**In this post we’re going to be making a pectin stock out of apples that you can use for your future jams & jellies.**

*We will be using crab apples, but you could use any unripe green apple!*

Homemade Apple Pectin Stock

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A few weeks ago when I was looking at one of the three crabapple trees in my backyard & was wondering what the heck am I going to do with all of these apples?!? I remember never enjoying the taste of them whenever I would try to sneak one off of my grandparents backyard tree. Then after a small session of doom scrolling I came across a post teaching how to make apple pectin from crabapples. I was soon intrigued & patiently waited for the apples to be ready.

Before we go through the steps on how to get apple pectin I wanted to address a few questions you may have.

What is fruit pectin?

Pectin is a carbohydrate primarily found in the cell wall of plants with its highest concentrations found in the skin, seeds & core of the fruit. This is the very reason as to why we will not be needing to peel, seed or core our apples before use.

Pectin is the glue that holds the cell wall together & these levels can vary with ripeness. Barely underripe or just ripe fruit are high in pectin content & overripe fruit has a low pectin content.

The highest concentrations of pectin is found in tart apples & crabapples as well as the white pith of citrus peels.

Pectin is broken down by enzymes into peptic acid when fruit begins to ripen, which is why an over ripe apple has less pectin than a just right apple does

Do we need pectin to make jams & jellies?

The answer to this question can be determined by the fruit you plan on putting in the jam or jelly.

If you are using a high pectin fruit you may not need any additional pecin. If you are using a low pectin fruit you will need to add pectin. If you are using a combination of low & high pectin fruits you may need to add additional pectin.

When pectin is combined with sugar & lemon juice it will turn into a gel.

High pectin fruits/Won’t need added pectin:

Granny smith apples
Citrus peels
Concord grapes
Crabapples
Currants
Gooseberries
Lemons
Loganberries
Plums
Raspberries

Medium pectin fruits/May not need added pectin:

Blackberries
Chokecherries
Concord grape juice
Elderberries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Oranges
Sour cherries

Low pectin fruits/Must add pectin:

Apricots
Blueberries
Figs
Guavas
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Pomegranates
Strawberries
Sweet cherries

Typical sources of pectin:

We have 3 general sources for pectin

Commercial, this comes in regular, low sugar & no sugar options
Adding high-pectin fruit to your recipe. Try adding low pectin fruit to high pectin fruit
Making apple pectin stock.

Homemade Apple Pectin Stock

Equipment to make the stock:

Knife to cut the apples
Cutting board
Large heavy bottomed pot
Strainer
Cheesecloth or something to strain the apples from the liquid
Canning funnel
Ladle or spoon to scoop the liquid into the jars
Butter knife
6 1/2 pint mason jars

Equipment to test the stock:

Glass bowl
Fork
Rubbing alcohol

Ingredients:

5lb underripe green apples coarsely chopped, not peeled or cored. The best apples you can use will be green, sour & harder than a ripe apple
10 cups water or enough to cover the apples

Instructions:

Wash apples & chop them into 1-2” pieces. Keep core, seeds & skin
Place in a large pan & add enough water to cover the apples
Cover pot & bring to a boil & simmer gently for 40 minutes to 1 hour
Line a colander with muslin or cheesecloth & place over a large bowl
Pour cooked apples into the colander & allow the juice to drip through the colander. Place the bowl & colander in the fridge & let drain over night
Pour the strained apple juice into a clean pan & simmer gently until thick & reduced by half. Use a butter knife in the juice to gauge the beginning depth of the juice
Test the strength of the stock. See below on how to do that
Package for storage. Store finished pectin in half-pint mason jars.

How to test your pectin stock:

Place a glass bowl in the freezer
After stock is made add 1 tsp of stock to 1 tbsp rubbing alcohol & swirl around in the cold bowl.
If you can pick up the ‘glob’ of apple pectin with a fork your pectin is strong
If you don’t have 1 glob, but maybe a few smaller ones, continue to cook down the stock & repeat

High pectin: the mixture forms a jelly-like clot

Medium pectin: 2-3 soft clots form. The stock may or may not set satisfactorily, return to the heat to reduce further & test again

Low pectin: numerous small gloubles form. Return to the heat & reduce the volume of the stock & test again

Storage:

Refrigerate & use within 5 days
Freeze for up to 6 months
Water bath canned using the hot pack method. Leave ¼” of headspace & process the ½ pints for 10 minutes. Store in a cool dark place for up to 1 year

To use:

1 cup of apple pectin stock to every 2 cups of sugar will gel 3 pounds of low to medium pectin fruit

Notes & Substitutions:

Pectin stock can be used in any dish that requires gelling like soups, puddings & sauces
You could just use apple scraps or peel, seeds & core when making other recipes that contain apples. If you are using a lot of scraps, consider adding a some sliced up ‘reject’ apples or a couple of granny smiths for a better flavor than just peels & cores
Homemade apple pectin stock is not as uniform in taste & behavior than commercial pectin as the fruit used, what fruit you’re adding it to, & how long it boiled will all play factor in the finished stock