Crab Apple Craziness: From Jellies & Vinegars to Butters & Crisps
It’s officially apple picking season! While most in New England may be heading to their local apple orchards for cider donuts (omg my favorite!) and their $40 bag of apples, may I suggest a fun family forage that is totally free? Crab apples!
And while you may have grown up hearing terrible lies about these prolific fruits (many are told they are poisonous for some insane reason) they are, in fact, quite edible and delicious.
The only difference between a regular wild apple and a crab apple is size. Literally. That’s it. Any apple less than 5 centimeters is classified as a crab apple.
And with so many forgotten orchards, homesteads and farms around our area the hybrid varieties are numerous. Like most wild fruits, there is a rather small window for prime collection – anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks – depending on weather, wind conditions and most importantly, below freezing temperatures.
I always like to taste test each tree. Some will certainly be more tart (better for vinegar and butter), while others will be quite sweet (great for jelly and jam). Much also depends on when you gather the fruits as numerous species like a frost before reaching their sweet peak. You can, however, trick mother nature by throwing the less-ripe fruits into the freezer for a day, simulating a frost. Then, pull them out, defrost and use as normal.
Crab apple jelly is a breeze to make and does not require much time or much labor. My favorite! Gather 8 cups of crab apples. I recommend using the red varieties, they have more sugar and less tartness. You also get the extra bonus of a beautiful ember red colored jelly.
But, I like to mix things up, so I used yellow and red, which results in a lovely pinkish jam that is slightly less sweet. You can also absolutely use only yellow crab apples, if that is what you have! I would recommend freezing half of them prior to making the jelly, to increase their sweetness.
Crab Apple Jelly Ingredients
- 8 cups of crab apples
- 4 cups of water
- 3 cups of sugar
- one teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Rinse and de-stem your crab apples, then add the apples to a pot with 4 cups of water. Set temperature to medium/medium high heat. Simmer for 15 mins until skins pop, then mash thoroughly. Strain through a cheesecloth, slowing squeezing. Be sure to get at least 4 cups juice.
Save discarded skins and pulp for sauce, butter (a food mill works great!), or a homemade apple cider vinegar. I made a butter and a vinegar with my discards and both turned out beautifully.
Pour the 4 cups of juice back into your pot and bring to boil. Add 3 cups of sugar, NO pectin needed! Hard boil for one minute stirring constantly. Add in 1 teaspoon of lemon. Jar and enjoy in fridge for up to 4 months. Or, water can for 8 mins & enjoy for up to 2 years.
There are so many wonderful ways to use crab apples, from the traditional apple sauce or cider vinegar to an apple crumble and apple pie. Here are a few of my favorite recipes from around the web:
Have a delicious crab apple recipe to share? Comment below!
