Something about fall prompts a slower pace of life. As temperatures get colder and activities move indoors, cooking becomes less “throw it on the grill” and more “let it simmer.” Few things are as lovely as setting a huge pot of homemade apple cider on the stove to boil as it fills your house with the warmth and scents of cinnamon, cloves, and apples. Though it takes some time and patience, here’s a simple recipe for how to make apple cider.
Tips for Making Homemade Apple Cider
Ultimately, the apple-cider-making process is pretty friendly towards beginners. It can make you feel like a simple homesteader even in the chicest loft. Simply chop, combine, and simmer! You don’t need to complicate apple cider, but a few small things will go a long way towards success.
Core Your Apples
Many apple cider recipes do not call for coring, but I prefer to core. Firstly, because I like to use the leftover apple mush for applesauce, and I don’t like stems and seeds in my sauce. Secondly, because apple seeds contain a small amount of cyanide. Swallowing the seeds whole will protect you from the cyanide, but cutting the seeds open can leave you vulnerable. I prefer not to engage with it either way.
Variety Matters
The huge amount of apple varieties can make choosing apples for cider difficult! The best strategy? Multiple varieties! Make sure they’re different enough to provide a variety of flavor. Fuji and gala are too similar, for example. Granny Smith apples are a great addition, as they have a lovely crisp bite. Apple varietals affect the color as well; golden delicious will make the cider lighter, whereas redder apples will darken the cider.
Note that cider can make great use of old or bruised apples. If some of your apples at home are past their prime, toss them in! It’s a great way to avoid unnecessary food waste.
Spices Are Key
Well-spiced apple cider is one of life’s great pleasures. Use whole spices, unless you want a mushy silt at the bottom of your cider. Simmering the spices ensures the flavors meld fully with the apple flavor. Most traditional recipes don’t include cardamom, but I like to throw in a few pods. Any more and it becomes overpowering, but a few boosts the natural sweetness of the apples.
May Need Extra Boiling
Including enough water is the trickiest step in making apple cider. Not enough and you can’t drink it, too much and the flavors dilute. I recommend erring on the side of too much water. If you have too much water, you can take the cover off the stockpot and boil the liquid down some more. You’ll retain all the hard work from the apple flavors and the spices.
Make Applesauce with the Remainder
Once you’ve finished the cider, you’ll have a messload of apple mush on your hands. While you could throw it all away, try making applesauce instead! Hot spiced applesauce makes for a delicious traditional breakfast or side dish (especially with schnitzel).
To make applesauce:
- Take the whole spices out of the mushed apples
- Put apples in a food processor or strong blender (preferably while still warm)
- Add in 2 tsp of citric acid and an additional 1/2 c brown sugar
- Blend well
Remember, apple cider won’t have a perfectly smooth texture, and that’s okay. The skin on the apples adds fiber and vitamins to your homemade applesauce. Eat it hot or cold. Personally, I love hot, spiced applesauce as a lovely winter breakfast.
How to Make Apple Cider
Homemade Apple Cider
Equipment
- Paring knife or apple corer
- Cutting board
- Large Stock Pot
- Wooden spoon
- Large Mesh Sieve
- Pitcher or Dispenser
Ingredients
- 6 lbs apples mixed varieties
- 1 orange halved
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp whole allspice
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 3-4 cardamom pods
- 1/2 c packed dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Core your apples and cut into 8 slices each.
- Add all ingredients to a large stock pot. Optional: wrap spices in cheesecloth and tie it off to form a sachet.
- Add water to your stock pot to raise the level by 2 inches (keep an eye on it as it fills because apples float).
- Bring the whole thing to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer (gently bubbling).
- Cover the pot with the lid and allow to simmer 2 hours.
- Take the orange out of the pot, then mash the apples up with a potato masher or something similar.
- Recover, and simmer an additional hour.
- Set a large mesh sieve over the mouth of a pitcher or drink dispenser.
- Pour the cider over the sieve, and mash the apples down to reduce all excess juice. (You may have to do this in multiple batches).
- If the cider is too diluted (AKA, if there’s too much water), return the cider to the stock pot and boil for 10 minutes.
- Enjoy hot or cold!
Leave a Reply