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4 from 1 vote

Homemade Dutch Oven Apple Cider

This homemade apple cider is the perfect way to bring the cozy flavors of fall into your home. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a warm, comforting drink that’s great for chilly days.
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:4 hours
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple cider, apples, fall drinks
Servings: 2 quarts

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs apples about 8-10 medium-sized apples
  • 1 orange sliced
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 2 quarts water 8 cups
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar

Instructions

Apple Cider Instructions

  1. Prepare the fruit: Wash the apples and orange thoroughly. Cut the apples into quarters, leaving the skin intact. Slice the orange into rounds, leaving the peel on.
  2. Combine ingredients: In a large dutch oven (or crockpot), place the apple quarters and orange slices. Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks, brown sugar, and allspice. Pour the 2 quarts of water over the fruit and spices.
  3. Simmer the cider: Place the Dutch oven over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally, pressing the fruit with a spoon to help release the flavors.
  4. Mash the fruit: After 2 hours, use a potato masher or the back of a spoon to mash the apples and orange slices in the pot. This helps extract even more flavor into the cider. Let the cider simmer for another 2 hours.
  5. Strain the cider: Carefully strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into another pot or heat-safe pitcher, pressing down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
  6. Serve: Serve the apple cider warm, or let it cool and refrigerate for later. You can reheat it as needed or can for long term storage.

Canning Instructions

  1. Sterilize your jars: While the cider is simmering, prepare your canning jars. Wash them in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Sterilize the jars by placing them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Keep the jars hot until you’re ready to fill them. Also, prepare the lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions, typically by simmering them in hot water (not boiling) for 5 minutes.
  2. Reheat the cider: After straining, return the cider to the pot and bring it to a boil. Boil the cider for 5 minutes to ensure it’s hot when you pour it into the jars.
  3. Fill the jars: Using a jar funnel, carefully ladle the hot cider into the sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2-inch headspace at the top. This headspace allows for proper sealing. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.
  4. Seal the jars: Place the prepared lids on the jars and screw on the bands until they are fingertip tight. Be careful not to overtighten, as this can prevent proper sealing.
  5. Process the jars in a waterbath canner: Place the filled jars in the waterbath canner, ensuring they are covered by at least 1-2 inches of water. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, then start timing. Process pint jars for 10 minutes and quart jars for 15 minutes. If you’re at an altitude above 1,000 feet, you’ll need to adjust the processing time (typically adding 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level).
  6. Cool and check the seals: After processing, carefully remove the jars from the canner using a jar lifter and place them on a towel-lined surface. Let the jars cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Once cooled, check the seals by pressing down on the center of each lid. If the lid doesn’t flex or pop back, the jar is sealed correctly. Any jars that didn’t seal properly should be refrigerated and used within a week.
  7. Store the jars: Label and date the sealed jars. Store them in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cellar. Properly canned and stored, your apple cider can last for up to a year.