Apple Cider
serves 4 to 6
You will need a cider press, which can be jury-rigged from a scissor style car jack, a few boards, and a slotted tray. Rig a frame with a strong bottom platform about an inch larger than the tray you will be using. Place the tray on the bottom of the frame, then the apples in their case on the tray, then a board the same size as the tray, on top of the apples, then the jack on top of the tray, pressing up against the top of the frame. Place a bucket under the slot in the tray to collect the juice.
| A variety of sweet apples with a few tart apples mixed in; sound or bruised but with no rot | Wash thoroughly and remove the stems. Chop or grind into a fine pulp, called pomace. Reserve any juice to be added to the cider. |
| Place all the pomace into a clean cotton case, place into the cider press, and apply press. When most of the juice has stopped dripping down apply more pressure. Continue until no additional juice is obtained. | |
| Filter the juice through several layers of cheesecloth into sterile crocks and let stand in a cool place several days to mature. | |
| Pasteurize the cider in a large enamel pot by bringing it quickly to 170 Fahrenheit, then pour it immediately into sterile jars. Seal the jars and process in a canner water bath for five minutes. | |