Recipe Corner: Apple Pie Filling

By Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving
Submitted by Mary Bailey

This recipe is a great way to keep apple pie filling on hand. It yields about 6 pint containers.

Apple Pie Filling

• 6 pounds apples
• Produce pretreatment (optional)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

Wash, peel, core and slice apples. Treat with pretreatment to prevent darkening. Combine sugar, flour and spices. Rinse and drain apples; stir into sugar mixture. Let stand until juices begin to flow, about 30 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken. Ladle pie filling into plastic freezer jars or plastic freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cool at room temperature, not to exceed 2 hours. Seal, label and freeze.