Apple Cider Recipe for Canning
This apple cider recipe for canning is EASY! You need only apples, a fruit crusher and cider press, and canning equipment. Don’t have those? I’ll explain a budget friendly alternative machine. I also have a list of best apples for cider below.
Apple Juice Vs. Apple Cider
When fall comes around, I crave apple cider. Apple cider and juice are pretty similar and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably. However, I’ve found there are a few differences to note.
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First, apple cider is cold pressed. Cold pressed means the cider extraction is done without heat. This results in a rich, sweet, spicy flavor and a higher nutrient density than apple juice.
Apple juice on the other hand, is made with heat and goes through more processing. Heat is used to remove the juice from the apples and then it is strained many times to make a very clear juice.
An example of how you could make apple juice at home is to use a steam juicer. I have done this before and even though the result is tasty, it lacks the rich, spicy flavor of cider. It has a sweet, smooth flavor.
With this recipe, you make cider but you’ll need to heat the cider after pressing to can it. This does remove some of the nutrients but the end flavor is similar.
Best Apples for Making Cider
I have tried many different apples but there are so many options. I’m not going to pretend I know the best apples for cider.
Therefore, I refer to an expert in the subject, Rowan Jacobsen. He wrote the book, Apples of Uncommon Character and has a list of his favorite cider apples along with explanations about each one. You’ll find an abridged list below. For the full scoop on each apple variety, I highly recommend reading the book.
One common theme I notice among the list of best cider apples is that most of the time they are terrible as a fresh eating apple. Almost all are for cider use only.
Best Apples for Cider
- Dabinett– Best for hard cider
- Ellis Bitter– As the name states, it’s bitter. Cider makers add a very small percentage of these to give a dry, astringent, spicy finish.
- Golden Harvey– Very sweet and spicy, “Packs a wallop of lime juice you can feel on your lips, tongue and all the way down your throat. It’s pretty addictive.”
- Golden Russet– according to a 19th century authority, “If you plant 100 trees for cider, 99 should be Golden Russets.”
- Harrison– Extremely concentrated apple flavor
- Harry Masters Jersey– Inedible fresh, adds complexity to a cider blend
- Hewes Crab– Bad texture but adds a nice sour and astringent flavor to cider
- Kingston Black– Great fermented
- Medaille d’Or– Twice the tannin content of any other apple on the list
- Redfield– A red flesh apple that is tart and aromatic.
- Wickson– “Wicked tart, wildly sweet” but tiny!
- Yates– good for southern climates
Source: Apples of Uncommon Character by Rowan Jacobsen
If you don’t have any of these varieties, don’t worry. You can still make a great cider. Check farmers markets and local produce stands for any sweet and spicy apples.
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Cider Press Options and Alternatives
If you already have a fruit crusher/grinder and cider press, great! You can skip this section. If not, I will explain a few options.
First of all, I don’t have a cider press. I have a cold press juicer machine that is slow masticating. It’s not exactly the same process as using a press but the result is incredibly similar.
Pros of using the cold press juicer are it’s more affordable and electricity does the work for you. It also is an all in one machine. I do cut out bad spots and seeds first, but it both crushes and presses the juice at the same time.
Cons of using a cold press juicer is it’s very slow. It takes a long time to make big batches of apple cider for canning.
If you would like to use a cider press, the first step is to crush the fruit. You can make your own fruit crusher, use a food processor to crush the fruit up, or buy one. This seems like a good fruit crusher and cider press as a budget friendly option (I haven’t tried it). I have a discount code BECKY15 for 15% off.
Another option for very large batches is this high quality but expensive press and grinder.
FAQ
I did a ton of research on whether or not bottled lemon juice is a necessity for apple cider or juice. I checked my two trusted sources, Ball Canning and The National Center for Home Food Preservation.
The Ball book requires 1 tablespoon per quart jar. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has NO added bottled lemon juice in their apple juice recipe.
The pH of the majority of apples is within the range of acidity for safe water bath canning. My personal opinion is that the lemon juice is added for a very, very few outliers of apple varieties that have a higher pH and/or to keep the color.
I debated heavily on whether or not to have the added lemon juice in this recipe and in the end decided to add it, just to be on the safe side. Its effects on apple cider flavor are very minimal.
You may choose whether or not you’d like to add it.
Canned cider will store at room temperature for up to two years. It can be stored even longer, but the quality goes down after this point.
Canning isn’t a requirement for cider storage. You can keep it in a very cold, dark place or freeze it for winter. You can also ferment it for a longer storage time.
If you want the cider to stay fresh tasting at room temperature, canning is definitely the best option.
Apple Cider Recipe for Canning, Step by Step
- Crush fruit and press apples in a cider press. Alternatively use cold press juicer and remove any remaining solids with a sieve. For our cold press juicer, we remove bad spots and seeds before pressing.
- Prepare canning jars, rings, and lids. I have a water bath canning beginners guide if you need more detailed instructions.
- Pour into a large saucepan and heat on medium-low until the cider begins to simmer. Do not boil. Stir in lemon juice.
- Ladle hot cider into hot jars, leaving a ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe rims with hot water. Add lids and rings. Tighten rings to finger-tip tight.
- Place jars in a water bath canner. Boil for 10 minutes for both pints and quarts. At the end of the processing time, turn off heat and remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes and remove jars from the canner without tilting.
- Let sit for 24 hours and check the seals. Remove rings and wipe down jars, label, store in a cool, dry, dark place.
Apple Cider Recipe for Canning
Equipment
- 1 Fruit Crusher and Cider Press or cold press juicer
- 1 water bath canner
Ingredients
- 20 lbs apples
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice see note below
Instructions
- Press apples in a cider press or cold press juicer, remove any remaining solids through a sieve.
- Prepare canning jars, rings, and lids.
- Pour into a large saucepan and heat on medium-low until the cider begins to simmer. Do not boil. Stir in lemon juice.
- Ladle hot cider into hot jars, leaving a ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe rims with hot water. Add lids and rings. Tighten to finger-tip tight.
- Place jars in a water bath canner. Boil for 10 minutes for both pints and quarts, adjust time for altitude. At the end of the processing time, turn off heat and remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes and remove jars from the canner without tilting.
- Let sit for 24 hours and check the seals. Remove rings and wipe down jars, label, store in a cool, dry, dark place.
