HOW TO MAKE APPLE SAUCE
Over the weekend we took the kids to a pick-your-own apple orchard in Wisconsin (Apple Holler). I’ve been thinking about making apple sauce for a while, and finally got a good reason. We picked half a bushel of honey crisp apples, which is my all time favorite sort, and ate probably close to a bushel while picking.
When you search for DYI apple sauce recipes – they all look so complicated! Peeling a bucket of apples? Why would I want to do that? Take my somewhat valuable time to eliminate the most valuable part of this fruit? Silly… Add sugar? No, thanks, apples have plenty of it.. I want apple sauce with one ingredient – apples.
I use this tool to simultaneously core and slice apples, it makes it so simple and fast!
The canning process is always so daunting when you read all the smart folks recipes. I remember that growing up in Russia we did a ton of canning in the fall. We didn’t count microbes, we didn’t wear lab gear. The main point of successful fruit canning was putting almost boiling preserves into clean, very warm jars. The jars need to be warm to prevent cold glass cracking from contact with hot substance. The boiling fruit takes care of the bacteria that can cause spoiling. Easy!
This apple sauce came out so delicious and creamy that my mom kept asking if I peeled the apples, or added butter to them. I explained to my Russian mother that in this country it’s not customary to add butter to apple sauce, but not sure she believed me..
- Apples, any amount
- A splash of water, optional
- Wash and core apples with the apple corer tool.
- Place in a pot. You can fill your pot to the top – it’ll cook down quite a bit.
- Turn it on medium until it boils, then turn it on low and simmer until the apples are very soft.
- Cool it down a bit.
- Transfer to food processor or blender, and mix until everything is very smooth.
- Put the mixture back into the pot and cook until it starts to bubble slightly.
- Pour the hot apple sauce into previously warmed up mason jars.
- Seal according to manufacturer’s instructions.
