How Is Apple Juice Made

How Is Apple Juice Made?

Choose Fresh Apples

Choose fresh apples without blemishes. If possible, begin to process your apples into apple juice when they are fresh from the tree. If not, try to use your apples as soon as you can after purchase. If you want your apple juice tart, choose a green apple such as Granny Smith. If you prefer a sweeter juice, you might want to use Fuji apples. Looking for something in between, a McIntosh apple might be just right for your palate, or try mixing a variety of fresh apples.

Wash, Core, and Peel

Wash your apples thoroughly with mild dish soap or white vinegar and water. If you purchased them from the store, they may have a wax coating to add shine. If so, use mild dish soap and a vegetable brush to remove the wax before processing. If you peel and core your apples prior to heating, you can use the pulp for applesauce without having to force the pulp through a strainer. The apples will also cook down faster when they are peeled and cored. Remove any bad spots from the apples that you find after peeling.

Heat Apples to Extract Juice

Heat the peeled and cored apples in a steamer juicer or in a double boiler if you do not have a steamer juicer to prevent burning the apples or juice. Allow the apples to steam for several hours periodically pouring off the hot juice into canning jars. Be sure to use an oven mitt to hold the jar receiving the juice and the steamer tube, or double boiler pan, to prevent burns. Fill the canning jars to within 1-inch of the top if you intend to can the juice. Remember that water boils at 100° C (212° F) and steam is even hotter, so use caution.

Add Sweetener or Citric Acid

Add sugar, or artificial sweetener if desired, to the nearly full jars of apple juice while it is still hot. Fruit contains natural sugar. Therefore, most pure juice products do not contain added sugar.

If you intend to can jars of juice consider adding citric acid crystals to the jars at this time. Citric acid is a natural preservative that is added to most bottled juices and processed fruits. It helps to maintain color, adds vitamin C and increases the acidity thereby increasing shelf life and deterring spoilage.

Can or Refrigerate Juice

If you plan to drink your juice during the week, go ahead and put it into the refrigerator. Once it cools, you can transfer it to a juice container to make it easier to pour if desired. Otherwise, place new canning lids onto your filled canning jars, tighten clean jar rings onto each jar and process it in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes if you're using pint or quart canning jars. Allow the jars to cool and store them in a cool pantry.

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