My Mom called me last weekend and asked me if I wanted some crabapples to make jelly with. She also asked me if I remember making it using crabapples from her friend Jane’s tree when I was younger…of course!! But the answer to the first question was no…unless I can come to your house and make it so you can show me how to do it! We decided it was a date. Here are some pictures…
My brother, Isaac, picking crabapples from the tree in Mom’s backyard:
Me, pureeing green peppers for old fashioned green pepper jelly:
A bucket of crabapples:
We stemmed them and halved them and then boiled them for 20-30 minutes. When they are soft you strain them through a cloth to get the juice to use to make jelly:
Focusing on our work:
The green pepper jelly looks weird but tastes funky-good. It’s supposed to be good on a cracker with cream cheese but I haven’t tasted that yet:
This is taken from the last page of the Ball canning booklet dated 1972. I thought things like this stopped being printed after the 1920′s!!
Some jars of red crabapple jelly that I got to take home:
From top left; tomatoes, green beans, crabapple jelly and green pepper jelly. My Mom had canned the tomatoes and green beans last weekend and gave me a jar each to try. One bushel of green beans produced 20 quart jars for her pantry! I was impressed! Maybe I’ll try this at home one day 
I’ve really got to try canning. I have a friend who loves it. I never would have thought to use crabapples. I’m trying to imagine what that would taste like… yum!
P.S. Thanks for the tips on preserving a husband. I’m going to put that to work right away!
This is a day that I definitely wish I’d been able to attend. Looks like so much fun!
Looks like such a fun family activity! I so want to learn more about canning – maybe your mom can give lessons? =) Oh, + i love the page on how to preserve a husband – too funny!
I want to learn more about canning as well! Some of the equipment is scary though. For example, when my mom made the green beans and the tomatoes she used a pressure cooker out in her garage. Not sure I want to do all that in my kitchen but jams and jellies seem a lot easier and they are fun to give as gifts. If you ever take a trip to Richmond you would be welcome to visit. We could make jam and have a martini (or 2)