Contributed by Julie Cascio, Mat-Su District, Cooperative Extension Service
Wow, my neighbor’s apple trees are overflowing with apples this year! And these apples are bigger than in the past! The warm climate this year has helped apples grow well. Regular watering is helping the apples grow well, too.
The three apple trees planted at our house many years ago have been regular food to moose in our area. This year, the trees are actually providing apples and the moose are leaving them for us! So kind of them! Moose must have plenty of other trees to eat.
Research on apples and crabapples reminds us that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” has validity. Apples are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, and dietary fiber, pectin, which is found in its peel. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples may help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. Benefits of nutrients vary based on the variety of apple being eaten.
Now an abundance of apples are ripe and ready to eat. To check for this, slice in half and look at the core and seeds. A ripe apple will have brown seeds that are firm and dense. These are ready to eat. If the seeds are lighter, it may be a good time to harvest for storage of later use.
In addition to eating the fresh apples and handing them to friends and family to enjoy, there are many ways to store it for later use.
Storage - Before storing ripe apples, remove debris and carefully sort and discard bruised or damaged fruit. For short-term storage, keep apples in a cool place. The optimum storage temperature is 30° to 32°F with 90 percent relative humidity. Apples will pick up off-flavors in storage, so they may need to be kept in loose plastic bags or otherwise protected from refrigerator odors.
Canning apples to store them is another way. While cooking apples reduces the nutrients, a good amount remains.
Sliced apples placed in hot jars, cover with boiled water or syrup to ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a Boiling Water Bath in pint or quart jars for 20 minutes.
Apple Juice is often made from a blend of apple varieties. Make the juice; refrigerate for 24 hours. Carefully pour off clear liquid and discard sediment. Strain clear liquid through a paper coffee filter, then heat juice, stirring occasionally until juice begins to boil. Pour into sterilized pint or quart jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a Boiling Water Bath for 5 minutes.
Applesauce - Select apples that are sweet, juicy and crisp. For a tart flavor, add 1 to 2 pounds tart apples to each 3 pounds of sweeter fruit. Wash, peel and core apples. Place in an 8 quart pot. Add ½ cup water. Stir occasionally to prevent burning, heat quickly and cook until tender. This takes 5 to 20 minutes, depending on maturity and variety. Press through a sieve or food mill for a smooth sauce. If a sweeter flavor is desired, add 1/8 cup of sugar per quart of sauce. Taste and add more to your preference. Reheat sauce to boiling. Pack into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a Boiling Water Bath in pint jars for 15 minutes or quart jars for 20 minutes.
Dehydrated Apples are healthy snacks. Peel and core the apples, cut into slices or rings about 1/8 inch thick. Place in a Dehydrator at 130°-140°F for 5-8 hours. To determine when the slices have reached about 20 percent moisture content, remove a few slices from dehydrator. Cut cooled pieces in half. There should be no visible moisture. Apples remain slightly pliable but should not be sticky or tacky. After drying, cool fruit 30 to 60 minutes before packaging. Too warm, the food can sweat and have moisture buildup; left out too long could allow moisture to re-enter food.
For more information on any of these or other ways to use apples go to www.uaf.edu/ces and www.nchfp.uga.edu.
Food Preservation class series begins October 16th. Have an “apple good” fall!
