There are very few amenities here in rural Indiana—and that ’ s separate of what we like about it—but we are very fortunate to have an incredible apple grove about 10 minutes from our front doorway. Every fall, you ’ ll find us in the orchards picking bushels and bushels of our favorite apple varieties .
Apples are one of the very best fruits around for preserving. You can store apples for months long-run and distillery have crisp, juicy yield to eat in the depths of winter. You can make delicious apple jellify. You can turn apples into apple proto-indo european filling to make pies a breeze to make. And of course, there is my darling way to preserve apples—applesauce ! Canning folderol is a breeze to do ( it ’ s a great displace project for beginners ), and the resulting canned homemade applesauce is bang-up for side dishes, desserts, baking recipes, smoothies, and more. Let ’ s indicate you how to can applesauce at home plate !

First up, are applesauce and apple puree the same thing?

sometimes you might see a recipe that calls for “ apple puree, ” but rest assured, that ’ s basically the same thing as folderol, and you can use them interchangeably. The only dispute is that apple puree is constantly pureed wholly legato and free of lend boodle or flavors, whereas applesauce can have a variety of textures, added boodle, and added flavors ( like cinnamon ) .

What are the best apples for applesauce?

I ’ m a big believer that the best apples for folderol are the ones you have on hand and readily available ! But if you are headed out to an apple grove to do some pick, to get the best season, you are going to want a combination of different kinds of apples. We recommend doing a proportion of about 2/3 sweet apples to 1/3 sharp apples .

Wholefully Protip

If you are equitable going to pick one apple for folderol, Golden Delicious is a favorite ! It has a counterweight of sweet and prostitute, and the pulp cooks down evenly. many orchards flush sell “ utility program ” ( AKA : atrocious ) Golden Delicious apples on the cheap for just this purpose .

Does applesauce need to be pressure canned?

Applesauce is dependable to can in a waterbath canner with proper acidification. different varieties of apples have different ph levels ( some of which are not safe for waterbath can and some that are ), so to be on the condom english, we recommend adding lemon juice to every batch of applesauce .

Wholefully Protip

Adding lemon juice not lone makes applesauce condom to waterbath can, it besides adds a fantastic layer of light citrus flavor and helps to keep the apples from browning .

What are the best jars for canning applesauce?

Applesauce is fabulously elastic when it comes to the jars you can use. In these photos, we ’ ve canned our applesauce in Ball® Regular Mouth Pint Jars, but we ’ ve besides done folderol in the past in Ball® Regular Mouth or Wide Mouth Quart Jars without a problem.

Once opened, you do need to eat your folderol within about a week, so we recommend using the size of jar that corresponds to how a lot you can eat in that time frame. For our family of three, the Ball® Regular Mouth Pint Jars work well for us to have enough applesauce for a side dish for one meal .

How do you can applesauce?

If you have read through our canning primer ( or canned pickles or jam ), then you will be ready to can applesauce—it ’ s a breeze ! As we mentioned in our novice ’ south canning usher, constantly start a can project by cleaning your equipment, having everything in place, and preparing your urine bathroom canner. then, you can move onto making your folderol :

1. Prepare a treatment to prevent apple browning. You can either use Ball® Fruit Fresh in water or lemon juice in water.
2. Peel your apples.
3. Core and cut the apples into medium sized pieces.
4. Submerge the cut apple pieces in the browning treatment.
5. Transfer the apples to a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Add in just enough water to prevent scorching. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 20 minutes, until apples are tender (time will depend upon the variety of apple and their maturity). Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
6. Blend the apples into a smooth puree using an immersion blender, or transfer apples, working in batches, to a food mill or a food processor fitted with a metal blade and purée until smooth. Return the puree to the pan. Add the lemon juice. Ladle hot applesauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

How long does canned applesauce get processed?

action jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. When serve clock is up, remove the hat of the canner, and let jars cool for 5 minutes before removing from the canner to cool wholly .

Wholefully Protip

Make certain to check the jar lids for varnish after 24 hours. When the jar is sealed properly, the hat should not flex up and down when the concentrate is pressed. If it does bend, you can stash the applesauce in the electric refrigerator and corrode it within a workweek .

How do I make unsweetened applesauce?

The recipe below has the option to add sugar, but it is good that—completely optional. With the right mix of fresh and sharp apples, folderol is batch odoriferous on its own ! good leave out the boodle in the recipe .

Does applesauce have to be hot to can?

Yes, this recipe uses the hot-pack method—meaning the hot applesauce gets packed into blistering jars. not only does this prevent heat shock breaking your jars, but it besides ensures safe process times. The process meter listed in the recipe was tested using hot applesauce. Cold applesauce might not heat to high enough temperatures to kill microbes and make it shelf-stable .

How do I make chunky (or smooth) applesauce?

Feel complimentary to blend your applesauce into your preferable consistency.

