When the cool days of fall set in and fresh, ripe apples are in abundance, the timing is ideal for a homemade jelly project. Along with drying, freezing and canning applesauce, apple jelly is a time-honored method of preserving the fruit. While it may seem old-fashioned, a stove-top cooking method to extract the juice takes advantage of apples' high level of pectin -- the substance that causes the juice to gel -- to make clear, natural jelly.
Step 1
Select 1 lb. of apples for each cup of apple juice you want to turn into jelly. Three-quarters of the apples should be fully ripe. Use apples that have not yet ripened to make up the remaining quarter of the volume.
Step 2
Wash the apples in lukewarm soapy water to remove any residue. Rinse them off thoroughly under cool running water.
Step 3
Pull the stem off of each apple. Cut the brown blossom remainders out of the opposite end of the apple with the tip of a paring knife. Do not remove the apple peel.
Step 4
Cut the apples in half. Place the sections cut-side-down on a board and chop each half into four to six chunks approximately equal in size. Do not remove the cores.
Step 5
Pour 3/4 to 1 cup of water per pound of apples into a heavy cooking pot. Add the cut apple pieces and set the pot over medium-high heat to boil.
Step 6
Turn the heat down to medium as soon as the water begins to boil. Cook the apples at a low simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pieces soften. Stir the apples every four to five minutes during cooking to prevent them from sticking or scorching.
Step 7
Moisten two large squares of cheesecloth under running water, then wring out the excess water. Line a colander with two layers of the damp cheesecloth. Set the colander over a large, deep bowl.
Step 8
Ladle the hot apple pieces and liquid from the cooking pot into the lined colander. Set the bowl aside, allowing the juice to strain through the cheesecloth and colander.
Step 9
Remove the colander from the bowl when the apples have cooled and juice is no longer dripping. Measure the juice to determine the appropriate amounts of sugar and lemon juice to add when you make the apple jelly.
Tips and Warnings
- Underripe apples, which increase the amount of pectin in the juice for jelly, are typically not yet full-sized, may have green streaks on the skin near the stem and blossom ends, and often lack the ripe apple scent.
- If you do not cook the apples immediately after preparation, the cut surfaces will brown, resulting in darker juice and discolored jelly. If there is a delay, cover the apples with a mixture of water plus 2 to 3 tbsp. lemon juice per cup of water and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a day.
Things You'll Need
- Mild dish soap
- Paring knife
- Measuring cup
- Cooking pot
- Spoon
- Cheesecloth
- Colander
- Bowl
- Ladle
References
- University of Missouri Extension; Quality for Keeps: Jam and Jelly Basics -- Tempt Your Tastebuds With Natural Sweets; March 2010
- National Center for Home Food Preservation: Apple Jelly
- National Center for Home Food Preservation: Extracting Juice for Jelly
- "Put'em Up!: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook, from Drying and Freezing to Canning and Pickling"; Sherri Brooks Vinton; 2010
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