Pickled chestnut crabapples hot packed to keep their texture. In my restaurant days, we would submerge the apples in the pickle liquid cold and keep them in the fridge.
Yield: 1 qt
Chestnut crabapplesas needed, peeled, stems attached, about 10 small apples
Instructions
Peel the apples, leaving the stems attached, dipping them in the cider vinegar as you peel them to keep their color.
Bring all ingredients to a simmer besides the apples, then add the apples and warm them through, but don’t cook too much.
Arrange the apples in a quart jar snugly while hot, then bring the pickle mixture to a rolling boil, and pour over the apples, filling the jar nearly to the brim, jiggling it a bit to remove air pockets.
Screw on the lid and turn the jar upside down to cool and seal. As long as the jar seals, the apples will be good for 12 months, otherwise refrigerate them and eat within a few weeks.
You can process the jars in a water bath for 15 minutes, but the apples will soften a bit which gives you less control when reheating and cooking them.