homemade applesauce?

[RainbowSprinkles]

Anyone make their own applesauce? How do you do it and what do you need? How do you store it?

[Truscifi]

We make our own applesauce and can it. We usually get 70lbs or so of apples in the fall. We have a hand crank saucing machine that makes it super easy. We just core and quarter the apples, boil them until soft, run the through the saucer, warm them on the stove and add butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then can them in quart size mason jars. We add a little lemon juice to the jars and water bath them. Our applesauce is so much better than store bought!

[hmvaughan4]

I peel, core, and slice the apples. I put them in a crock pot with some cinnamon and sometimes brown sugar. When they're soft, I either mash them with a potato masher, or use a mixer. I freeze them in freezer bags or Ball freezer jars. DS2 loves it, DS5 is convinced it's not real applesauce. :)

[sylvi76]

We just peel and cut up apples, cover just barely with water and slow-steam them till soft. Them mash and serve!

[OrganicAnn]

Our new apple trees we hope will begin producing next year, so we don't make it now but will.

 

If you are making a lot, you can buy an apple peeler (crank spins the apple around and peels it). We will be freezing. Growing up we always had frozen apple sauce.

 

Applesauce is not something that I think of as "better" homemade. So if you don't have trees or a good source, I would just by organic applesauce and save your time for other more important things.

[StephanieZ]

My dh makes apple sauce every fall. He slices them in half, then puts them to simmer with a bit of water. When they are soft, he puts them through the amazing strainer attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer. It spits the seeds and skins out one way, and all the heavenly mush the other way. He doesn't add a thing to it. Just puts it in freezer containers and freezes it. HEAVEN. We make tomato juice the same way for use in soups, and/or cook it down some for tomato sauce. That kitchen aid attachment is THE BOMB and makes it 10000 times faster than if you have to peel/core/seed stuff. (I know . . . We've made it that way, too.)

[FriedClams]

We just peel and cut up apples, cover just barely with water and slow-steam them till soft. Them mash and serve!

 

:iagree: We add cinnamon, too. I use Fuji apples and they don't need any sugar. The only problem with the applesauce is that it gets eaten SO FAST and it cooks down so much it's depressing!

[ereks mom]

I peel, core, and slice apples, then cook them in a saucepan with a little butter and a touch of cinnamon until they're soft. Sometimes I sprinkle a little sugar over the apples as they cook. We like chunky applesauce, so I don't mash or puree the apples. I've only made applesauce in small quantities--enough to serve as a side dish for supper. I don't measure anything, but for my family of 4, I usually cook 4 apples, and I add maybe a tablespoon or so of butter and just a dash of cinnamon & sugar.

[Truscifi]

My dh makes apple sauce every fall. He slices them in half, then puts them to simmer with a bit of water. When they are soft, he puts them through the amazing strainer attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer. It spits the seeds and skins out one way, and all the heavenly mush the other way. He doesn't add a thing to it. Just puts it in freezer containers and freezes it. HEAVEN. We make tomato juice the same way for use in soups, and/or cook it down some for tomato sauce. That kitchen aid attachment is THE BOMB and makes it 10000 times faster than if you have to peel/core/seed stuff. (I know . . . We've made it that way, too.)

 

I use my saucer for tomato juice and sauce too! If you want to make large quantities, it is just so much easier with the saucer. It used to take us 3 days to make a year's worth of applesauce, now we can do it in 1.

[bookfiend]

I peel apples, core (with the divider thingy), run through the food processor until it is very finely chopped and somewhat liquid, dump all in the crockpot with sugar and cinnamon to taste. I like pre-chopping before the crockpot step because an extraordinary amount of apples can fit in this way, maybe 15 lbs.

 

Cook all day, occasionally stir, put hot into sterilized canning jars. I have no idea if this would actually overwinter as it doesn't last that long in our home.

[bookfiend]

My dh makes apple sauce every fall. He slices them in half, then puts them to simmer with a bit of water. When they are soft, he puts them through the amazing strainer attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer. It spits the seeds and skins out one way, and all the heavenly mush the other way. He doesn't add a thing to it. Just puts it in freezer containers and freezes it. HEAVEN. We make tomato juice the same way for use in soups, and/or cook it down some for tomato sauce. That kitchen aid attachment is THE BOMB and makes it 10000 times faster than if you have to peel/core/seed stuff. (I know . . . We've made it that way, too.)

__________________

 

 

 

just curious - the seeds don't make the sauce bitter? Do the skins give off a lovely pink color?

