Preserving apples

[Sparkly]

If I have cooked apples and blackberries with sugar to make a pie type filling how long should it keep in a
Kilner jar?

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for preserving a large quantity of Bramley apples rather than just making apple sauce?

Thanks  :)

[Sparkly]

[jennym]

Wouldn't like to comment on whether your pie filling would keep, a lot depends on the way you cooked it and the amount of sugar used.
But, suggestions for preserving bramley apples:
Freeze in slices. Dry in slices. Make apple jelly, or combine with other fruit to make mixed jellies and jams. Make apple chutney.
You may find you can store them for quite a while. Wrap each apple in newspaper and place on trays in a cool room (spare room, on top of wardrobe type of thing).

[cambourne7]

i found this if it helps.

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?scaleto=5&sys=e&id=136350

[carolinej]

Sparkly,

I
was wondering the same thing. I was wondering if I boiled the jars for a while (dont know how long) it would keep, as my freezer is seriously overfull!

Cambourne, the recipes for apple pie filling in the link look much tastier than mine, so I think I'll give some of them a go. Zuccini and apple pie filling.....sounds interesting. Only thing is, this year I have a glut of apples and not many courgettes ::)


cj :)

[Sparkly]

Would placing slices in a very low oven dry slices okay? Thanks very much for the suggestions. I have only made about 3x 1b of the pie filling and it has quite alot of sugar in (not jam type amount but still tastes sweet). I am hoping it will keep at least a month. I will try and pick out the best ones for storage in newspaper too. I can freeze a few pounds but, like caroline, we don't have much space left!

[Biscombe]

Cider  ;D

[tim]

Bramleys? Where can you store them?  In a cooool place, till May.
And they bottle well.

[cambourne7]

Hi Guys,

I have just come back from a freecycle pick up with some friends i have dragged along and we picked enough apples to fill 3 shop apple trays (both levels) and a bag of duds for the compost heaps. The apples are from a 50 year old tree but they did not know what type of apples just that red there eating apples and green there cooking.

Hubbie is going to make apple pies for eating/freezing and is currently pealing/slicing apples for soaking in Armagnac, Cognac and Cointreau  ;D.

The smells are amazing.

One of my friends is going bramble picking this afternoon while the weather holds and is going to make bramble jelly and as a thank you is giving me a jar :) which will be nice to try in the winter months.

The other has given me a gift of some 'sweet orange marmalade' and 'rhubarb & lemon jam' from kylemore abby garden handmade by benedictine nuns :)

Cambourne7

[Sparkly]

I gave in, bought the equipment and am making cider!! yum! We have 1 tree which we haven't harvested from yet to go though.

[legendaryone]

I made apple wine, the recipe called for a lot of apples 24 pound but as you can use windfalls that wasn't a problem :) I too will also be making apple and blackberry filling and freezing it.

[valmarg]

You can also make herb jellies.  The following is for rosemary, but you can substitute mint, parsley, etc.

ROSEMARY JELLY

5lb cooking apples
2 pints water
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
2 pints vinegar
granulated sugar
green food colouring (optional)
chopped rosemary

Wash and roughly chop the apples.  Put in a large saucepan with the water and rosemary.  Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 45 minutes until soft and pulpy.  Stir from time to time to prevent sticking.  Add the vinegar and boil for 5 minutes.

Strain through a jelly bag or cloth and allow the juice to drain for at least 12 hours.  Do not squeeze the bag or the jelly will be cloudy.  Discard the pulp.

Measure the extract and return to the pan with 1 lb sugar to each pint of extract.  Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then boil rapidly, without stirring for about 10 minutes until setting point is reached.  Skim the surface with a metal spoon.  Add a few drops of colouring and chopped rosemary (to taste).  Pot and cover in the usual way.


Our home-made mint jelly is much, much better than shop bought - no additives or preservatives (other than sugar).  The rosemary jelly also goes well with lamb and pork.  The parsley jelly is very good with ham.

valmarg

[cambourne7]

I gave in, bought the equipment and am making cider!! yum! We have 1 tree which we haven't harvested from yet to go though.

Why not try your local freecycle?

[jennym]

Would placing slices in a very low oven dry slices okay? ...

Peel, core and slice the apple first, dip the slices in a solution of lemon juice & water (1 part lemon juice to 4 parts water), place on wire racks and dry at approx 60 degrees C. Takes about 6 to 8 hours depending on the thickness of the slices. Keep the oven door open a bit to let the moisture out. They should be like leather when done, with no moisture apparent, and not sticky. Let cool right down, and keep in an airtight container, or you can freeze them (they take up far less room when dried.)

[Sparkly]

I gave in, bought the equipment and am making cider!! yum! We have 1 tree which we haven't harvested from yet to go though.

Why not try your local freecycle?

Good idea. I bought a 5 gallon plastic fermenting bucket, yeast and a hydrometer. In total cost me less than £15. I will try freecycle for a barrel and bottles though! At the moment I am going to put the cider into plastic bottles. If I then get into it I will get the rest of the kit.

[digswell]

Have this year had a glut of early cookers, I cant remember the name but they start being ready in July and don't keep very well.
To try and keep some over I have boiled them down with some lemon juice, cinamon and sugar, they have made a rather tasty apple jam which has gone into sterile jam jars and has set rather well. As this is purely an experiment (I was cooking some for pies and let them cook to long) I will watch with interest how long it keeps.

[cambourne7]

I am not sure out apple pies will last long in the freezer not because of how long the apples last in the freezer but how long we can restrain from eating them.