HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
I’ve always liked applesauce but for several years I would just buy it from the grocery store forgetting how good the homemade applesauce was from my childhood. When I first started making homemade applesauce, I would go back to northern Indiana and my mom would help me make applesauce using an antique food grinder. As much fun as it was to learn from my mom, it was nice to start making my own applesauce and preserving it for future meals. If you or your family likes applesauce they will forever be grateful but be forewarned, homemade applesauce will most likely spoil their appetite for the store bought version.
Making applesauce is actually pretty simple, but can take some time if you are planning on preserving large amounts for the winter. If possible reserve one whole day that you and your family can work together to make the applesauce. Most of the time I only make 15-20 pounds of apples per session because this particular farm only has a couple bushels of “second” apples at the market. This last time I made 14 pounds which equaled six quarts of applesauce. If the apples are not organic or you know that they have been sprayed with pesticides/herbicides, I would recommend peeling the apples.
My directions for making applesauce are pretty general because you don’t have to make it exactly the same way that I do in order for it to be delicious and healthy. Most of the time I use whatever second apples, (the ugly and not perfectly shaped apples that fall to the ground) the farmers have because it is much less expensive per pound. If you are looking for a certain flavor profile I would suggest a sweet apple such as a RED or GOLDEN DELICIOUS or if you want it to be sweet and tart choose an apple such as MCINTOSH.
When it comes to preservation, there are several options. In the past I’ve used quart sized bags to freeze it but I am trying to eliminate the use of plastics. This year I used two methods: water bath & freezing. To freeze the applesauce I used glass jars that couldn’t be used for canning. If you do decide to use quart sized bags, make sure the applesauce is room temperature prior to filling the bags with it. If the applesauce is to hot, chemicals from the bags can leach into your delicious and healthy applesauce.
As always THANKS so much for stopping by: CHEERS TO A HAPPY & HEALTHY DAY!
HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE
Ingredients
- 14 LBS Apples Equals 5.5 Quarts Applesauce
- Cinnamaon Optional
- EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Crockpot and/or Soup Pot
- Glass Canning Jars or Quart sized ziplock bags
Instructions
- Clean apples by soaking them in water and vinegar, this helps get the dirt and chemicals off of the skin. If you use organic or local apples that aren't sprayed you don't have to use vinegar. I just use water and scratch off or cut off the bad parts. I don't peel my apples but would recommend peeling the apples if they are not grown without the use of chemicals.
- I cut up the apples in medium size pieces and put it in a 7 quart soup pot. You may used whatever size pot that you have, if you are making a bushel or more of applesauce having an even larger pot will help shorten the process. If you are making a smaller amount, you can also use a crockpot.
- Add no more than 1/2 cup water, place lid on soup pot and simmer on low heat until apples are complete mush as seen in the picture.
- I blend the applesauce in my vitamix, than dump it all in a big stainless steel bowl and allow it to cool before placing it in jars to either freeze or can.
- The color of your applesauce depends on whether you leave the peels on. If the peels are red than your applesauce will look similar to the picture above, but if they are green or the apples are peeled than the color will look similar to the applesauce in the jar.
- Some numbers to remember: 1 bushel of apples equals 40 pounds of apples. The last time I made apples, I had 14 pounds & it made approximately 5.5 quarts applesauce.