I've got a couple of trees full of Crabapples. Is there anything I can make with them?

well, real hard cider, mean historic recipes use primarily crabapples.. That goes for applejack also. Applejack is hard cider left out so the water freezes into slush, the slush is then scooped off. the remaining is Applejack.

My favorite jelly is crab apple jelly, this often works better with crab apples have more pectin, and make bright red jelly.

my favorite pankake/waffle syrup is crab apple syrup. I grew up in rural Alaska/Montana so, these were common trees for us. They are an awesome fruit.

Orr has a bucktoothed smile and frequently puts crabapples or horse chestnuts in his cheeks and rubber balls in his hands. He constantly teases Yossarian asking him if he wants to know why, to which Yossarian invariably says "yes".

As kids, we had crabapple fights. Deadly little projectiles, they are.

There are some recipes for crabapple mead out there on the interwebs. I have a crabapple tree in my back yard. I might give crabapple mead a try.

We used to throw them at cars, and at each other when blocks of wood or snowballs were not available. They hurt.

My Mom was a country girl. Couldn't stand to let fruit from a tree go to waste. We had a huge crabapple tree and she would make jelly every growing season. I miss that.

My mom made crabapple jelly from them. It was bright red and very delicious! It was my #2 after red currant jelly.

flashguy

Just don't get into a "crab apple flinging" battle...they will cause a really bad black eye (ask me how I know ).

You can tell we were some bored kids...battling each other with crabapples. They can hurt!

quote:

Originally posted by DSgrouse:
well, real hard cider, mean historic recipes use primarily crabapples.

Not quite right but you are on the right track. They will have high acidity like many euro/heirloom varieties that were/are available.
It's just that if you are a producer of hard cider, you aren't going to grow crab apples.

You might try thinning fruit on that tree. In the future, where there are bunches of 3+ apples, pick the extras leaving maybe two apples so more of the growth energy goes into fewer fruit. Usually when they are the size of a quarter or smaller on regular apple trees I believe. I've never done it to a crab apple so I'm not sure what the result will be.

They make good jelly, that’s the only thing I’ve ever seen made with them.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
We used to throw them at cars, and at each other when blocks of wood or snowballs were not available. They hurt.

Aaahhh, the good old days!
Even more fun when you get the one with the hornet or wasp in it!

Nothing until deer season then enjoy watching a deer eat them through your rifle scope...

Makes really good jelly.

Have see them made into spiced apple rings.
Really good jelly, more intense apple flavor. If you have not had it and like apple flavored jelly you should try it.

Slingshot ammo against the neighborhood kids

Progressed to B.B. guns later but that’s a different childhood battle story