Homemade applesauce

Start with apples! Use a variety of apples to get a unique flavor. This time I used Golden Delicious, Ida Red, and a few Galas. Wash them in plain cold water. We will not be peeling them (how easy is that?!)

Next, use an apple wedger to cut apples. If the apples are really big, slice them down a little further to cook down easier.

Fill a large pot as high as you can (the apples will cook down, a lot!). Put a little water or unsweetened apple juice in the pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan so they won't stick.

Cover and cook on low until they are soft. Stir them around every few minutes. See how much they cook down?

When they are soft, we will run them through a food mill. If you do not have a food mill, you will need to peel the apples. A Foley Food Mill runs about $20 and is a wise investment for many canning projects and or making baby food, etc... Just an FYI: I try to buy one new thing for canning each year. Make this tops on your list :o) BUT, if you do not have one, and will not be getting one anytime soon, you can still do this. Before I got mine, I would just peel the apples, do everything else the same and then mash them with a potato masher. Makes for chunky applesauce but that's okay, still yummy!

Get the kids involved! Hand cranking is not terribly hard, but it can wear out your arm if you are processing a lot of apples. They are excited to help and you've saved your arm :o)

Here is a peak at what the finished product looks like. Depending on the type of apples you used, you may not have to add sugar. If you use a combo of tart apples, you will need more sugar. With this combo, I did not have to add any. Cinnamon is always good.

Finished applesauce. You can either eat it now, can it, or make apple butter with it (or all of the above). Apple Butter calls for UN-sweetened applesauce...if you are planning on making apple butter, do not add sugar to the applesauce. Hopefully that made sense?

Next week, I will post how to make apple butter and can it.