Gretchen

It always feels good to make something from nothing! There are many great ideas on how to reduce kitchen waste by using what might be discarded in other ways like carrot top pesto or watermelon rind pickles. Today we would love to share 2 recipes to use your apple peels and cores, apple scrap vinegar and apple scrap jelly.  As you peel and core apples for snacks or other recipes, stash the peels and cores in a container in your freezer until you have enough for one of these recipes!

Apple Scrap Vinegar

Ingredients:

  • Quart/Pint Mason Jar
  • Apple Cores & peels
  • Sugar
  • Water (filtered/non-chlorinated)
  • Apple cider vinegar with mother (optional)

Directions:

  • Fill your jar 3/4 full of apple peels and cores.
  • For a quart mason jar sized batch, start with 2 cups
  • of water and 2 tbs of sugar. Stir to dissolve
  • Pour over the apple scraps to cover
  • If you have a batch of apple cider vinegar with the mother you
  • can add a tsp to the jar to kickstart the process. If not just the
  • sugar and water will work fine.
  • Cover with a coffee filter and rubber band or scrap of cloth.
  • Place in a warm, dark cupboard and shake occasionally
  • After 2 weeks strain liquid and discard or compost the scraps.
  • Pour liquid back into glass jar and cover. Let sit another 2-4
  • weeks to finish fermentation. You’ll know it’s done when it
  • smells and tastes like vinegar!

Apple Scrap Jelly

Ingredients:

  • Apple cores & peels from 15-20 apples
  • 1 gallon water
  • 4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

Directions:

  • Place apple cores & peels in a pot and cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes
  • Strain liquid with a cheesecloth and measure volume.
  • For every cup of juice add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
  • Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring until mixture reaches 220F or the gelling point. You can test by dropping a teaspoon into ice water. If it forms a firm wrinkly ball it is done. A spoon dipped into the jelly and placed in the freezer for a couple minutes should also show a gel consistency. Double check your jelly will set before completing cooking!
  • Ladle jelly into hot sterile pint or half pint jars leaving 1/4″ headspace. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes or freeze until ready for use!