what can "crab apples" be used for ?

Question

the apples i am on about are the small "sour" ones about the size of a plum. many thanks chris

Answer 1

Hi, here is a fail proof recipe for Crab Apple Jelly. When I lived in Missouri we had several crap apple trees, but just let them fall to the ground. Since I moved to Canada I found out that Crab apple jelly is a delicacy and Canadians love it because it reminds them of home. Now I make it every year and give most of it away to friends and clients. I even have people come to my door asking me if I will sell them a jar. Love that crab apple jelly.

Crab Apple Jelly

9 cups of juice equals 1 batch. Yield: 6 pints

Yields: 4-pints or 8-½ pints

5 lb. partially ripe fruit (about 10 to 11 cups or 1 ice cream pail heaping full)
5 c. of water
8 c. of granulated sugar

Select partially ripened apples as they yield a much better flavor and more natural pectin that is required to make the jelly.

Sort fruit, discarding any soft or damaged fruit. Remove blossom ends and stems, and cut in half. Place fruit in a deep pan, add 5 c. of water, cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Mash with a potato masher to crush fruit. Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove sauce from heat, strain through a jelly bag. Do not squeeze pulp through bag (this will cause cloudy jelly).

Place juice (6 cups) in large saucepan, add 8 c. of sugar and stir constantly over moderate heat until sugar is well dissolved. Boil until jelly sheets from a spoon, (foaming jelly stage) or temperature on a candy thermometer is 103°C (216°F), which should be less than 5 minutes. Remove jelly from the heat and allow to stand undisturbed for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam on the surface. Ladle hot jelly into ½ or 1-pint jars, wipe rims free of any jelly, and adjust new lids and rings.

Place jars of hot jelly in a preheated canner. Bring water to a rolling boil and process for 10 minutes. After processing, remove jars placing them on a dishtowel away from drafts. Allow to cool overnight. Check lids for seals. Label and store in a cool, dry place. This makes a soft jelly. If you prefer a more firm jelly, add an additional cup of sugar and continue to boil for at least three minutes.

This is by far the most beautiful jelly you will ever make. Please do not add any food coloring as the jelly will be a gorgeous pinkish red color.

Answer 2

About the only two things I have heard of are crab apple jelly or pies. Either way it will take a lot of sugar to make it sweet enough.

Answer 3

Hi Chris,

My favorite thing to do with crab apples is take a box of salt along with my friends down to the branch where they grow all around and snack away while we take turns telling our stories! Sorry never did have a recipe....except for fun.

Answer 4

You can definitely use them to throw at people. Sometimes my partner and I have crab apple fights. Tons of fun!

Answer 5

You can cook them and sweten them and make crab apple jelly

Answer 6

Apple Pie.
Throw in a lot of sugar.

Answer 7

I thought crab apples were poisionous... maybe they just tasted really bad and I thought they were. I used to tell the other kids on the playground they were- god I was a little shitter!

Answer 8

you can use them for jelly, that's about the only good thing crab apples are used for.

Answer 9

Anything smelly, such as Mussels, squid, bits of dead fish, etc........ though I've found it's just as important to put that bait in the right place (e.g. against a structure where the tide washes food towards for them to scavenge on).

Answer 10

Hrmm.. an interestnig question I had never really thought of them as being used for anything...but the folks who put these and a few other sites together seem to be able to find lots of uses for them:

http://www.spruce.ca/food/crabapple_recipes.htm