Hello all - i am completely new to preserving and have a question re: crab apples. I have quite a large tree in my garden which has quite large (for crab apples) red fruit. They don't taste too tart and so I was thinking of making apple cider vinegar. Has anyone made this type of vinegar using crab apples. I would also like to know what else I can do with them. Cheers.
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From : Carla Emery's An Encyclopedia of Country Living Old Fashioned Recipe Book 1977:
PURE CIDER VINEGAR- Working with a crock: Let homemade cider stand exposed to the air in a warm room for a month or two and it will turn to vinegar.Tart apples make the best vinegar. Strain and store in glass jars.
APPLE COMBO VINEGAR-Working with a crock: Combine a fruit juice with a tart apple juice. Pear is god. If you don't have a fruit juicer, it will be easiest for you to just wash and mash the fruit by stomping with your kraut stomper. Then let it work until you like the vinegar flavor. Strain and store in a glass in a cool dark place.
From: Freezing & Canning Cookbook By the food editors of Farm Journal 1964:
Crab Apple Pickle
4 lbs. crab apples
2 1/2 c. vinegar
2 c. water
4 c. sugar
1 tblsp. whole cloves
3 (3") sticks cinnamon
1 tsp. whole ginger
Wash and remove blossom ends of the crab apples; do not remove stems. Prick each apple in several places.
Bring vinegar, water and sugar to a boil. Add spices tied in a bag.
Cook half of the crab apples in the syrup for 2 minutes; remove to a bowl. Repeat until all the crab apples are cooked. Pour the syrup with the spice bag over the apples; cover and let stand overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove spice bag, strain apples from the syrup (keep the syrup) pack all the crab apples into 4 to 5 pint jars. Pour the syrup into a measuring cup and pour over the packed crab apples. If your a bit short on syrup you can top off with water.
Prepare canning lids in hot water, make sure jar tops are clean off syrup, lid; band and process in boiling water bath (212 degrees F.) for 30 minutes.
Note: For another flavor variation you can add orange peel or lemon peel.
hello Jools,
here's a recipe for apple vinegar that Ngaire posted in another discussion in this group
https://ooooby.ning.com/group/preservingyoursurplus/forum/topics/app...
Haven't tried it yet but am keen to.
I have some jars of poached crab apples which are really lovely to serve with pork or just as an edible garnish.
Barely simmer the whole crab apples with their stalks in a light syrup and bottle. They make lovely gifts.