Pie Fillings

[lmitchell]

Can you make pie fillings and can them ahead of time? I am looking for recipes for apple pie and wild blueberry (emphasis on wild).

[Virginia]

Yes, You Can!

Keeping in mind that you can always add more sugar and spices just before baking, but you can’t take out — I always make one sample jar of pie filling first to check the spices and sugar before making a huge batch.

Use quart size jars for these recipes. Each quart will make one 8-9 inch pie.

Note: These recipes use Clear Jel — a powdered modified food starch that is used in canning as a thickener. Traditional thickeners like cornstarch, tapioca or arrowroot are not recommended by the USDA for use in canning.

If you can’t find Clear Jel or you just don’t want to bother with it, you can still make these recipes. Just don’t use any thickener at all. Then, when you actually make the pie from the jar, add your traditional thickener at that time.

Apple Pie Filling
Makes 1 Quart

First prepare your apples. approximately 4 to 6 apples for each quart (I like to mix Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and/or Jonathan Apples) Wash, peel, and core apples. Cut slices 1/4-1/2 inches wide and place in cold water containing 1/4 cup lemon juice for every 4 cups water (or use water containing ascorbic acid) to prevent browning.

Blanch Apples in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and keep heated in a bowl or pot. For each quart you will need 3 1/2 cups drained blanched Apple Slices.

1/2 cup Sugar (White or Brown or a combination)
1/4 cup Clear Jel (also known as Ultra Jel and Thick Jel)
3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Allspice or Nutmeg
1/2 cup cold Water
3/4 cup unsweetened Apple Juice
2 Tablespoons bottled Lemon Juice

Combine sugar, spices, and Clear Gel, in a large kettle with water and apple juice. Stir and cook on medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Fold in drained apple slices and fill hot jar, leaving 1 inch headspace. Slowly move a plastic spatula around in the jar to remove air bubbles. Wipe off the jar rim so it’s nice and clean and then place your jar lid on top.

Remember, your lid should have been soaking in simmering water, and your jar should be clean and warm.. process in boil water bath canner for 25 minutes (under 1000 feet elevation). Note it goes up 5 minutes for each 2000 feet after that.

For 7 Quarts you will need:
6 quarts blanched, sliced fresh Apples
5 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups Clear Jel
1 Tablespoon ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
2 1/2 cups cold Water
5 cups Apple Juice
3/4 cup bottled Lemon Juice

blueberry pie filling
makes 1 Quart

3 1/2 cups fresh Blueberries
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Clear Jel (Just use 1/4 cup if using Blueberry Juice)
1 cup cold Water or Blueberry Juice
3 1/2 teaspoons bottled Lemon Juice

Wash the blueberries and blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain the blueberries in a strainer and keep them covered to keep them warm.
Combine clear jel starch with sugar in a large pot. Add 1 cup water or blueberry juice and stir well.

Heat while stirring until mixture starts to bubble and has thickened. At this point, add lemon juice, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add your berries to the liquid mixture.

Fold in very gently, as you don’t want to crush your blueberries. Pour your hot filling into a hot, sterilized jar leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rim, apply lid and process in a boiling water bath canner.

The amount of time depends on your elevation, starting at 30 minutes for under 1,000 feet. Add five minutes for every 2,000 feet after that.

For 7 Quarts you will need:

6 quarts fresh Blueberries
6 cups Sugar
2 1/4 cups Clear Jel (if using part or all juice only use 1 3/4 cups)
7 cups cold Water or Blueberry Juice (or combination)
1/2 cup Lemon Juice

Note: Blanch in installments of 6 cups of berries to one gallon of water

Hope this helps. Enjoy! Thanks; Virginia

[lmitchell]

Sounds great. Will definitely try to find that Clear Jel stuff so I can get started. Thanks a bunch!

[Author]

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