Rich and Spicy Applesauce

When the boys returned from a visit to their grandparent's house in VT. last weekend with a 1/2 bushel bag of fresh from the tree, organically grown apples, it could only mean one thing....time for some homemade applesauce!  Making your own applesauce is so easy to do, and the quality of the end product so far better than ANYTHING you can buy in a store, that we haven't bought a jar of applesauce in many years.

This particular recipe is from the book Blue Ribbon Preserves: Secrets to Award-Winning Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and More by Linda J. Amendt, and is one I settled on a few years back as it yields a sauce that is packed with a flavor reminiscent of homemade apple pies, and turns out a sauce that is the most delicious shade of pale pink.  You will need a few special pieces of equipment, such as an Oxo Good Grips Food Mill to separate out the apple skins once the fruit has been cooked, a Waterbath Canner , and a collection of Large Mouth Pint Mason Jar .   None of this stuff is very expensive, and with the exception of the jar lids which can only be used once, all of it is reusable and will last forever.

Muppet, who is an absolute applesauce fiend helped with this dish, working the food mill like an old pro, and of course, tasting, and tasting, and tasting, and tasting, and tasting, and tasting, and tasting the warm applesauce prior to canning to make sure it would be up to her high standards, and safe for everyone else to eat.  What a conscientious young lady, always looking out for the health and safety of others.  ;-) 

Use any kind of fresh local apples you have handy, we used organic Cortlands and loved the result.

Cheers - Steve

Recipe:

Rich and Spicy Applesauce

by:Linda J. Amendt

(Print Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients:

7 Pounds apples

2 cups apple juice

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Method:

• Rinse the apples in cool water, core and chop them into large chunks
• In an 8 quart pan, combine the apple juice and granulated sugar, place over medium-low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Add the apples and turn the heat up to medium high, bringing the mix to a boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover and cook until the apples are soft, 15-20 minutes.
• Press the apples and juice through the food mill, discarding the skins.  Return the apple pulp to the pan, and over medium-low heat, add the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Stir until all the sugar has dissolved, then turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mix to a boil.  Reduce the heat, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens, 15-20 minutes.
• Ladle the applesauce into prepared jars, cap and process in a hot water bath at 200 F degrees for 20 minutes.  CLICK HERE for complete step-by-step instructions on how to properly bottle and process your applesauce.
• This recipe will make 5 pint jars, and can be easily doubled (in fact, I recommend that you do)