Do you have apples turning soft? Turn those apples into delicious homemade applesauce and stretch your grocery budget at the same time. You will find a printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Homemade applesauce is not hard to make and unlike most sauces found in the grocery stores it’s made without chemicals.
First, gather your apples. I used ten pounds of apples but you can use any amount. I peel and core my apples because I don’t enjoy the texture on apple peel bits in my applesauce.😊 I used a spiral peeler shown below.
However, if your apples are too soft this peeler will only frustrate you! In that case, I would recommend the “old school way” – a knife and cutting board 😊
Next, get a pot and cover the bottom of the pot with water approximately 1 -2 cup. Fill the pot with the apple slices.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring occasionally. If the apples start to stick to the bottom of the pot you can always add a little more water. Cook until the apples are tender about 5-20 minutes depending on what type of apple was used.
Once the apples are soft and mushy, I use an immersion blender to create a soft consistent texture.
While the applesauce is still hot add sugar to taste and any other seasonings you prefer like cinnamon or cloves. This is also the time to add lemon juice if you are planning on canning your sauce. ( 1T of lemon juice per 3 pounds of apples)
I planned on refrigerating my sauce so I simply added 3/4 cup of sugar to my large pot of apples. Return the sauce to a boil until all the sugar and seasonings are incorporated.
Take into consideration that applesauce tastes sweeter when it’s cold so error on the side of less sugar.
Applesauce lasts in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks- which is what we did this time around. We haven’t had homemade applesauce in months so this batch won’t last long around here. But, It can also be frozen in single serve containers as a go to lunch box item.
Canning is an option as well making the applesauce shelf stable. Remember, you will need lemon juice to the applesauce for added acid. There is great canning recipe in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
Hope you enjoy the homemade applesauce as much as we do! 🍎
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