How to preserve apples (simple water bath canning)

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Learn to preserve your apple harvest with this simple canning recipe. These canned/bottled apples can be eaten on their own or used in many recipes that call for fresh apples. This recipes is an easy way to preserve apples in a safe manner using a light sugar syrup and the simple water bath method.

What is canning/bottling?

Canning, also known as bottling, is a method of preserving fresh fruit. Once your produce has been canned, it becomes shelf stable so that you can continue to enjoy your harvest for the months ahead. Canning fruit has been widely used as a preservation method since the late 1700’s. Canning is not limited to preserving fruit, but can be used to preserve many things including vegetables, meat and even dairy.

Benefits of preserving apples using the canning method

Normally, apples come into season in the late summer/early autumn period (depending on where you live). Once the apples are ripe, there is only a short window to consume them before they spoil. Preserving apples through canning/bottling enables apples to be stored as a shelf-stable product to be enjoyed year round, so that you are not limited to only eating apples and apple products during in apple season in your area. If you have apple trees or enjoy foraging, it is especially important to learn how to preserve your harvest.

Is it safe to can/bottle apples at home?

Canning pasteurises the food within the jars to reduce any bad bacteria to levels that don’t harm us. The pasteurisation process involves heating the food within the jars to 72-80^oC. The food is then held in a vacuum seal (created by heating, then cooling) to prevent any airborne bacteria from entering the jar and contaminating the contents.

Because some bacteria survive the pasteurisation process, we either need to add acid, such as vinegar, or sugar to the jar to prevent these bacteria from multiplying and contaminating the food.

• Sugar preserves food in a similar manner to salt and involves osmosis. Sugar and salt help to draw moisture out of the food, preventing bacteria from entering. Sugar and salt also act to dehydrate and kill bacteria.
• Acid such as vinegar or citric acid preserves food by reducing the pH to a low enough level that bad bacteria are not able to live or reproduce. A good example of this is my simple cucumber pickle recipe.

Which fruits are safe to can/bottle at home?

Safely canning fruit relies on there being a certain level of acidity in the fruit. This acidity prevents the growth of a particularly nasty bacteria Clostridium botulinum, responsible for causing botulism infection. Only fruits with a low enough pH should be canned with this method. These include:

• Apples
• Pears
• Cherries
• Pineapple
• Rhubarb
• Stone fruit
• Berries

See my recipe for canning plums and other stone fruit here.

Please use your senses and intuition when canning and consuming foods at home. If in doubt, do some more research and make an informed choice.

What are the best apples for preserving using the water bath canning method?

Some apples are better than others for preserving with this method. Choosing a firm apple varieties will ensure that your apples hold together and don’t go mushy during the canning process. I also like to use a slightly tart apple for canning, Some good varieties include:

• Granny Smith
• Pink Lady
• Golden Delicious

Where to source apples for free or low cost

As mentioned previously, apples generally come into season in the late summer, early autumn period. It is best to source your apples around this time as they will be more abundant and therefore cheaper. It is always best to source your apples locally, and try to buy organic if you can. 

If you’re like me and enjoy foraging, you can often find road side apple trees in full fruit around autumn. There are so many in my area that I keep an eye on as I drive around. Every so often I stop and check if the apples are ripening, and when they’re ready, I collect a huge haul. I always leave enough for the next people to take their share as well. It’s important to know if the apple trees have been sprayed by the local council, as these trees are sometimes considered a pest/weed. Although it’s unlikely, speak to your local shire council to double check if you’re unsure.

You could also ask around and see whether anyone in your area would like to offload some of their harvest, your could offer to barter some other produce or provide them with some canned apples in return.

How to use canned/bottled apples in recipes

Using home-canned apple slices is simple, and you can add them to recipes in place of fresh apples. Examples include apple pie filling, apple crumble, apple cake. Canned apples are perfect for a quick dessert, simply drain, heat and enjoy with some cream, custard or ice cream. You can also add them to savoury meals such as pulled pork or in the bottom of the roasting tray when cooking a roast lamb shoulder. You can also canned apples as a side to roast pork or chicken in the form of apple sauce (simply drain and puree with a stick blender).

How long do canned/bottled apples last on the shelf?

As a rule of thumb, the more sugar in your sugar syrup, the longer the shelf life of the canned fruit.

Most canned (tinned) fruit you buy from the grocery store has been preserved with very high levels of sugar, meaning that they remain shelf stable for years and years – I remember finding decade old tinned peaches in my granny’s pantry that looked perfectly fine when opened (I don’t know that we actually ate them but you get the point!)

With this in mind, there is a minimum amount of sugar required to safely can apples at home. I like to follow this guide to know how much sugar is needed:

• 1:4 sugar to water (light syrup) = 12 month shelf life
• 1:3 sugar to water (medium syrup) = 18 month shelf life
• 1:2 sugar to water (heavy syrup) = 2 year shelf life
• 1:1 sugar to water (very heavy syrup) = 2 years + shelf life

How to reduce food waste when canning/bottling apples

Canning/bottling apples requires your to remove the apple cores and peels before slicing and canning. Instead of throwing these in the bin, you can try and reduce your food waste in the following ways;

• Compost your apple scraps
• Feed apple scraps to chickens
• Use apple scraps to make homemade apple cider vinegar
• Boil up apple cores in some water and pass through a food mill to make apple sauce

How to preserve apples using the simple water bath canning method

Gather your equipment

• Apple peeler
• Apple corer
• Chopping board
• Small sharp knife
• Large bowl
• Canning jars and lids
• ​Canning funnel
• ​Jar lifter
• Large pot for water bath canning

Gather your ingredients

• Apples
• Lemons
• Water
• Sugar

Prepare your lemon water bath

Add 2L water to a large bowl and add the juice of 1 lemon. Add ice cubes to bring the temperature down. This lemon water bath is used to prevent the apple slices from browning during the preparation process.

Wash your jars and lids

Wash your jars, lids and rings/seals in hot soapy water. Allow them to drain.

Prepare your apples

Remove the cores from your apples using an apple corer. Peel and slice apples into the desired size/shape. You can do thick or thin slices, or you can cut into cubes to make apple pie filling size pieces of apple. Add them to the lemon water bath as you go and push submerge them occasionally.

Prepare your sugar syrup

To make a light sugar syrup, place a medium saucepan on a medium heat, add 6 cups of water and 1.5 cups of sugar (I like to use raw sugar). For a heavier syrup, refer to the notes in the recipe section. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat.

Add apple slices to clean jars

Add your apple slices to the clean canning jars and add the hot syrup. Leave approximately 1 inch headspace from the top of jar. Insert a clean knife into the side of the jar to help remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rim with a damp cloth or paper towel.

Add lids and water bath can

Add the seals and lids or lids and rings, depending on your jar system. Place your jars in a large pot with a tea towel or rack placed at the bottom. Fill to just below the top of the jar (you can also cover the jars if you have enough space). Turn your stove to low heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, maintain this temperature for 20-40 minutes depending on how soft you want your apples. 

Cool, label and store

Using your jar lifter/canning tongs, carefully remove your jars from the water bath canner. If you don’t have a jar lifter, allow the water to cool before removing the jars. 

Allow your jars to cool to room temperature before removing your rings/clips. The center of the lid should have sucked down and sealed very tightly. If any of the lids didn’t seal, repeat the water bath canning process again with a new lid. Label and store your canning/bottled apples in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months.