How to Make Applesauce

In my effort to get away from buying any more processed food than necessary, I have started canning and freezing. Apples are in season now, so it is time to stock up on applesauce for the coming year.

I buy apples from the Sunset Valley Farmer's Market. My aunt went to high school in Pennsylvania with the guy who sells them, so I feel a weird sort of connection and keep going back to him. He sells a wide variety of apples. I've found that for applesauce, what works best are the "seconds." Seconds are apples that aren't perfect and not recommended (at least by me) as eating apples. They are usually a mix of whatever varieties are selling at the time--right now that is Crispins, Jonathans, and Fujis to name a few (I can't remember the rest). Because the seconds need spots cut out of them, they are significantly cheaper than the other apples.

To make the applesauce, I simply cut out the bad parts and quarter or sixth the apples. I try to get slices of somewhat equal sizes. I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the largest pot I have and throw the apples in. The water is mainly to prevent scorching, the apples themselves generally have enough water in them to make the right consistency of applesauce (this of course also depends on how much of each variety you have---the red, sweet apples have more water, and the green, tart apples have less water--which is one reason green apples are better for apple pies. They don't turn to mush in pies as fast as the red ones). I bring the apples to a boil, and then simmer until the apples are soft.

Once the apples are soft, I set up my kitchenaid mixer using the food and vegetable strainer attachment. The advantage to this is that you do not have to core or peel the apples before making applesauce. The attachment spits all that out the small hole on the end, while the applesauce comes down a chute at the bottom of the attachment. The whole process takes more or less 45 minutes. While the applesauce is still hot (but cool enough to taste), sweeten as much or little as you desire with sugar and season with cinnamon if you want.

I buy the ziploc disposal containers, 2 and 3 c sizes, and fill them mostly full, allowing a little headspace at the top for the applesauce to expand as it freezes. I throw it in the freezer and then pull it out whenever we want applesauce for a meal. Easy.