The apple harvest was abundant this year! With the rising cost of groceries, having a backyard apple tree can be a real money-saver, especially if your kids love having applesauce for snacks and in their lunches like mine! I have filled my pantry with more than 20 pints of homemade applesauce, and it was so easy! Here’s how….
What you need:
- 6qt non-reactive kettle with lid
- Peeled and cored apples, enough to fill the pot.
- 2 cups apple juice or water (adjust for desired consistency)
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2/3 cup (or less) sugar
- Jars for canning, or containers to freeze it in. (yields about 6 pints)
Make It:
- Peel and core the apples until you have filled your stock pot.
- Mix ¼ cup lemon juice into the 2 cups apple juice or water and pour it over the apples. This will minimize browning.
- Add the sugar (to taste).
- Heat the apples over medium heat, covered, until they become soft. Using a mix-n-chop utensil works best. Potato masher works okay as well.
- Cook and mash the apples to your desired consistency of sauce. Use an immersion blender for a smooth puree. A food mill also works, but you need to work fast or you'll get more browning.
- Your sauce is done cooking when it is your desired consistency, and any chunks are soft. This takes about 20 minutes. Leaving the sauce under-cooked will result in browning over time. If the sauce is too thin, cook it down longer. If it is too thick, add a bit more apple juice or water.
- Your applesauce is ready to eat or store!
Storing:
Applesauce will store for 4+ weeks in the fridge no problem, especially in smaller containers such as quarter-pint or half-pint jars. It also freezes well in ziplock bags or plastic containers, but freezing does change the consistency and it can brown a bit when it thaws. My family prefers it canned in mason jars, stored in the pantry. Here’s how….
- Fill a water bath canner with enough water to cover the tops of the jars you’re using (pint or half-pints are my preferred, but quarts work too if you’ll use that amount quickly once it’s opened). Turn the burner on high to get the water boiling.
- Fill your jars with the hot applesauce. Wipe the rims clean and put your lids and rings on finger tight.
- Place the jars on the canner rack, lowering them into the boiling water. Cover the canner and set your timer for 20 minutes.
- After the time is up, turn off the heat and let the jars sit about 5 minutes just until the boil stops.
- Once the water bath is no longer boiling, raise the rack up out of the water, letting the jars rest in the canner on the rack until the sauce inside stops bubbling and boiling.
- Once the jars have rested and are no longer bubbling, go ahead and lift them out of the canner using a jar lifter. Set them on a dish towel placed over your countertop and leave them undisturbed for 24 hours to seal. Put any jars that don’t seal in the fridge to enjoy.
That’s it! Homemade applesauce, so simple and easy…and delicious! But wait! Don’t throw out those peels and cores! Use them to make apple juice or apple scrap vinegar! And don’t forget to jump into the Home Instead facebook group for more recipes and homestead-life community.
Be well,
Jackie
Some links may be affiliate links. See full disclosure here.
0 Comments