I was recently surprised by my friends’ lack of applesauce knowledge:
Lee: I have too many apples. What should I do?
Me: Make applesauce!
Tom: You can borrow my food processor.
Me (loudly): She doesn’t need a food processor!
Tom: What do you use?
Me (shrilly): A knife!
Drew, Lee, and Tom: For applesauce?
Okay, this conversation is not very interesting. But it went on for a while. The point is, you don’t need any special equipment to make applesauce. Just a knife and a pot will do.
The Joy of Cooking recommends using a blend of two or three apples for this recipe.
Simple Homemade Applesauce
3 lbs. apples, peeled or unpeeled. Core and slice. Place in a heavy stockpot.
Add a little bit (1/4 cup) water or apple juice and a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Add spices such as cinnamon if desired.
Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add ½ cup sugar or honey if desired. I usually make completely unsweetened applesauce.
Mash with a wooden spoon for chunky applesauce. If you desire a completely smooth texture, run it through a food mill.
If you are making applesauce for baby food, we recommend omitting the sugar. Do not sweeten with honey for children under a year old. Mash to avoid large chunks that could present choking hazards, but don’t worry about getting it extremely smooth—most babies enjoy experiencing a variety of textures! Enjoy it as a Thanksgiving side dish, and freeze any leftovers for later.
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November 12th, 2009 at 8:49 am
It has always amazed me that people thought that homemade food is hard…..it’s harder to go to the store and buy a jar….of which you don’t really know the ingredients. I even have a fancy baby food maker from William Sanoma and never really used it. JUST COOK!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Now that is a perfect and easy apple sauce recipe. Let’s go for apple sauce, don’t let them rot inside the fridge or baskets. I’ve read that lot’s of the nutrients are in the skin, so I prefer the unpeeled applesauce. As we always say, An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I ended up just eating my apples day by day. I can’t be bothered to cut them up, see. But in case this happens next year, I am ready, knife in hand.
November 19th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
That is what I would probably do, too, Leah. Three or five pounds of apples wouldn’t last long in my household. If I had ten or twenty pounds–then I’d start making applesauce.