[Shelly in IL]

I core and dice them and cook with some sugar til soft, then mash with hand masher. I freeze in family sized freezer bags. The peels make it a lovely pinkish color. They stay red and it doesn't change the flavor and it is easier.

[milovany]

Haven't read other replies, but after years of trying almost every method out there, here's my quick and easy:

 

Use the simple 8-slice slicer thing to cut up apples to fill a pot. You can cut the slices smaller if you want to (optional). Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water. Cook until slightly softened and then whir with hand blender. Fill canning jars and process in water bath canner. (If I had room, I might freeze in square plastic containers.). No, I don't peel (you can't tell in the final product if you whir well), and no, I don't add anything else. Using a variety of apple flavors is interesting, but not necessary.

 

Other things I've used and no longer do because the above is easier/faster:

Apple corer/peeler/slicer

Vittorio strainer/grinder

Using a blender to whir raw apples

[FaithManor]

I make homemade every autumn. My children like it slightly tart, so we use honey crisps or braeburns. I add 1 tbsp of ascorbic acid (vitamin-c) to a half bushel of diced apples. It helps keep the applesauce a nice ivory color instead of turning brownish.

 

I peel, dice and cook until it is done through. I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the pot so it doesn't scorch, however, I do stir pretty much constantly just in case.

 

I do not add any sugar or honey. When it has cooled, I put it through the blender because the boys like it really fluffy and on the occasion that I use it in baked goods, I do not want it lumpy.

 

I then fill up pint containers and freeze it.

 

No fancy recipes here.

 

Faith

[JustGin]

I do, every fall. I use the fruit and veggie puree attachment on my KA mixer. I don't add anything to the sauce, don't even peel the apples. Just cut them, cook them until soft and feed through the attachment. The apple "poop", a sausage like finger of peel, seed, etc, comes out the end, and the lovely applesauce goes into a bowl underneath. I put the sauce in ziplock containers and freeze.

I like to mix Jonagold, Granny Smith and Honey Crisp if I can, though sometimes the Honey Crisp are too expensive. I usually do these in a 3/1/1 porportion, with 3 being the Jonagold.

 

:)

[JustGin]

My dh makes apple sauce every fall. He slices them in half, then puts them to simmer with a bit of water. When they are soft, he puts them through the amazing strainer attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer. It spits the seeds and skins out one way, and all the heavenly mush the other way. He doesn't add a thing to it. Just puts it in freezer containers and freezes it. HEAVEN. We make tomato juice the same way for use in soups, and/or cook it down some for tomato sauce. That kitchen aid attachment is THE BOMB and makes it 10000 times faster than if you have to peel/core/seed stuff. (I know . . . We've made it that way, too.)

 

:iagree: Totally!! I also use it for making strawberry puree which we freeze to make freezer jam as needed all winter and in smoothies. Yum!

[Rbsmrter]

Our new apple trees we hope will begin producing next year, so we don't make it now but will.

 

If you are making a lot, you can buy an apple peeler (crank spins the apple around and peels it). We will be freezing. Growing up we always had frozen apple sauce.

 

Applesauce is not something that I think of as "better" homemade. So if you don't have trees or a good source, I would just by organic applesauce and save your time for other more important things.

 

I'd definitely invest in an apple peeler. I found a great one for $19 on Amazon. When I do make applesauce, it makes things SO much easier. Peeling and coring the apples used to be my excuse for not doing it, so now I'm out of excuses :001_smile:

[5kidsforME]

I make homemade every autumn. My children like it slightly tart, so we use honey crisps or braeburns. I add 1 tbsp of ascorbic acid (vitamin-c) to a half bushel of diced apples. It helps keep the applesauce a nice ivory color instead of turning brownish.

 

I peel, dice and cook until it is done through. I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the pot so it doesn't scorch, however, I do stir pretty much constantly just in case.

 

I do not add any sugar or honey. When it has cooled, I put it through the blender because the boys like it really fluffy and on the occasion that I use it in baked goods, I do not want it lumpy.

 

I then fill up pint containers and freeze it.

 

No fancy recipes here.

 

Faith

 

Same thing here. Different processing method, but I also add nothing to my applesauce but ascorbic acid.

[Rbsmrter]

My dh makes apple sauce every fall. He slices them in half, then puts them to simmer with a bit of water. When they are soft, he puts them through the amazing strainer attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer. It spits the seeds and skins out one way, and all the heavenly mush the other way. He doesn't add a thing to it. Just puts it in freezer containers and freezes it. HEAVEN. We make tomato juice the same way for use in soups, and/or cook it down some for tomato sauce. That kitchen aid attachment is THE BOMB and makes it 10000 times faster than if you have to peel/core/seed stuff. (I know . . . We've made it that way, too.)

