I've been asked exactly three times in the last week,"Now tell me, how do you make your applesauce?"
I'm no applesauce queen, but I tend to make a batch every year and the jars tend to diappear rather quickly.
If you are taking a leap into applesauce this year and you want to hear just how *simple* the process can be, join me...
We gathered apples from our own orchard this year, which was a huge treat! With three little nuggets running around, I was a pinch concerned about how many apples would actually be gathered at our annual apple picking and how many apples would be snacked on. Moms, you know what I'm talking about 2.5 bites in, "I wanted a red one, not a green one"... "can I pick another"... or the sly older kids simply drop their half-eaten treat on the ground to see how many bees will come calling.
Cool temps and apple trees right outside our front door are a gift from the heavens!!!
We filled a garden cart with apples on Monday evening. This afternoon, in the heat of the day, I sprayed them off with the garden hose and left them in the shade to dry.
Science. I filled a stock pot with apples and brought them in, along side the baby swing and set to work. Many folks ask if I use a pealer or if I peal my apples. The truth is that I peal exactly as many apples as my attention span will allow... usually not very many. Maybe half my batch is pealed. It is not science, do what you feel. I do not use a pealer, but I have in the past. As it happens, I fumble with the pealer and my hands operate the knife like a boss. So, knife for me. Pealer for you? We can still be friends.
Slices. The second most asked question that I field on the topic of applesauce is usually regarding the thickness of my slices or chunks. Again, not science. I grab the cleanest knife in the chicken, one of those handy-dandy plastic cutting surfaces (available at ikea, amazon, or target) and I park wherever my kids are playing. The cutting surface is sterile, the knife is clean, the apples are washed, and I go to town. As it stands, I like my applesauce like I like my babies *CHUNKY*! A chunky baby is a healthy baby, in my mind. Chunky applesauce is the real deal, as well. Either way, your apples will cook down if you chunk large and you'd like a smoother finish, grab a hand blender and mash that goodness a bit. Make a mental note that those apples with the skin still in place will cook down slower. Do your apples need to be pretty? No. They can have bumps and lumps and dimples and treasures of all kinds. What we don't want to mess around with is mold, insects, or bad bruising. If your Little One dropped the bag of apples on the way out of the orchard and you are cooking them down that evening, don't worry for the wear. If those same apples sat for a week and a half, but off the bruised portions and salvage the good flesh. You want your applesauce to last and that brown goodness will surely spread.
Cooking Down. Today I used my trusty dutch oven to cook down my apples.
Do you need le creuset? No.
Can I use a crockpot? Yes.
Can I use the large pot in my kitchen drawer? Yes.
I'm a big believer in using what you have. Applesauce is one of the most forgiving items to prepare. Use what you have. Cover the bottom of the pan/dutch oven/ crock pot with a bit of water, I'd say 1/4 - 1/2 inch, depending upon the amount of apples you are cooking. Add the apple slices and chunks. Stir occasionally, watch for the bottom to stick. If need be, add a bit of water to keep things moving. When the apples have cooked down to the consistency that you like, jar, freeze or eat!
Jars. Ever the canning questions. It doesn't matter what size or age jars you use for canning apple sauce. Don't use the fake tinted ones from the dollar store. I don't trust things with dye. Most importantly, make sure your jars and lids are CLEAN. For me, this means boiling them for at least five minutes before I add the golden sauce. Apple sauce is marvelous for beginners because the natural acidity means that you do not have to invest in a pressure cooker. Applesauce can be added to the jar, lid and ring applied and it will seal up just fine for the winter. If you are looking for more specific guidance on canning, check with the pros: https://www.freshpreserving.com/applesauce---ball-auto-canner-recipes-br1374.html
Additives. "Can I add pears, cinnamon, sugar or (whatever)?"
Sure. You can. Sometimes I do, but most often I leave apples alone. In my house apples stand alone. My children and my husband eat an apple or two every day. There is a jar of apple sauce opened every week. We have a bit of a *thing* for apples. Have fun, get creative, try different varieties and combinations, additives and storage methods. September is for apples!
Take home points:
-applesauce is easy to make
-choose unbruised and healthy apples for your sauce, even if they look funny
-chop and slice to your liking
-cover the bottom of your cooking dish with water, add apples, stir until your home is filled with the scents of the season
-make sure to clean (boil) your canning or freezing supplies
Enjoy.
