5 lb Crab apples
4 1/2 c  Apple vinegar (5%)
3 3/4 c  Water
7 1/2 c  Sugar
4 ts Whole cloves
4    Cinnamon sticks
6    1/2" cubes ginger root
-(fresh)

Yield: About 9 pints

Procedure: Remove blossom petals and wash apples, but leave stems attached.
Puncture the skin of each apple four times with an ice pick or toothpick.
Mix vinegar, water, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add spices tied in a
spice bag or cheesecloth. Using a blancher basket or sieve, immerse 1/3 of
the apples at a time in the boiling vinegar/syrup solution for 2 minutes.
Place cooked apples and spice bag in a clean 1- or 2-gallon crock and add
hot syrup. Cover and let stand overnight. Remove spice bag, drain syrup
into a large saucepan, and reheat to boiling. Fill pint jars with apples
and hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process
according to the recommendations in Table 1.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Spiced Crab Apples in a boiling-water
canner.

Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints. Process Time at Altitudes of 0 –
1,000 ft: 20 min.
1,001 – 3,000 ft: 25 min.
3,001 – 6,000 ft: 30 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 35 min.

* USDA
Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539 (rev. 1994) * format
courtesy of