read the 'too much pectin thread') and like you said, there's no way it'll drip through a jelly bag. So I added a little more water, not much, and then stuck it in the jelly bag in small batches. It took about 4 days, 24 hours each batch, but I did get juice. And because of the high pectin, it's cloudy, so squeezing the bag didn't really make a difference. Now all you have to do is decide if it's worth all that work. Me, well, I got them free, but after all that work there's no way I'm throwing it out. However, I was so sick of looking at crabapple mush for 4 days that I froze it all. I'll do something with it later. Have fun, Kathi |
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zxcvbob > wrote in message >...
> zxcvbob wrote: > > I picked 5 pounds of crabapples yesterday and am gonna juice them today > > to make jelly. The SureJell and Certo boxes both say to remove the > > stems and blossom ends before cooking the apples to extract the juice. > > (I'm gonna simmer and mash these for 15 minutes, not use the steam > > juicer). What if I don't remove the stems and blossom ends? These are > > small crabapples, I don't know the variety, they are red skinned with > > rose-colored flesh, and about 3/4" to 1 1/4" in diameter. It would be > > *way* too much work to clean these. > > > > I just wanna wash 'em, pick out the leaves and loose stems, and boil > > them (the apples, not the loose stems and leaves). > > > > I may try juicing the next batch in the steamer and see what difference > > it makes. > > > > Best regards, > > Bob > > > I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the > crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added > about 5 1/2 cups of water, brought them to a boil, simmered for 5 > minutes, and started mashing them with a potato smasher. > > It looks like mixture of ketchup and applesauce. There's no way this > will drip through a jelly bag -- and not all the crabapples have even > broken up yet. If I run this thru a food mill, I will get sour red > applesauce. > > Do I need to add a bunch more water? Is it cheating to add frozen > concentrated apple juice if I water it down too much trying to get it to > drip? > > Bob Hey Bob, Sounds like you're having about the same problem I had 2 weeks ago. Here's what I did: After cooking down the apples and ending up with 'ketchup and applesauce', I forced it all through a strainer in small batches to get out the big chunks (skins, core, blossom ends, whatever) and ended up with pretty pink (but VERY tart) applesauce. I also had a high pectin problem (read the 'too much pectin thread') and like you said, there's no way it'll drip through a jelly bag. So I added a little more water, not much, and then stuck it in the jelly bag in small batches. It took about 4 days, 24 hours each batch, but I did get juice. And because of the high pectin, it's cloudy, so squeezing the bag didn't really make a difference. Now all you have to do is decide if it's worth all that work. Me, well, I got them free, but after all that work there's no way I'm throwing it out. However, I was so sick of looking at crabapple mush for 4 days that I froze it all. I'll do something with it later. Have fun, Kathi |
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wash the crabapples and rub off the blossom ends. a good way to wash them is cover in water and stir, they clean themseves by rubbing together. this is also a good way to wash potatoes. I dump crabapples in a tub of water where they clean as I stir and take them out one-by-one to rub off the blossom ends, a pleasant, relaxing way to pass a warm afternoon seated outdoors. removing the stems is optional. it might affect the tase but I've never noticed. if you don't boil the stems they can't do much so long as they are clean. I put the pot on low heat and just simmer until the skins start to split (no need to waste electricity), depending on how big the crabapples are. I mash smaller varieties without waiting for any skins to spit. as for saving your jelly at this point, just collect as much juice as you can and proceed. lesson learned: jelly making is a labour intensive activity which is why people in industialized countries don't do it anymore except as a hobby, the cost of labour being what it is these days, and except perhaps in France where anything remotely agricutural is heavily subsidised by taxpayers. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
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William R. Watt ) writes: > removing the stems is optional. it might affect the tase but I've never > noticed. if you don't boil the stems they can't do much so long as they are > clean. for people who want to remove the stems from crabapples, the fastest way I know is with a pair of scissors. Pick up some crabapples by their stems, hold them over the pot, and snip, snip, snip, the crabapples drop stemless into the pot. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
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William R. Watt ) writes: > removing the stems is optional. it might affect the tase but I've never > noticed. if you don't boil the stems they can't do much so long as they are > clean. for people who want to remove the stems from crabapples, the fastest way I know is with a pair of scissors. Pick up some crabapples by their stems, hold them over the pot, and snip, snip, snip, the crabapples drop stemless into the pot. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
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zxcvbob ) writes: > I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the > crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added > about 5 1/2 cups of water <...> > Do I need to add a bunch more water? the water should just cover the top of the apples in the pot I was thinking about this problem and wondering if the apples were over cooked. It might be a case of permature jelly. I use low heat and simmer until soft enough to mash. Get lots of juice. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
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zxcvbob ) writes: > I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the > crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added > about 5 1/2 cups of water <...> > Do I need to add a bunch more water? the water should just cover the top of the apples in the pot I was thinking about this problem and wondering if the apples were over cooked. It might be a case of permature jelly. I use low heat and simmer until soft enough to mash. Get lots of juice. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
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William R. Watt wrote:
> zxcvbob ) writes: > > >>I picked out the dead blossoms with my thumbnail as a sorted the >>crabapples, then washed them, and put them in a big stockpot. I added >>about 5 1/2 cups of water > > > <...> > >>Do I need to add a bunch more water? > > > the water should just cover the top of the apples in the pot > > I was thinking about this problem and wondering if the apples were over > cooked. It might be a case of permature jelly. I use low heat and simmer > until soft enough to mash. Get lots of juice. > I had maybe half that much water. Do you freeze and thaw the apples first? I wonder if that would help them release their juice? Bob |
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zxcvbob ) writes: > I had maybe half that much water. Do you freeze and thaw the apples > first? I wonder if that would help them release their juice? I use the water recommendation in a free government booklet on jams and jellies from the 1970's. I've never tried making jelly from previously frozen fruit. Personally I try for lowest cost jelly and would want to avoid the electricity cost of freezing. It might be interesting to try just to see if there is any difference. There could be some change in the level of acid or pectin which would affect jelly formation. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned |
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