Summer Harvest: Making Your Own Apple-Pear Juice

Summer has been kind this year — warm, sunny, and full of life. Especially in our garden, where the apple and pear trees are heavy with fruit. Seeing them hanging, glowing in the sun, my thoughts naturally drifted to one of the joys of the season: What can we make from all these fruits?

Last year, I went full in on homemade apple sauce and even tried my hand at a thick, rich apple syrup. Both turned out great — in fact, we still have jars in the cellar. So this year, I’m going a different route.

Then I remembered: we have a fruit juicer stored in the cellar!

Step 1: Harvest Time

Armed with my trusty fruit picker, I headed out to the trees. Within a short time, I had collected around 10 to 12 kilos of apples and pears. Since these are ecologically grown, with no chemical sprays or artificial fertilizers, I could skip washing and go straight to prepping.

But... as anyone who grows organic fruit knows — there’s one catch: insect checks. So, cutting the fruit becomes the most time-consuming part. Each apple and pear had to be checked carefully for uninvited guests before juicing.

Step 2: Juicing and Sieving

Once cut, the fruit goes straight into the juicer. Simple, satisfying, and aromatic. The juice comes out fresh, slightly cloudy, and topped with a foamy layer. To refine it, I pour the juice through a sieve cloth, filtering out pulp and foam. It takes a bit of time and patience, but the result is a beautiful, golden juice that already looks store-ready.

Step 3: Pasteurising — the Key to Long Storage

To store the juice safely for months, I pasteurise it in a weckkettle. The process is easy:

• Heat the sealed bottles at 85–90°C for 40–60 minutes.

• Let them cool slowly.

• Check that the jars are sealed properly.

That’s it — no preservatives, no added sugar, no nonsense.

Final Result: Pure Nature in a Bottle

The end result? Homemade apple-pear juice, packed with flavor and sunshine. It’s sweet, slightly tangy, full of life — and frankly, it tastes 100 times better than anything from the supermarket.

If you’ve got trees in your garden, or access to fresh, untreated fruit — give this a try. It’s a great way to use up your harvest, avoid food waste, and enjoy your own homegrown goodness all year round.

Want the pasteurising steps in detail, or tips for storing juice safely? Let me know and I’ll gladly share more!