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Crab Apples

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Crab Apples

Postby bob1 » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:36 pm

My niebor has a tree full of crabapples. I have never seen a crabapple tree this big or tasted them as sweet as they are. He thought he had a cherry that was bad or something. LOL But since he didnt know what it was he told me to come clean it off. I'm thinking of all the seeds.
Any easy way to process them. My guess is to crush a little with small hammer and pick them out.
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Re: Crab Apples

Postby bob1 » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:46 pm

Also read Jack Kellers article thinking if I crush them in a bucket with a little water maybe the seeds will float and maybe I can strain them off.
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Re: Crab Apples

Postby wyo wino » Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:24 am

A couple different ways to go. If you are talking small crabs. Approx 1 inch or so in diameter. I have sliced the apple off the core, keeping the skin for the red color. Lots of work. If you have access to a "Victoria tomato processor" The Victoria will take a tomato and seperate the skins and seeds from the juice. Cook the crab apples until soft. Run them through the Victoria. It will separate the skins and seeds out. Fast and easy.
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Re: Crab Apples

Postby wyo wino » Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:36 am

I googled victorio strainer juicer and you can see a picture of one at the below site. We have had one for over 30 years and they are a pretty awesome type machine for processing toms etc. You do have to cook the crab apples first so they are soft.

http://www.storeitfoods.com/page/strainers
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Re: Crab Apples

Postby bob1 » Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:45 pm

would it be to bad to just leave them. would there be to much toxins. I think the tree might need to be spiked its apples however are sweeter than I have ever seen are really small the largest being 1/2 in but verry few most are bout 3/8 in. Planning on 6 lb per gal, mixing with some concentrate and 1 lb banana. If the worry is just tannin I like heavy tanned wine. Maybe I could just leave tannin out of recipe.
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Re: Crab Apples

Postby wyo wino » Tue Sep 15, 2009 1:53 pm

We have usually blended the crab apple with other juices like choke cherries etc. We have never had enough crab apples for 5 gallons of wine. This year we have 4 producing trees. We got over 50 pounds of crab apples processed. Half through the victorio which is like apple sauce and the other have we cut off of the core and ran through a blender. We bagged everything up and put it in the freezer. We'll use it this winnter for a straight crab apple wine.

Many fruits have toxic seeds. Some more toxic than others. Plus you can get a bitter taste from seeds. Eating one or two seeds probably is not a problem but don't know about lots of seeds from fruits. I know choke cherry pits are more toxic than some of the other fruit pits and seeds.
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