It is that time of year again, apple season! The leaves are falling, the foliage is changing to the most beautiful fall colors and the weather is cooler. So, what better time to can applesauce for the winter. Prices for apples at your local farms are cheaper than at the grocery store. They are fresher and have not been coated with a shiny wax.
North Carolina happens to have some of the best apple orchards. I visited Deal Apple Orchards in Taylorsville, NC. It is off the beaten path, but well worth the peaceful country drive. The staff was very friendly and helpful. If you haven’t visited a local apple grower I highly recommend going now. The season is almost over.
Equipment and Ingredients:
Apples (approx. 50 small to medium)
Cinnamon
Jar grabber
Tongs or lid lifter
Jar funnel
2 large pot 8-10 quarts each
Large spoon
Ball jars with lids and rings
1 Water Bath Canner
KitchenAid stand mixer with the vegetable and fruit strainer (Sieve or Foley Food Mill will work but more labor intensive. You will also need the Food Grinder tray.
The first step is to wash the apples in cold water. Then core apples and put everything even the core in the large pot. The pot should have 1 inch of water in it.
Place the pot on the stove on high. Once it starts to boil turn it to medium. Let the apples cook until they all cook through. I cooked my apples longer than necessary but it made a smooth applesauce verses chunky.
While apples are cooking wash and boil glass jars and lids. This will sterilize the jars and lids. You can also use the dishwasher if it has a sterilization cycl
e.
Lock your KitchenAid and place the attachments according to the instructions. Turn mixer on speed four, position mixing bowl under fruit and vegetable strainer and put cooked apples through food tray. The strainer will separate the sauce from the waste. It is an amazing
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I highly recommend purchasing the KitchenAid attachments if you have the mixer. If you will be baking and canning often it is well worth the price. If you do not have the mixer the investment is priceless and the mixer will last a lifetime.
If you have not placed your mixer on the side of the kitchen sink that has the garbage disposal
place a container in the sink to catch all of the waste.
Place the applesauce in a large pot and place on low heat to keep it hot. If you are using the apples to bake with do not add sugar. It will be difficult to know how much sugar to use later. I did add approximately 2 tablespoons of cinnamon to the 8.5 quarts of applesauce. If you are making it to eat you can add sugar and more cinnamon to taste. Put applesauce in the hot sterilized jars with the funnel. Fill jar, but leave a ¼ inch space at top. Make sure the lip of the jar is clean before placing the lid on the jar.
After the lids are on the jars, (I could only fit 7 in my canning pot.), place jars in water bath. If you are above sea level (up to 1000 feet) boil pint jars for 15 minutes and quart jars for 20 minutes covered. If you are above 1000 feet follow the recommended process times. To see recommended increase(s) in process time for applesauce in a boiling-water canner, click here.
Keep remaining applesauce on low heat while the first jars are boiling. Once it has boiled for the correct timeframe take the jars out with the jar grabber and place them in a cool dry place. You will eventually hear the jars pop. This means the jars have been properly sealed. If a jar top, when pressed in, pops up and down it has not been processed properly. The best thing to do is immediately refrigerate and enjoy the fruit of your labor.
The final yield was 10 pints and 2 quarts. That is a nice yield for approximately 50 apples. Enjoy.
