How to Make Home-made, Home-canned Applesauce - PickYourOwn.org

    Find a pick-your-own farm near you! Then learn to can and freeze!

    Find a local pick your own farm here!

    Home canning, freezing and preserving, whether it is jam, salsa, applesauce, apple butter, pickles or whatever, is easy; with these simple, fully illustrated directions with detailed tips and tricks.  Save money, eat healthier, with no additives or chemicals... and with much better taste! This page provides the links to our illustrated  recipes and canning* directions - so easy ANYONE can do it, along with a multitude of other recipes, guides and canning instructions.  For safety, these recipes closely follow the USDA recipes, Ball Blue Book and/or those provided by major university extension services. Whenever possible, instructions also are provided to allow you to choose the options that are important to you; such as types of cooking equipment or choices in sweeteners: honey, Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures same as sugar; if you use another form, you will need do your own conversion) - or Splenda, if you prefer, , fruit juice or sugar. Look for the recipes, pages and directions that are new in 2026 with NEW! next to them!

    What's in season in April 2026, and other timely information:

    Notes for April 2026: Spring is here! The very brief Asparagus and Rhubarb season should be starting right now in many areas! Cherry picking and  Strawberry season is here or almost here.  It started in February in Florida, Texas, southern California and a few other areas of the Deep South; then March along the Gulf coast, April in the Deep South and west coast, May through much of the country, and June in northern areas. Blueberries are next, about a month later. Of course, cool weather crops, greens should be available almost everywhere. Check your area's crop calendar (see this page) and call your local farms for seasonal updates.

    Are carpenter bees boring holes into your house, shed or barn? There is a simple non-toxic solution !

    NEW! Start your own tomato, pepper, squash and other vegetable plants from seed - It's easy and costs about 50 cents per plant .
    Also see our Master list of tomato varieties,  with descriptions, details and links to ordering the seeds .

    You may also be interested in finding a local:

    We also have home canning, preserving, drying and freezing directions . You can access recipes and other resources from the drop down menus at the top of the page or the site search. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to write me! It is easy to make your own ice cream, even gelato, or low fat or low sugar ice cream - see this page . Also note, there are many copycat website listing U-pick farms now.  They have all copied their information from here and usually do not ever update.  Since 2002, I've been updating the information every day but Christmas; so if you see anything wrong or outdated, please write me!

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    All About Home Canning*, Freezing and Making Jams and Jellies

    Recipes and directions

    General Canning know-how

    Picking tips

    Easy and Illustrated Canning, Preserves and Jam Directions

    Jams, Preserves, Marmalades, Conserves and Jellies :

    You can use a water bath canner OR a Pressure Canner for all of these recipes:

    Fruit Honeys

    Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbets with your own fruit

    Sauces, Salsas, Syrups, Butters, Vinaigrettes and Chutneys

    You can use a water bath canner for these ( except for spaghetti sauce with meat!):

    Canning miscellaneous fruits and vegetables

    Some of these require a Pressure Canner to prevent potential spoilage and food poisoning, due to the low acid content of the food.  For others, you can use a water bath canner OR a Pressure Canner .  I've noted what's required for each, below, following each entry, with
    W for water bath,
    P for Pressure canner, and
    W, P for either may be used!

    Juices: canning fruit and vegetable juice s

    Pie Fillings

    Pickling Recipes - Including Relishes, Peppers, Okra, Beans and more

    You can use a water bath canner OR a Pressure Canner for these:

    FAQs: Click here for the page of frequently asked questions (with answers) about pickling and making pickles.

    Freezing instructions

    Canning Broths, Stocks and Soups

    Canning Meats

    These recipes come straight from the USDA.  I haven't tried them myself.  I'll admit I'm just not a fan of canned meat.  But if that's your thing, here are the safe, lab-tested recipes:

    Note: These require a Pressure Canner . There are no safe options for canning these foods in a boiling water canner.

    Venison Poultry Meat Products Seafoods

    Other Recipe sfor fresh or frozen use

    Miscellaneous food storage and preparation

    Did I miss a recipe?

    • And write me , if you want directions for something I've missed.

    Easy Dehydrating Instructions

    See the photos and links at right for a good and inexpensive food drier.

    See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon

    Canning, Freezing and Drying Equipment and Supplies

    Trivia

    Canning Books, Supplies and Accessories

    These are my favorite essential canning tools, books and supplies. I've been using many of these for over 50 years of canning! The ones below on this page are just the sampling of. my preferred tools. but you can find much more detailed and extensive selections on the pages that are linked below.

    The All New Ball Book Of Canning And Preserving: Over 350 of the Best Canned, Jammed, Pickled, and Preserved Recipes Paperback

    This is THE book on canning! My grandmother used this book when I was a child.; It tells you in simple instructions how to can almost anything; complete with recipes for jam, jellies, pickles, sauces, canning vegetables, meats, etc.

