Two large market bags full of apples! These were actually picked several weeks ago and I’m finally getting around to posting how I used these beauties up.
I decided applesauce was the way to go. These weren’t the sweetest apples and they weren’t very pretty either. I love applesauce and for some reason never seem to buy it, so I’m hoping with a constant source available I’ll be eating it more.
I checked out a few recipes and then just blundered my way through without one. Seriously, applesauce is wicked easy! And if you simply quarter the apples and toss them in the pot without peeling and coring, even easier! Just make sure you have a food mill handy. If you don’t, no worries, just peel and core the apples and dump them in the pot.
This is a food mill. For applesauce use it to separate the skin and seeds from the pulp. Use it for mashed potatoes! Cook those potatoes with the peel and then use the food mill for a chunky mashed potato.
First wash the apples and then cut them in to quarters or even a bit smaller if you want. I used about 2-3 cups of water depending on how full I filled up the pot. I think I used a 12 quart pot or something like that. Cover the pot and cook the apples over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Watch those apples break down. I just cooked the apples until they were pretty mushy. I scooped the apple pulp in to my food mill to separate the pulp from the skins and seeds.
Put the apple pulp back into the pot. I cooked it down a bit more because these apples seemed to be pretty watery and I wanted to get rid of some of the water.
Taste the pulp before adding any sugar. Depending on the type of apples you use and how sweet you want your applesauce will help determine how much sugar to add. These were pretty tart apples so I started with one cup of sugar and then added 1/4 cup at a time until I had the sweetness I wanted. Seriously, taste test! I also added about 1 tablespoon or so of cinnamon. I love the taste of cinnamon in my applesauce.
I ended up with a dozen large jars and about half a dozen smaller jars of applesauce. I made some plain and some with cinnamon, just in case I wanted to use the applesauce for baking…like applesauce muffins or cookies. Yum yum!
A Little of This and a Little of That 