Homemade Applesauce

By Pick-A-Pepper with Photographs by Rebecca Allen

These nice fall days are the perfect time to start turning apples into applesauce.  For relatively cheap you can often get bushels of seconds (the ones with bruises or bad spots) from local apple growers or sometimes even the produce manager at the grocery store.

Here is a simple recipe for making your own applesauce.  If you make a lot, you can can it and have some all winter.

 

Ingredients:

Apples

Optional- cinnamon and other spices, salt, sugar

 

 

Method:

Wash apples

Peel them and cut off any bad spots

*Note-if you want to leave the skins and cores in you can just chop them up and throw them in the pot, then use a food mill to remove the skins and seeds later

Remove cores and cut into bigger than bite size pieces, or slices

*Note- use an apple peeler and corer tool if you have one, if not a paring knife will work

In a heavy bottom pot, start the apples simmering with a little water in the bottom (maybe an inch or two).

Once the apples start heating up you can start mashing them a little with a potato masher or wooden spoon.

Cook until they are totally soft.

Allow to cool slightly then puree in batches in a food processor or blender.  You could also use an emersion blender.

Add cinnamon and other spices to taste.  Maybe a little lemon juice, salt, or sugar too.

 

To can:

Fill clean jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace

Put lids on

Process in boiling water for about 20 minutes

 

To find apple vendors in your area check out Pick-A-Pepper.com.

 

apples ready to peel