Ingredients:

  • 12 lbs firm apples (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady)
  • 0.5 cup lemon juice (for soaking bath)
  • 4 quarts cold water (for soaking bath)
  • 5 cups water (for syrup)
  • 3 cups granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 5 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tsp whole cloves
  • 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/2-inch wedges. Immediately submerge them in an acidic bath of 4 quarts water mixed with 1/2 cup lemon juice to prevent enzymatic browning.
  2. In a large stainless steel pot, combine 5 cups water, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a rolling boil.
  3. Drain the pre-soaked apple slices thoroughly. Discard the soaking water.
  4. Add the drained apples and 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice into the simmering syrup. Poach for 5 minutes to exhaust air from the fruit tissue and prevent siphoning during canning.
  5. Pack the hot apple slices into sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle the hot syrup over the apples, remove air bubbles, and adjust headspace. Process in a water bath canner according to altitude-specific safety guidelines (typically 20 minutes for pints).