Homemade Applesauce

I never liked applesauce, that is until I tried homemade applesauce a few years ago that my sis-in-law had made. And like my in-laws, once one jumps on a wagon, the rest usually follow (which is pretty fun:)). So making applesauce is something we do now. I feel like I have a love affair with food! But it's because the real stuff is just so good. Local, fresh, and made in your own kitchen just doesn't beat the pre-made stuff. I will warn you that the recipe I use is different than maybe traditional because I don't peel the skin off, only because of using a Victorio food strainer. I borrowed this one so find someone you can borrow or take the skin off first and you'll have to put through a food processer (which I don't do).

Now, I will tell you that there is a trick to making the kind I am used to...and It's this food strainer. It's like magic. Makes it very easy... 

 

The skin and seeds come out this end and when you crank it, applesauce comes out the other side. 

Ingredients:

Bushel of apples (I used golden delicious which are sweeter and require little to no sugar)

apple corer/slicer or just a pairing knife

Victorio food strainer 

1 or 2 large pots

large cutting board

bowls

cinnnamon

brown sugar and white (if desired or you can make unsweetened)

Directions:

1. Set up your Victorio. It clamps onto something solid. I used the end of my countertop. 

2. Wash apples in sink then use your apple corer/slicer and start slicing away. I threw them into a bowl then transferred to a stock pot. 

3. Once your pot is full add a 1/4 cup water, keep lid off, and turn heat on to medium high. If you are using a large stock pot (I used a regular size that comes in a set of pans and then a stock pot) add 1/2-1 cup of water to your pan.

4. Stir often so all the apples cook evenly and don't burn. 

5. Once all the apples are soft, turn off and put into strainer. Turn the crank and out comes applesauce! It's fun for kids to help here.

6. 2 pots of apples made me a large bowl of applesauce. 

7. With the large bowl of applesauce add your cinnamon and sugar if desired. I used 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp brown sugar. I also did a batch of just cinnamon, both are good.

8. I used a funnel to easily put in jars, put the lids on and stuck in the freezer. 

9. Just repeat until you are out of apples!