 

I thought I had it easy with my peeler/corer, but this sounds AMAZING! I've always been a little put off by the price of the KA attachments, but this sounds like it would be so useful.

[5kidsforME]

My dh makes apple sauce every fall. He slices them in half, then puts them to simmer with a bit of water. When they are soft, he puts them through the amazing strainer attachment to the KitchenAid stand mixer. It spits the seeds and skins out one way, and all the heavenly mush the other way. He doesn't add a thing to it. Just puts it in freezer containers and freezes it. HEAVEN. We make tomato juice the same way for use in soups, and/or cook it down some for tomato sauce. That kitchen aid attachment is THE BOMB and makes it 10000 times faster than if you have to peel/core/seed stuff. (I know . . . We've made it that way, too.)

 

 

This is exactly how I make it except I add ascorbic acid and can it. Love it! Wondering if I should forgo the ascorbic acid?

[Dustybug]

same as many pps. I peel, core and slice the apples, add them and a little water to a pot, boil them until soft, add a little cinnamon and voila! :)

[pfamilygal]

Peel and core. Throw in the Vitamix with cinnamon and a TBS of lemon juice. Puree and repeat. MMMM!

[Daisy]

We just peel and cut up apples, cover just barely with water and slow-steam them till soft. Them mash and serve!

 

Similar to how we do it though I don't cover the apples with water. Sometimes I throw them into the crock-pot also. Works great.

[FriedClams]

I peel apples, core (with the divider thingy), run through the food processor until it is very finely chopped and somewhat liquid, dump all in the crockpot with sugar and cinnamon to taste. I like pre-chopping before the crockpot step because an extraordinary amount of apples can fit in this way, maybe 15 lbs.

 

Cook all day, occasionally stir, put hot into sterilized canning jars. I have no idea if this would actually overwinter as it doesn't last that long in our home.

I'm going to try this tomorrow! Great idea to pre chop them!! Thanks!!

[cjzimmer1]

We make our own applesauce and can it. We usually get 70lbs or so of apples in the fall. We have a hand crank saucing machine that makes it super easy. We just core and quarter the apples, boil them until soft, run the through the saucer, warm them on the stove and add butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, then can them in quart size mason jars. We add a little lemon juice to the jars and water bath them. Our applesauce is so much better than store bought!

 

I have a different brand but the same concept. It makes it so easy to make sauce. Quarter the apples, throw in large stockpot (peelings, seeds and all), add a little bit of water, cook until soft. Run through the amazing strainer and you have applesauce. I usually run the peelings stuff through a second time as I like my sauce thick and this pulls more of the meat off the peel. To give you a sense of how easy it is, I always recruit my 2 and 3 year olds to help make applesauce. They absolutely love that this is something they can make all by themselves.

 

Sometimes I freeze it but usually I can it because my freezer is so full of stuff that I can't can.

 

Our new apple trees we hope will begin producing next year, so we don't make it now but will.

 

If you are making a lot, you can buy an apple peeler (crank spins the apple around and peels it). We will be freezing. Growing up we always had frozen apple sauce.

 

Applesauce is not something that I think of as "better" homemade. So if you don't have trees or a good source, I would just by organic applesauce and save your time for other more important things.

 

See and I think applesauce is the one thing that is light years better homemade than store bought, that if I do nothing else as far as food preservation goes, I will still make applesauce.

 

Also while everyone else thinks those crank peelers are great, I've had terrible luck with them. Either they get stuck on the apple and gouge it, or they peel thick strips of flesh off with the peeling. I always end up hand peeling if I really don't want the peeling because the amount of time I have to spend messing with the peeler is longer than just doing it by hand.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Didn't get to look through all your answers to this thread so if you've already heard this, sorry. We core them and slice them with a handheld apple slicer (one of those cheap ones you get at walmart or anywhere) then put them in as many big pots as we have on hand and put water about half way up. Then we stick in two whole vanilla beans and two cinnamon sticks and let them boil and reduce. After this is done we seive them through one of those 20$ berry seives and taste... add brown sugar if needed and then can them in a water bath in quart size jars. It turns out so yummy and the vanilla is just perfect with the apples. We usually do 80lbs this way. It takes all day but is so worth it.

[bnbacademy]

I core and cook with a little water to prevent sticking, then run through a food mill of the "arm-strong" method, which my ds enjoys cranking. This mashes the pulp and separates the peeling. Then I add cinnamon, sugar, pour into canning jars and process in a water bath for 25 minutes.

 

"Arm-strong" aka hand-operated food mill: