Making apple cider can easily become a fun family weekend event. Nothing is better than making a healthy homemade product that tastes delicious. Kids will have fun grinding the apples while learning some safe kitchen techniques. Below is a simple recipe, some safety tips, and a few local spots to purchase apple cider to compare to your own.

How-To Make Apple Cider:

First select ripe apples to use for your apple cider. Try Freedom Liberty apples with Asian pear for a smooth, sweet cider. Wash the apples prior to grinding which release the juice from the apples. If you are planning to make a small batch of cider, cut unpeeled apples into quarters and use a food processor to grind the apples. For larger batches, use a cider mill. Put the apple mash in a cheese cloth bag and then place it in the cider press. Pressure should be applied slowly and evenly. Before drinking your cider, be sure to pasteurize it to kill bacteria to at least 160oF for one minute. The cider can be stored in the refrigerator of about a week. For longer storage freezing is recommended. Be sure to leave about 2 inches from the top of the container so the cider has room to expand.

Here are some tips for making safe homemade apple cider:

• Start by washing your hands and sanitizing the equipment you are using
• Make sure the apples you are using have no visible signs of decay
• Wash the apples to ensure they are clean prior to grinding
• Pasteurize your cider by heating it to at least 160oF to kill and bacteria
• To prevent any container from breaking, pour the pasteurized cider into warm jars
• For immediate use or up to a week, store the cider in a refrigerator using glass containers. When storing the cider for longer than a week, freeze the cider in sturdy glass containers leaving about two inches at the top so it has room to expand
• When children are making cider, always be sure they are accompanied by an adult
  

A few places to purchase apple cider in Rhode Island are:

• Hill Orchards in Johnson, RI
• Jaswell’s Farm in Smithfield, RI
• Sunset Orchards in North Scituate, RI
• Briarbrook Farm in East Greenwich, RI