What can I do with all these apple peels and cores?

well, I feed them to my identical felicitous chickens and worms, but if you don ’ t have any animals begging for your scraps ( and you don ’ thymine want to compost them ), there are lots of ways to get a second habit out of apple peels and cores :

• Make apple peel tea. Steep the peels in some boiling water for a mildly sweet tea that is wonderful with a cinnamon stick and some honey.
• Make apple liqueur. Similar to the method for homemade limoncello, just swap the lemon peels for apple peels.
• Make apple cider vinegar. Yup! You can make apple cider vinegar at home using your peels and cores in this simple fermentation project.
• Make apple wine. Use the peels and cores in a batch of homemade apple wine.

How long does canned homemade applesauce last?

If you followed the instructions below and got a good cachet ( the eyelid doesn ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate flex when pushed ), your applesauce will survive with top out timbre in a cool, dark spot for at least 18 months. After that, you might start to see some abasement of color, relish, or texture, but adenine long as the eyelid is inactive sealed properly, it is perfectly safe to eat .

Wholefully Protip

once you ’ ve opened a jolt of home canned folderol, store it in the electric refrigerator and corrode within a week .

How can you tell if canned applesauce is bad?

just like we encourage you in our can lead, trust your senses ! If you followed the instructions and got a good seal, and the folderol looks full, smells adept, and tastes good, you can assume it ’ s safe to eat. For any canned good, throw it out if the eyelid international relations and security network ’ t sealed or is bowing, or if you see evidence of mold growth in the jar .

Can you freeze applesauce instead of canning it?

absolutely ! In fact, folderol freezes beautifully. Just make sure to use freezer-safe jars when freezing your folderol, and entirely freeze to the deep-freeze line on each jar. Freezer-safe jars are the straight-sided jars like Ball® Wide Mouth Pint and a Half Jars or Ball® Wide Mouth Pint Jars .

What are some ways to use homemade applesauce?

now that you have an entire hoard of homemade applesauce, how can you use it all up ? We ’ ve got some great ideas :

• Eat it, of course! In the winter, you’ll always find a jar of our home canned fruit on the table as a side dish for most meals—applesauce being a kid and adult favorite. It’s a great side dish, school lunch idea, or snack!
• Mix it into a smoothie. Add some sugar-free sweetness and a hint of apple flavor to your favorite smoothie. Our Apple Pie Spinach Smoothie is a great place to start.
• Use it in baked goods. Applesauce is a good swap for some of the fat and sugar in your favorite baked goods. It adds moisture, flavor, and a nice boost of nutrition. Try it in our Whole Wheat Banana Bread, Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies, Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins, or Apple Butter Donuts.
• Gift homemade food gifts. When you start canning, you’ll quickly realize that everyone loves the gift of home canned goods! Just put a ribbon on a jar of applesauce and call it a present.
• Mix it into burgers. YUP! Applesauce adds just a touch of sweetness and a ton of moisture to burgers. We use it all the time in our Maple Bacon Burgers.

How to Can Applesauce

succumb :

8 pint (16 oz) jars

homework time :

40 minutes

fudge time :

40 minutes

total time :

1 hour

20 minutes

Went a fiddling overboard picking at the apple grove ? No worries, we ‘re going to show you how to can applesauce and stash your haul your months to come !

Ingredients

• 12 pounds apples, peeled, cored, quartered, treated to prevent browning (see notes) and drained (about 36 medium)
• Water
• 3 cups granulated sugar, optional
• 4 tablespoon lemon juice
• 8 Ball® (16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Instructions

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.  Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
2. Combine apples with just enough water to prevent sticking in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 20 minutes, until apples are tender (time will depend upon the variety of apple and their maturity). Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer apples, working in batches, to a food mill or a food processor fitted with a metal blade and purée until smooth.
4. Return apple purée to saucepan. Add sugar, if using, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Maintain a gentle boil over low heat while filling jars.
5. Ladle hot applesauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
6. Process jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Notes

• To treat apple slices to prevent browning, apply Ball® Fruit-Fresh® Produce Protector according to the manufacturer’s instructions, or submerge cut apples in a mixture of 1/4 cup lemon juice and 4 cups water.
• For Chunky Applesauce: Coarsely crush half of the cooked apples and purée the other half; combine mixtures

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

32

Serving Size:

1/2 cup

Amount Per Serving:

Calories:

161

Total Fat:

0g

Saturated Fat:

0g

Trans Fat:

0g

Unsaturated Fat:

0g

Cholesterol:

0mg

Sodium:

3mg

Carbohydrates:

42g

Fiber:

4g

Sugar:

36g

Protein:

0g

At Wholefully, we believe that commodity nutrition is approximately much more than precisely the numbers on the nutrition facts control panel. Please use the above information as only a modest part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you .

This post is brought to you by Wholefully partner Ball® Canning. The subject and opinions expressed here are my own. Want to be a sponsor ? Let ’ s knead together !