Thursday, September 2, 2010

Carnival #182 - Apple Sauce

Welcome to the carnival! The Make it from Scratch carnival is your chance to share your projects. I hope you join us by linking up at the bottom of this post.

The peak of apples season is just around the corner. Depending on the variety of apples available to you, you may find them plentiful now. You can pick your own or purchase them in quantity for a good price. There are so many wonderful things you can make with apples to consume now, or to preserve for later. If your family eats applesauce like mine does, applesauce will be at the top of the to make list.

Making applesauce is very easy. It really is just cooked mushed apples. If you are making quantities to preserve, it does take a bit of time, but is a simple process. A good firm, slightly tart variety of apple make the best sauce in my opinion. Transparents are wonderful, but I usually have more Golden Delicious available to me, and that is what I use.

First quarter the apples. No need to peel or core. Place them in a large pot with enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. Cook on medium high heat. Be sure to stir periodically and to scrape the bottom. A little bit of scorching will change the flavor of the whole batch. When the apples are very mushy, they are ready to be processed.

A Sauce Master makes quick work of the apples producing a nice thick sauce and removing all the seeds and peels. If you don't have a Sauce Master, the cooked apples can also be pushed through a sieve to remove the unwanted parts. Alternatively, apples can be peeled and cored before cooking. They will cook to a mush with stirring.

Applesauce freezes and cans well. To freeze, sweeten the sauce if desired, and fill containers; freezer boxes, jars, or even recycled containers like yogurt ones work well. Be sure to leave plenty of head space (about an inch) for the sauce to expand as it freezes.


To can the applesauce, heat the sauce and sweeten if desired. Pack into clean hot jars, and put lids on. My canning book recommends 1/2 inch head space. I've found that an inch head space really works better. Jars can be sealed with a pressure canner or in boiling water. Pressure can at 6 pounds pressure, 8 minutes for pints and 10 minutes for quarts. Or process in boiling water 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.

Trouble Shooting
The biggest problem I have had with canning apple sauce is the jars oozing out apple sauce when I removed them from the pressure canner. The jars still seal. The sauce is still good, but it makes a big sticky mess. Here are some tips to help avoid that problem:

  • Leave extra head space.
  • Make the sauce a bit thinner.
  • Let the jars cool longer in the canner. It seems to be the sudden temperature change that causes the oozing. Letting the jars cool slowly has been the best fix for the problem.
Need more apple ideas?
Apple Ginger Preserves
Crockpot Apple Butter
Apple Cider Vinegar
Canning Sliced Apples
Apple Pie Filling

Don't forget to enter our Nakano Giveaway. Win $35 gift card, Nakano seasoned rice vinegar, and a recipe booklet. Drawing is tomorrow.

Stephanie is a mom, homeschooler, homesteader in the hills of West Virginia. Find more of her adventures at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood.

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Link up your recipes, crafts, garden projects, yarn creations, home improvement, or other d-i-y posts. Posts about making something, or helpful resources and tips for making things are what we are all about.


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13 comments:

  1. The applesauce looks great, someday I really need to learn how to can. My seven year old eats applesauce everyday, I'd save a fortune if I could make it!

    Thanks for hosting. :)

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  2. Julie,
    If you don't feel comfortable canning, try freezing a small batch or two. It really is easy to make and yummy!

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  3. Hi,
    I'm new to canning, and I think you may have answered one of my questions.
    I've canned several types of fruit (and have applesauce on the stove as I write!), but the other day I canned damsons and must have left insufficient head space; the HWB water was a delicate pink colour and the syrup had overflowed the jars. The lids did seal though- concave and couldn't lift them off, so that means they're alright to keep, doesn't it?
    I hope you don't mind me asking, and thank you for the tips on canning applesauce- I'm looking forward to having it ready to eat this winter!

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  4. I have to say that I'm not comfortable with canning yet either, but I do make simple homemade applesauce that you can freeze. Thanks for tips - I'm definitely ramping up to try canning this fall! Here is my simple recipe for applesauce: http://www.diyreviews.net/2010/how-to-make-applesauce/

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  5. Great post, as ever! :)

    Oh and I've just given you an award: http://englishpaganincanada.blogspot.com/2010/09/additions-and-award.html

    Enjoy! :)

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  6. Hazel, If they are sealed they should be fine I think. But I would probably try to use the concave ones first.

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  7. The applesauce does look really yummy! Im going to try my hand at some later this week with some fresh apples from the orchard!!

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  8. Thank you Stephanie, that helps!

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  9. I have used my own for tomato marinade and the apple company marinade and I really like it. I used it also for the apple company marinade and I found my mixer created the product I desired, but over all I really like the Sauce Expert.
    Italian Kitchen

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  10. Which screen did you use to make your applesauce? I have a Saucemaster and will be using it to make applesauce, but wasn't sure which screen would do the best job. Thanks for your help!

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  11. Which screen did you use to make applesauce? I have a Saucemaster too, but didn't know which screen would work best. Thanks for your help.

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  12. the original screen. I've not tried it, but I think you could use the salsa screen for a chunkier applesauce.

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