I honestly still consider myself to be a newbie at canning pie filling. I use to just can the fruit in syrup and then add the remaining ingredients for a pie later. Though I have seen sites on the internet that say to can it with cornstarch, the USDA doesn't recommend this (see post on ClearJel) and I don't do it. Even after ClearJel can along I still just kept canning fruit in syrup for awhile. I guess I can be quite a creature of habit some times.When I first tried canning apple pie filling, I followed the USDA instructions exactly. However I had problems with getting too much liquid in some jars and too little in other jars.
This year I decided to fill the jars the way I fill them if I am canning them with syrup. That is, use a slotted spoon to put the fruit in the jars, and then ladle liquid on top. This is pretty easy to do because the ClearJel actually doesn't thicken until the jar is cooling. It is still thin when you are filling the jars.
This worked much better for me. I am happy with the results and look forward to enjoying a tasty, hot pie when the snow is piled high outside.
It's been a while since I've done it, but I've always canned apple and peach pie filling thickened with tapioca. It worked fine, but I'm not even sure if I still have the recipe.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know it was safe to can pie fillings without using a pressure canner. Learn something every time I come here.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice preserve to have during the winter months. Always so well received and appreciated and helps one to remember warmer weather!
ReplyDeleteIf you are interested, I recently posted a recipe for canning apple pie filling on my recipe blog.
ReplyDeleteIt is an old Beverly Nye recipe (many of us from the Midwest watched her on TV in the late 1960s, early 1970s).