I'm no applesauce queen, but I tend to make a batch every year and the jars tend to diappear rather quickly.
If you are taking a leap into applesauce this year and you want to hear just how *simple* the process can be, join me...
We gathered apples from our own orchard this year, which was a huge treat! With three little nuggets running around, I was a pinch concerned about how many apples would actually be gathered at our annual apple picking and how many apples would be snacked on. Moms, you know what I'm talking about 2.5 bites in, "I wanted a red one, not a green one"... "can I pick another"... or the sly older kids simply drop their half-eaten treat on the ground to see how many bees will come calling.
Cool temps and apple trees right outside our front door are a gift from the heavens!!!
We filled a garden cart with apples on Monday evening. This afternoon, in the heat of the day, I sprayed them off with the garden hose and left them in the shade to dry.
Science. I filled a stock pot with apples and brought them in, along side the baby swing and set to work. Many folks ask if I use a pealer or if I peal my apples. The truth is that I peal exactly as many apples as my attention span will allow... usually not very many. Maybe half my batch is pealed. It is not science, do what you feel. I do not use a pealer, but I have in the past. As it happens, I fumble with the pealer and my hands operate the knife like a boss. So, knife for me. Pealer for you? We can still be friends.
Slices. The second most asked question that I field on the topic of applesauce is usually regarding the thickness of my slices or chunks. Again, not science. I grab the cleanest knife in the chicken, one of those handy-dandy plastic cutting surfaces (available at ikea, amazon, or target) and I park wherever my kids are playing. The cutting surface is sterile, the knife is clean, the apples are washed, and I go to town. As it stands, I like my applesauce like I like my babies *CHUNKY*! A chunky baby is a healthy baby, in my mind. Chunky applesauce is the real deal, as well. Either way, your apples will cook down if you chunk large and you'd like a smoother finish, grab a hand blender and mash that goodness a bit. Make a mental note that those apples with the skin still in place will cook down slower. Do your apples need to be pretty? No. They can have bumps and lumps and dimples and treasures of all kinds. What we don't want to mess around with is mold, insects, or bad bruising. If your Little One dropped the bag of apples on the way out of the orchard and you are cooking them down that evening, don't worry for the wear. If those same apples sat for a week and a half, but off the bruised portions and salvage the good flesh. You want your applesauce to last and that brown goodness will surely spread.
Cooking Down. Today I used my trusty dutch oven to cook down my apples.
Do you need le creuset? No.
Can I use a crockpot? Yes.
Can I use the large pot in my kitchen drawer? Yes.
I'm a big believer in using what you have. Applesauce is one of the most forgiving items to prepare. Use what you have. Cover the bottom of the pan/dutch oven/ crock pot with a bit of water, I'd say 1/4 - 1/2 inch, depending upon the amount of apples you are cooking. Add the apple slices and chunks. Stir occasionally, watch for the bottom to stick. If need be, add a bit of water to keep things moving. When the apples have cooked down to the consistency that you like, jar, freeze or eat!
Jars. Ever the canning questions. It doesn't matter what size or age jars you use for canning apple sauce. Don't use the fake tinted ones from the dollar store. I don't trust things with dye. Most importantly, make sure your jars and lids are CLEAN. For me, this means boiling them for at least five minutes before I add the golden sauce. Apple sauce is marvelous for beginners because the natural acidity means that you do not have to invest in a pressure cooker. Applesauce can be added to the jar, lid and ring applied and it will seal up just fine for the winter. If you are looking for more specific guidance on canning, check with the pros: https://www.freshpreserving.com/applesauce---ball-auto-canner-recipes-br1374.html
Additives. "Can I add pears, cinnamon, sugar or (whatever)?"
Sure. You can. Sometimes I do, but most often I leave apples alone. In my house apples stand alone. My children and my husband eat an apple or two every day. There is a jar of apple sauce opened every week. We have a bit of a *thing* for apples. Have fun, get creative, try different varieties and combinations, additives and storage methods. September is for apples!
Take home points:
-applesauce is easy to make
-choose unbruised and healthy apples for your sauce, even if they look funny
-chop and slice to your liking
-cover the bottom of your cooking dish with water, add apples, stir until your home is filled with the scents of the season
-make sure to clean (boil) your canning or freezing supplies
Enjoy.