Preserving the Harvest -- Applesauce

October 12, 9:59 AMRichmond Gardening ExaminerMichelle Kruize

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Fall is here!! The weather is cooler, leaves are falling, and fall decorations are all around us.  With the onset of fall comes a whole new batch of fruits, vegetables and greens for harvest. 

One can't help but think of fresh picked apples when we think of fall.  Orchards are offering pick your own, grocery stores are lowering prices on many apples, and let's not forget our local farmers markets that are now offering VIRGINA GROWN, FRESH PICKED apples in all sorts of varieties for terrific prices.  The farmers markets are a great source for buying apples and produce in bulk.  Many vendors have special prices if you by over a certain amount of many fresh picked produce.  With prices as low as .75 cents a pound you can't go wrong in buying up 5 or more pounds of fresh apples to use now in your favorite dishes and preserve for later use all winter long.  Knowing what went into your food is priceless, and when you preserve your own you are in total control of what goes in.  You know only fresh, all natural ingredients went in.  You control the amount of sugars that go in to it....no need for nutritional labels.

I love quick, easy recipes.  I love wholesome, natural foods.  I love knowing what my kids are eating, and I know you do too.   Apples provide several ways to provide just that for your family.  Making your own applesauce is quick, easy, and such fun for the family.  It provides great snacks for the kids lunch, and a wholesome addition to your work lunch. 

All you need to make your own applesauce is a large pot, water, or apple juice, a knife, and a potato masher, food mill, or food processor.  An apple corer/peeler is very handy to have for this, but not necessary.  You can core and peel apples with a knife, but to speed up the process I suggest going to a place like Bed Bath and Beyond and using one of the many coupons we all receive in the mail for them to get an apple corer/peeler.  They cost new about $20 but I used a coupon and got mine for $15....TOTALLY WORTH IT!!  The time it saves will pay for the cost in just one batch!

4.5 pounds of your favorite apples--cored, peeled, and sliced in half

4 cups of  apple juice

or

2 cups of apple juice  and 2 cups of water

or

3 cups of water

Large enough pot to fit the apples.....I use a large soup pot

knife

food mill/potato masher/food processor

large bowl

containers to put the apple sauce in when it is done

Peel, core and slice the apples in half.  Add them to the pot with the water or apple juice.  Cook on medium heat for about an hour or until the apples start to break apart and are soft enough to mash up.  How soft you cook them depends on your method of mashing them.  If you are using a food processor you don't have to cook them quite as long as you would when using a potato masher or food mill.  When they are soft enough use your potato masher to mash them right in the pot to your desired consistency.  OR add a little at a time, juice and all, to the food processor, or food mill....grind to desired consistency and put into the bowl.  Repeat until all apples are turned into sauce.  You can then return the sauce to the pot and cook down a bit if you like a thicker sauce, or transfer to desired containers for storage.  Applesauce will keep for 2 or so weeks in the fridge, or you can put it into pint or quart canning jars to process for longer storage.

If you can your applesauce for longer storage, make sure you use clean, hot jars, hot applesauce, and NEW lids for your jars.  The bands can be reused, but the lids need to be new for best seal.  Process time is 5 minutes in a hot water bath canning method.  Test for proper seal within 24 hours of processing, label and store jars for later use.  Use jars that did not seal properly within 2 weeks and keep them in the fridge. 

Questions on canning are welcome, as I know I didn't go into much detail here.  Please email mkruize@kruizefarms.com with ANY questions you may have on canning or anything else.

I try every batch to can some for later use....but it never gets that far.  Every batch I have made is gone within a few days at most.  This is a great project for the family, as kids will go wild over making their own apple sauce.  What fun they will have telling their friends they made it themselves when they take it to school!

Good luck with this, and as always questions, comments and suggestions are always welcome!  mkruize@kruizefarms.com

Happy Fall!! Happy eating!!