Can Jam November: Spiced Apple Rings

For this month's challenge, I decided to try a product I read about called Pickle Crisp, made by Ball.   It's calcium chloride, and it is added to pickles to make them more crisp, similar to pickling lime.  Linda Ziedrich wrote about it here on Culinate, so I gave it a try.  The result is a toothy apple ring - I was worried this batch would come out mushy.   I can't wait to use Pickle Crisp next year for all my pickling ventures!


Spiced apple rings are technically a sweet pickle, and I fondly remember them from my youth.  On vacation one time, we were at a restaurant that featured what we called a "smorgasbord" and they had a bowl of spiced apple rings in their bright fluorescent red dyed glory.  I ate them all!  Here's my shot at making them myself, sans the red food coloring.  

Spiced Apple Rings

12 lbs firm tart apples (maximum diameter 2-1/2 inches)

12 cups sugar

6 cups water

1-1/4 cups white vinegar (5%)

3 tbsp whole cloves

8 cinnamon sticks

Yield: About 8 to 9 pints

Wash apples. To prevent discoloration, peel and slice one apple at a time. Immediately cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, remove core area with a melon baller and immerse in ascorbic acid solution. To make flavored syrup, combine sugar water, vinegar, cloves, cinnamon sticks and in a 6-qt saucepan. Stir, heat to boil, and simmer 3 minutes. Drain apples, add to hot syrup, and cook 5 minutes. Fill jars (preferably wide-mouth) with apple rings and hot flavored syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1/8th teaspoon Pickle Crisp, if you are so inclined.  Adjust lids and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.