    If it can be canned, this book likely tells you how! Click on the link below for more information and / or to buy (no obligation to buy) The New Ball Blue Book of Canning and Preserving

    Canning and Preserving for Dummies by Karen Ward

    This is another popular canning book. Click here for more information, reviews, prices for Canning and Preserving For Dummies

    Of course, you do not need to buy ANY canning book as I have about 500 canning, freezing, dehydrating and more recipes all online for free, just see Easy Home Canning Directions .

    Home Canning Kits

    I have several canners, and my favorite is the stainless steel one at right. It is easy to clean and seems like it will last forever. Mine is 10 years old and looks like new.

    The black ones are the same type of standard canner that my grandmother used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and spaghetti sauce.

    This complete kit includes everything you need and lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, Jar grabber tongs, lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel, labels, bubble freer,  It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. It's only missing the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book .

    You will never need anything else except jars & lids (and the jars are reusable)! 

    The complete list of canners is on these pages:

    Pressure Canners for all stovetops

    Pressure Canners

    If you plan on canning non-acidic foods and low acid foods that are not pickled - this means: meats, seafood, soups, green beans corn, most vegetables, etc., then you ABSOLUTELY must use a Pressure Canner .

    Of course, you can use a pressure canner as a water bath canner as well - just don't seal it up, so it does not pressurize. This means a Pressure Canner is a 2-in-1 device. With it, you can can almost ANYTHING.

    There are also other supplies, accessories, tools and more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here !

    Basic Canning Accessories

    From left to right:

    1. Jar lifting tongs  to pick up hot jars
    2. Lid sanitizer / lifter - to remove lids from the pot of boiling water (sterilizing )
    3. Lids - disposable - you may only use them once
    4. Ring - holds the lids on the jar until after the jars cool - then you remove them, save them and reuse them
    5. Canning Jar funnel - to fill the jars

    FREE Illustrated Canning, Freezing, Jam Instructions and Recipes

    Don't spend money on books. that you don't need to. Almost everything you can find in some book sold online or in a store is on my website here for free. Start with the Easy Home Canning Directions below. That is a master list of canning directions which are all based upon the Ball Bblue book, the National Center for Home Food Preservation and other reputable lab tested recipes. Almost every recipe I present in addition to being lab tested com. is in a step by step format with photos for each step and complete. explanations. that tell you how to do it, where to get the supplies and pretty much everything you need to know. In addition, there almost always in a PDF format so you can print them out and use them while you cook.

    [ Easy Home Canning Directions ]

    [ FAQs - Answers to common questions and problems ]

    [ Recommended books about home canning, jam making, drying and preserving! ]

    [ Free canning publications to download and print ]

    McSunley Stainless Steel 21QT Canner, Any Stovetop

    Pressure Canners for all stovetops

    Looking for canning equipment and supplies?

    Water bath canner with a jar rackWater bath canner with a jar rack

    Electric pressure canner

    Pressure canners for gas, electric and induction stoves : Presto 23Qt or T-fal 22Qt

    Best scoop ever for canning and cookingCanning scoop (this one is PERFECT)

    Ball Blue Book Ball Blue book (most recent version)

    Jars: 8oz canning jars for jams

    Lids: Regular canning lidsCanning lids

    Wide mouth canning lids

    Want to start your own Podcast, Blog, Vlog, etc? This GoPro kit has EVERYTHING you need : all accessoriesGoPro HERO13 Black Creator Edition


    Find Other types of farms:

    Easter egg hunts

    Children's consignment sales

    Farm markets and roadside stands

    Road trips and camping resources

    Local Honey , apiaries, beekeepers

    Local Meat, Milk and Eggs

    Consumer fraud and scams information

    Home canning supplies at the best prices on the internet!

    Maple Syrup Farms , sugarworks, maple syrup festivals

    Environmental information and resources

    Farms For Your Event for birthday parties, weddings, receptions, business meetings, retreats, etc.

    Festivals - local fruit and vegetable festivals

    Pumpkin patches and corn mazes

    Christmas Tree Farms and lots


    Get themost recent version of
    the Ball Blue Book


    Canning and preserving, making jams, salsa, sauces, pickles, etc is SO easy with our step by step directions ! Just about all you need is a canner and canning jars!

    Presto 23 quart pressure canner and pressure cooker , you can "can" everything, fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies, salsa, applesauce, pickles, even meats, soups, stews. Model 01781
    Pressure Canners for all stovetops

    Water Bath Canners: You can make jams, jellies, can fruit, applesauce, salsa and pickles with water bath canners, like this Granite Ware 12-Piece Canner Kit, Jar Rack, Blancher, Colander and 5 piece Canning Tool Set
    McSunley Stainless Steel 21QT Water Cath Canner, Any Stovetop

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