applesauce making

[Tim Shenk]

we've just picked a few bags of apples at a farm in the catskills and are now back in Ithaca wondering what to do with a kitchen full of apples!

does anyone have applesauce making equipment we could borrow? (we have a canner) we would of course share the bounty and would love company as well!

Tim and Alicia

[Erik Shanton]

I have a food strainer that makes quick work of apples, and you are welcome to borrow it.  Let me know if you are interested!

Erik

[Jennifer Maffett]

Well you don't really need special equipment but there are options ...

Simplest: Peel and core apples and put them in a big pot (like a spaghetti pot) and cook slowly until it looks like applesauce.

Next up: Use a slow cooker. That's how my neighbor does it.

Or: Use a juice steamer. That's what we just started doing. You get juice in the bottom and in the top all the pulp is left. For this we leave the skin on.

Or: Pressure cook the cored and peeled apples. My Dad did this almost every week for the last few years of his life. Delicious!

We never feel the need to add sugar, but you can. And I had an Aunt who would add ketchup so it looked rosier. Not sure about that one!

 

[Susan Verberg]

What kind of equipment do you think you need :)

 

When I make apple compote, which is chunky apple sauce, I might use an apple peeler (tho a regular potato peeler works just as well) to take the skins off and a hand corer to take the core out (or a knife). Then I cut the apples in quarters or half quarters, slowly boil them to mush and use a potato crusher to mash them. If you want to go fancy, add a can of shredded pineapple! Then can according to your instructions...

 

Or the easy way, core the apples but leave the skin on except for bad spots. Cut into quarters and half quarters and slowly boil to mush. Use a stick blender to blend it all to sauce. This works well with pears as well.

 

Easy on the cleaning, as in none, but hard on the arm, is to boil the cut apples with core and peel and then use a tomato strainer to separate the sauce and the skins/pits. I prefer the blender, much easier on the arm :)

 

[Tim Shenk]

thanks all for your suggestions! i quartered all of the apples and then was able to borrow a foley food mill to separate the skin and seeds. tasty!