Preserving Backyard Fruit: Crab Apple Juice

Making Crab Apple Juice

I was given an ice cream bucket of nickle to quarter size crab apples by a friend and fellow gardener about a week ago.  At first glance those little apples seem almost worthless because they have so little fruit in each one, but they do pack a punch when it comes to flavor and make some excellent apple juice with just a little time and energy.


I got this crab apple juice recipe from my mother-in-law a few years ago and love its simplicity! :)

You will need to gather:
-a sharp knife & cutting board
-a container for scraps (throw these in the compost when you are done!)
-clean 1 gallon ice cream bucket with lid
-your apples
-boiling water
-2Tbsp Cream of Tartar
-optional sugar

1. Wash the fruit and remove all stems and flowers.

2. Quarter the fruit (half is fine if they are very small, but the more surface area, the more juice and flavor you'll be able to extract.) and place in a clean plastic container.  You need to have a tight fitting lid. I like to use an ice cream bucket.  Don't worry about the seeds; they will be thrown out in the end.

3. Add 2 Tbsp Cream of Tartar to the top of a full bucket of the quartered apples.

4. Pour boiling water on top until it is just covers the apples.  Cover the bucket and set aside for 24 hours.

5. Drain off the liquid into a stockpot and quickly bring to a boil.  Add sugar to taste if desired.

6. Pour into hot jars and process in a boiling water bath for long term storage or refrigerate and use as fresh juice. For those like me who are below 1000 ft in elevation, process pints or quarts for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.  The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2009 revision Guide 02: Selecting, Preparing, and Canning Fruit and Fruit Products provides more details and times for higher elevations if you have questions. 

Happy Preserving! :)

Share this post