Old Kimber Girl’s Canned Apple Pie Filling
This recipe makes 7 quart jars of filling. You need to have 7 one quart canning jars, with rings and lids prepared before beginning.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 3-4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 gallon + 2 cups apple juice (you may use 10 cups of water—the apple juice is best)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (or use vitamin C crystals)
- 7 pounds apples, pared, cored & sliced
[JWR Adds: Reader J.M.L. mentioned that Jackie Clay and other experts have written that corn starch should not be use in home canning recipes, because it sometimes clumps together in the mix and keeps proper heat level from reaching the interior of the jars. Incomplete processing could mean potential bacterial contamination. See also: Ball Blue Book of Preserving
Directions
Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large saucepan. Add apple juice and mix well. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add lemon juice.
Using hot, clean quart jars, fill ½ full with apples. Pour in enough syrup to cover, add more apples, cover again with syrup. Leave ½ -inch head space. Gently use a knife to remove any air bubbles.
Process 20 minutes in boiling water bath.
This is a wonderful pie filling recipe. The trick to the syrup is put your sugar and spices in 8 or 8-1/2 cups of hot water; stir till dissolved and place over low heat. Then mix 2 cups water 3 TBS lemon juice and corn starch and set aside. After you have the apples sliced and packed in the jars bring the sugar mixture almost to boiling stir in your cornstarch mixture and pour it into the sugar mixture. Stir or whisk mixture quickly. When the white of the cornstarch disappears, ladle over sliced apples.
This is the same recipe my mom used to use when I was a kid and we loved it. I was in the search for this recipe when my mom found the original book and lent it to me. Here are a few helpful things the original book had to offer. Pack the apples (raw) leaving 1 inch headspace. Fill with hot syrup leaving ½ inch headspace. Process in boiling water bath (pints) 15 minutes; (quarts) 20 minutes. Makes 6 quarts. Before serving: Prepare pastry for a 2-crust 8-or 9-inch pie. Line pie plate with pastry; add 1 quart apple pie filling. Adjust top crust, cutting slits for escape of steam; seal. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes.
Layer apples and syrup mixture 1 inch head room
Note: You must use a crisp, tart pie apple such as Jonagold, Empire, Pink Lady, Rome, or Macintosh to attain proper flavor.
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