How to Make Homemade Apple Juice

Making and canning your own apple juice is easy. In fact, if you are making applesauce, you will probably have extra juice from cooking the apples! Here's how to make your own home canned apple juice (some call it apple cider, but it isn't fermented, so I don't think that really applies), complete instructions in easy steps and completely illustrated. The apple juice will taste MUCH better than anything you've ever had from a store, and by selecting the right apples, it will be so naturally-sweet that you won't need to add any sugar at all.

Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of 18 months to 2 years, and require no special attention.

Directions for Making Apple Juice
Ingredients and Equipment

* Apples (see step 1)
* Jar grabber (to pick up the hot jars)
* Lid lifter (has a magnet to pick the lids out of the boiling water where you sanitize them. ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)t)
* Jar funnel ($2 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates)t)
* At least 1 large pot (at least 8-quart size or larger)
* Large spoons and ladles
* Ball jars (Publix, Kroger, other grocery stores and some "big box" stores carry them - about $8 per dozen quart jars including the lids and rings)
* Sieve:
o a simple metal or plastic sieve.
o colander

* Filters - if you want filtered juice
o jelly bag
o cheesecloth
o coffee filters
* 1 Water Bath Canner (a huge pot with a lifting rack to sanitize the jars of apple juice after filling (about $30 to $35 at mall kitchen stores and local "big box" stores, but it's usually cheaper online from our affiliates) You CAN use a large pot instead, but the canners are deeper, and have a rack top make lifting the jars out easier. If you plan on canning every year, they're worth the investment.