Red Cinnamon Apple Rings
Great side dish with Braised Greens, Roast Vegetables, Roast Turkey or other
poultry. These apple rings can be canned for long-term preservation or stored in
the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
5 pounds firm cooking apples
(Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Gala, Jonagold, etc.)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Red food coloring (optional)
4 cinnamon sticks
Ascorbic acid powder, vitamin C tablets, or lemon juice*
Wash and core apples; do not peel. Slice apples into 1/2 inch thick rings. To
prevent browning, drop apple rings into a bowl of cold water (about 2 quarts)
containing 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid powder (1500 mg), or use equivalent in
finely crushed vitamin C tablets or 1/2 cup lemon juice. Keep apples covered
with ascorbic acid water until ready to use. Combine sugar, 2 cups water and
cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan. Add a few drops of red food coloring, if
desired. Bring syrup to a boil and boil for five minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain apples, add to syrup. Return syrup and apples to a boil; reduce heat and
simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until cool. Remove apple rings
from syrup. Loosely pack apple rings into canning jars leaving 1/2 inch
headspace. Return syrup to heat and bring to a boil. Remove cinnamon sticks.
Ladle hot syrup over apple rings leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.
Adjust two-piece lids. Process pint size jars 15 minutes, or quarts 20 minutes
in a boiling w ater bath canner. Yield about six pints or three quarts.
# May substitute 1/2 cup fresh or bottled lemon juice.
Source: So Easy to Preserve, Fourth Edition, University of Georgia Cooperative
Extension Service.