Making Apple Cider at the Farm
Be sure to tune in to HGTV Wednesday at 8pm ET for another fun episode of "Martha Knows Best."
Last week, during the premiere of Season 2, I made delicious apple cider - I hope you caught the show. Every autumn, after picking all the wonderful apples around my Bedford, New York farm, I always take out the press and make this refreshing juice - everyone at the farm loves to help. We use the American Harvester double-tub cider press and grinder from Happy Valley Ranch in Dothan, Alabama. There’s something so gratifyingly simple about the good, old-fashioned cider making process. It’s not only fun, but it produces a tasty and healthy drink.
Enjoy these how-to photos.
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- I’ve had this manual press for about 10 years. It is designed to grind and squeeze at the same time. This “American Harvester” model consists of a hand-crank grinder affixed to a basket press. The grinder, pressing screw, and flywheel crank are all made of durable cast iron.
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- The apples used don’t have to look pristine, but they need to be free from spoilage, which would cause the juice to ferment too rapidly. They should also be well-washed, so they’re ready to go through the press.
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- The drum has stainless-steel grinder teeth. Looking closely, one can see the small blades – they are very sharp.
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- The flywheel is an 18-pound cast iron wheel attached to the grinding shaft. This allows the operator to turn the drum which grinds the apples.
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- The tub where the apples fall after going through the grinder is called the hopper.
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- The hopper catches the apple pulp while this tub is used for pressing.
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- These wooden slatted panels catch the apple pulp that doesn’t land in the collection buckets.
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- Once all the equipment is set-up, the apples are cut in half and dropped onto the rotating drum. The embedded teeth grind up the apples as they are placed into the chamber.
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- The rotating drum works very quickly to chop up fruits. This process is best done with two people, so one can drop the apples as the other turns the wheel.
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- The grinds fall out into the mesh covered container – the apples are very finely chopped.
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- It takes quite a few apples to fill the tub. Once the tub is filled with apple pulp – skins, seeds and cores – the pressing process can begin.
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- The basket press relies on a large screw to add pressure to the crushed apples, or pomace, that are in the tub.
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- The screw pushes down on this press plate that is placed on top of the chopped apples. The pressing disk is made of maple wood.
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- The screw is a one-and-a-half inch thick cast iron threaded acme screw – an industry-leading thickness that can withstand the pressing pressure needed.
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- It takes some strength to turn the screw efficiently. The 2×4 piece of wood helps add more torque. The hardwood tubs have beveled staves which make them easy to clean. They measure 12-inches high, 13-and-a-half-inches in diameter and are supported by steel hoops.
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- As the apples are compressed, the juice flows out of the sides, through a downspout, and into a collection vessel below.
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- A bushel of apples makes about three gallons of cider. A bushel of apples typically holds about 125 medium apples.
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- The froth should be removed before pouring the cider into glass jars. Do you know the difference between apple cider and apple juice? Juice has already been filtered to remove any solids or sediment, and then pasteurized to extend its freshness. Fresh cider is pure, raw juice from the apples.
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- I add a step, which is to strain the cider through three layers of damp cheesecloth. This removes all the foam.
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- Look how beautiful the cider is – such a rich, amber color. To pasteurize, heat the cider to at least 160-degrees Fahrenheit and no more than 185-degrees for at least 10-seconds. After pasteurization, cider can be frozen for longer storage.
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- After all the juice from the fruit is extracted, the screw is turned counter clockwise to raise it, the pressing plate is removed and all the compressed apple pulp is emptied into a bin and set aside for my chickens – they love pecking at the scraps.
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- Pure, fresh apple cider made from crisp, sweet, organic fruits – it is so refreshing.
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