Easy No-Waste {Guilt Free} Fresh Apple Juice

September 1, 2014 by Kristi 49 Comments

This Easy No-Waste {Guilt Free} Fresh Apple Juice uses the peels and cores from apples to make a great tasting, natural Apple Juice that’s so much better than store-bought.

Happy Labor Day everyone!

Today’s Question Is: What is your favorite type of apple?

It’s September, and I’m kicking off apple season in a big way ~ with a fresh apple juice recipe. But, it wasn’t easy getting here, let me tell you.

Spoiler Alert: parents – kids are fibbers!

Not kidding. They are! 🙂

If you’re a parent, maybe you already knew this, but since I don’t have kids, this was a real shocker for me. Take these apples for instance.

When I saw the boys sneaking them from the apple tree, I said “Boys, those apples aren’t ripe! They’re going to give you a belly ache!” “YES they are!!!!!” they replied with all the enthusiasm they could muster. “Ok, I believe you.” Let me just say – #dumbestideaever

Now, I do realize that the boys and I are a looooong way apart in years, but hey…I figured, if Mikey likes it, I’m good. The boys said they were ripe and they were eating them with enthusiasm.

So, a week later, Eve (e.g. me) plucked one from the tree and took a big healthy bite.

Friends, my face screwed up like Cruella de Vil when she stole the puppies!

Super sour, tart face, stomping foot on ground, puckered up is not a sexy look, let me tell you.

So, I handed it to The Husband. 🙂

Isn’t that what you do when something tastes or smell bad? Hand it to the person you love and say “Here, try this!” And, you say it enthusiastically too so they’ll be sure and try it!

Ever done that?

Well, he puckered up like a baked apple that went from a crisp, ripe, young age to a weathered, wrinkled, tired 98 year old sourpuss! Yep…, I was right. Not ripe.

Thus…, that is how I came to the conclusion that kids fib. Silly boys!

Now for the fine print:

Because my apples were really, really tart (pucker UPPPPP!!!… I picked them in mid-August instead of September – YIKES! Don’t do that!!!), I needed to use more sugar to balance out the tartness. But, the apple juice that resulted was still so much better (and less sugary) than store-bought. I wouldn’t have thought it at first, but making apple juice is easy! Plus, this is something you can do with the kids, with is always a bonus. If you use sweeter apples (or apples that are actually IN season 🙂 ) feel free to use less sugar. Just taste the nectar as you go. And, add sugar slowly (if at all).

TIP: please, please, please do not get lazy with the straining. You want all that apple mash out of that juicy, deliciousness! I strained this with a fine strainer once, and TWICE using cheesecloth! The result was a crisp, fresh apple juice with nearly no-pulp!

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Easy Apple Juice

This easy, no-waste, guilt-free, fresh Apple Juice uses the peels and cores from apples to make a great tasting, natural Apple Juice that's so much better than store-bought.

Course: Drinks

Author: Kristi

Ingredients

Peels and cores from 5 pounds of Granny Smith apples
Water*
1/2 cup white sugar* see notes

Instructions

Place the peels and cores from 5 pounds of Granny Smith apples in a large stock pot.
Cover with just enough water to cover apples peels and cores.
Stir in 1/2 cup sugar.
Heat on high heat until boiling. Then, reduce heat to Medium-Low or Low heat and continue simmering for 30-45 minutes.
Strain juice through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove solid pieces. Store in an airtight container and chill until cold. Use within 3-5 days.

Notes

The amount of water you use will depend on the yield of your apple peels and cores. You want just enough water to barely cover the peels and cores for the best flavor. You MAY be able to reduce or omit the sugar, depending on the type of apple you use. I used Granny Smith apples that were VERY tart, which is why they needed sugar to balance the tartness!
I cooked my apple juice for 45 minutes, then removed it from the heat and let it rest 15 minutes before straining and transferring to an airtight container.
***NOTE*** I strained this apple juice 3 times. First in a fine strain colander, then twice through cheesecloth to remove apple mash and sediment.

***In this recipe, I used the peels and cores from 5 pounds of Granny Smith apples. And, with those apple scraps, this recipe yielded 48 ounces of fresh Apple Juice.

Recipe modified from All Recipes @ Fresh Apple Juice.