Preserving a Harvest - Making Homemade Applesauce
Emma Rauschert - University of Illinois Master Gardener & Master Naturalist
One of the best ways to preserve summer produce before the first frost arrives is by canning. One thing I love to make that is far superior to the grocery store’s is applesauce. I have an old apple tree on my property that has blessed me with an abundance of apples. I wish I could tell you the variety, but the tree was planted long before I was born. I am guessing it is a Golden Delicious. If you can get your hands on some of them, they are THE best apples for applesauce. I recommend the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving if you have never canned anything but want to start. This book has a lot of information on safe canning methods, how to preserve foods, all the supplies you will need, and great recipes. Here is a great applesauce recipe to use up an abundance of fall apples.
The Best Applesauce Recipe (makes 7 quart jars):
21 lbs of apples
6 cups sugar
Apple cider (as needed)
7 tbsp lemon juice
Optional spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, cardamom, star anise (see notes)
Supplies:
Two 20-qt stainless steel pots
Food mill
Large glass blender
Jars, rings, and lids
Water bath canner
Canning jar lifter
Canning funnel
Ladle and wooden spoons
Gather all of your ingredients. Wash the apples, and clean all of your jars, lids, and rings. Get out your water bath canner. Put the jars in your canner and fill them with water. Cover an inch above the jars completely with water. Set the canner on the stove (do not turn the heat on yet).
Cut the apples up with a wedge stainless steel apple slicer and corer. Do not peel your apples; just cut them up and throw the slices into a 20-quart stainless steel pot. Cut out any brown spots.
Once the pot is half-full of apples, set it on the stove. Add apple cider to prevent the apples from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Heat the apples to a boil, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until soft and mushy.
Once the apples are mashed together nicely, turn off the heat and let them cool off for about five minutes.
Put the cooked apples into a large glass blender and puree them. Then, pour the apples into a food mill and process them. Place the food mill above a 20-quart stainless steel pot to catch the applesauce. The food mill removes the skins and any seeds or stems.
Process all 12 pounds of apples, adding them to the pot until there is a smooth applesauce. While you are processing, heat your water bath canner on high.
Add sugar, lemon juice, and spices to the 20-qt pot and stir at medium heat for about 10 minutes until everything is heated through. Keep the applesauce warm while filling jars. Do not let the apples at the bottom of your pan burn. Stir often.
Using the canning jar lifter, remove a couple of hot jars from your canner at a time. Dump the water out of the jars and into your sink. Ladle applesauce into the jars using the canning funnel, leaving ½ inch unfilled at the top of each jar (this allows for a bit of expansion within the jar). Wipe the rim of the jar with a paper towel to remove any applesauce residue. Place the lid on and screw on the ring.
Continue filling the jars, placing them into the canner when they are filled. Make sure they are completely covered with water by an inch. Put the lid on the canner and bring your canner to a boil. Let the jars sit in the boiling water bath canner for 20 minutes. Turn the heat off after 20 minutes and remove the canner lid. Let the jars cool off in the canner for 5 minutes, then take them out with the canning jar lifter and set them on a sturdy surface.
Your applesauce is finished and shelf-stable. The seal should last up to a year or longer. Enjoy your delicious, sweet applesauce!
Notes:
The apples I use are ones I find around the base of the tree that have fallen. These are the ripest, highest sugar content, soft, delicious apples. There are certain varieties that are better for applesauce, and you can mix apple varieties for a unique flavor. I recommend using Golden Delicious.
What to do with the apple scraps? I have made successful apple cider vinegar with them to use in other recipes, such as salsa.
I use 3 cups of dark brown sugar and 3 cups of raw white sugar, which adds a nice flavor.
In terms of a food mill, I use a stainless steel Nopro Chinois with a pestle and stand. This tool makes the consistency of the applesauce fantastically pure and smooth.
When it comes to your spice mixes, start with a tablespoon of whatever spice you want, add more, and taste as needed. I like to do 3 tbsp of cinnamon, 2 tbsp of ginger, and 2 tbsp of nutmeg.
If you do not want to can the applesauce, you can freeze it. Since frozen water expands, leave an inch of space at the top of each jar.
It is possible for opened jars of applesauce to last in the fridge for a couple of weeks, but this is unlikely, as the applesauce is so delicious it will be gone long before then :)