Rhonda's Canned Apple Pie Filling

I found this recipe on Allrecipe.com. My first time making it, so there may be adjustments as time goes by. Looks like a nice, rich pie filling. In the original recipe, it calls for 4 1/2 c. white sugar, and because I'm keeping refined sugar out of our diet as much as possible, I've substituted 2 c. honey. That may get revised after this attempt, but so far my experience has been that honey in half or less of the amount of sugar called for is about right. After reading the comments folks had left on the recipe I tweaked the amounts on the spices as well. We'll see how this turns out. I'm a rookie canner.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 40
• Yields: 5 quarts

Ingredients

• 6  lbs apples
• 2  cups honey
• 1  cup cornstarch
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 10  cups water
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. In a large pan, mix honey, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add salt and water and mix well. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add lemon juice.
2. Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water.
3. Peel, core, and slice apples. Pack the sliced apples into hot canning jars, leaving a 1/2 inch headspace.
4. Fill jars with hot syrup, and gently remove air bubbles with a rubber spatula or the handle of a wooden spoon.
5. Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes. Remember to add additional time at altitude.