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Preserving question: Apples and pears
I'm anticipating having access to a pear tree that's overloaded with fruit, as well as a few wild apple trees this weekend. What's the best way of preserving my harvests? There are only so many pies and tartin a girl can make...apple butter? pear butter? Has anyone ever made cider without a cider press?
Ideas and recipes welcome!
Ideas and recipes welcome!
Tags: apple, pear, preserving
Views: 138
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by JoyfulC on -
I am wondering the same thing. I was watching to see if anyone with any actual experience would come back. Here are some links I found:
http://www.essortment.com/all/preservingapple_raqa.htm
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/apples/preserving.html
http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/8229.pdf
There are quite a few sites online. Many universities have web pages dedicated to the how-to's of preserving produce.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Cornelia on -
Hey, these are great links J - thank you! I quartered about 10 lbs last night - only 15lbs to go! My plan is apple butter and am borrowing a food mill from a friend this weekend. I may reserve a few of the lbs. for frozen pie filling or the chutney (great recipe).
JoyfulC said:I am wondering the same thing. I was watching to see if anyone with any actual experience would come back. Here are some links I found:
http://www.essortment.com/all/preservingapple_raqa.htm
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/apples/preserving.html
http://homeorchard.ucdavis.edu/8229.pdf
There are quite a few sites online. Many universities have web pages dedicated to the how-to's of preserving produce.
Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Torry on -
Historical note: every year the Germans would have what was called Der Latwerg which was the annual vat cooking of pear butter. It was an opportunity to eat and drink up all the wares from the previous year (rosy noses to follow), come together as a community, and for the younger folks go "a'courtin."
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Permalink Reply by Cornelia on
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I - being 1/2 German - love this story! I'll ask my mom about her experiences with this tradition and would love to know more about it! German traditions usually do result in rosy noses :)
Torry said:Historical note: every year the Germans would have what was called Der Latwerg which was the annual vat cooking of pear butter. It was an opportunity to eat and drink up all the wares from the previous year (rosy noses to follow), come together as a community, and for the younger folks go "a'courtin."
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Permalink Reply by Pat Johnson on -
I hope you'll find that your apple trees are older and neglected trees as opposed to wild ones. Apples that are grown from seeds (wild) are nearly always very bitter and almost non-eddible. Before the modern techniqes of grafting were discovered and widely used (late 1800s) apples were primarily only used for making "hard cider". The one in a thousand eddible-apple trees were treasured and protected as a god-send. So if you do have a truely wild apple, you should consider Hard Cider since it is unlikely the apples will be good for anything else!
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Permalink Reply by Cornelia on
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Thank you, Pat, for all of this information - I can see from your activity on the site that you are an incredible resource! You're right, these are not wild trees, they are long-neglected trees planted along the outer fence of a colonial graveyard. The apples are quite edible and not bitter (I've experienced that horror, too). You reminded me of the apple chapter in Michael Pollan's "Botany of Desire" and his research into the Johnny Appleseed figure. Very interesting stuff! Hard cider to "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" was quite the evolution.
Pat Johnson said:I hope you'll find that your apple trees are older and neglected trees as opposed to wild ones. Apples that are grown from seeds (wild) are nearly always very bitter and almost non-eddible. Before the modern techniqes of grafting were discovered and widely used (late 1800s) apples were primarily only used for making "hard cider". The one in a thousand eddible-apple trees were treasured and protected as a god-send. So if you do have a truely wild apple, you should consider Hard Cider since it is unlikely the apples will be good for anything else!
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Permalink Reply by Pat Johnson on
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Good for you. I am the President of the local Homebrew Club and make various forms of beer, cider and stronger drinks. While I am not a big drinker I love the "making my own" aspect of the hobby. Becides it makes me "the man" at the parties, dinners and get togethers as well as at Christmas and Birthdays. If you make the cider remember to store it in a state that is 10% or more alcohol because it is shelf stable for years at that strenth. You can dilute it to tase with more non-alcoholic apple juice to taste as you use it. Since they are not "wild" apples they should be good to "can" in various configurations like apple butter, sauce pie flling.... They should also be able to be dehydrated and preserved that way (takes up a lot less space than canning or freezing). You can also slice them like potato chips and fry them into a wonderful snack.
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Permalink Reply by Amy Sirk on -
We receive lots of pears from a neighbor who always has too many. I just peel them, simmer in a light syrup with a little crystallized ginger added. Water bath can. Simple.
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Permalink Reply by Emily on -
Mmm apple butter. I see a recipe for pear mincemeat in the ball blue book. You could just can them in syrup and save them for autumn pies.... There's nothing like enjoying today's over-abundance in winter!
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Permalink Reply by Melissa on -
What about applesauce or pear sauce? It's super easy to make and you can make flavored sauces. I like to add blueberries, or strawberries. I've even added peaches. The kids like it even more than plain applesauce. Best thing about making your own is you can control the amount of sugar you add. Of course you can make apple or pear butter. I make mine in the crockpot. You can also can your own apple pie filling.
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