Crab Apples, Spiced
5 lbs crab apples
4-1/2 cups apple cider vinegar (5%)
3-3/4 cups water
7-1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp whole cloves
4 sticks cinnamon
Six 1/2-inch cubes of fresh ginger root
Yield: About 9 pints
Procedure: Remove blossom petals and wash apples, but leave stems attached. Puncture the
skin of each apple four times with an ice pick or toothpick. Mix vinegar, water, and sugar and
bring to a boil. Add spices tied in a spice bag or cheesecloth. Using a blancher basket or sieve,
immerse 1/3 of the apples at a time in the boiling vinegar/syrup solution for 2 minutes. Place
cooked apples and spice bag in a clean 1- or 2-gallon crock and add hot syrup. Cover and let
stand overnight. Remove spice bag, drain syrup into a large saucepan, and reheat to boiling.
Fill hot pint jars with apples and hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles
and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust
lids and process.
| Recommend Process Time for Spiced Crab Apples in a boiling-water canner | ||||||
| Process Time at Altitudes of | ||||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | 0-1,000 ft | 1,001 -3,000 ft | 3,001 - 6,000 ft | Above 6000 ft | |
| Hot | Pints | 20 min | 25 min | 30 min | 35 min | |
(adapted from the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA, 2006 revision)