How to Make the Perfect Homemade Canned Applesauce
Applesauce is a delicious and versatile treat, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or as a side dish. Making your own applesauce is easy and allows you to control the sweetness and texture. Plus, canning it lets you enjoy the flavor all year round! Here's how to make the perfect homemade canned applesauce:
Ingredients You'll Need:
- Apples: Choose a variety of apples that you enjoy for applesauce, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji. You'll need about 8 pounds of apples for this recipe.
- Water: About 1 cup of water to help soften the apples during cooking.
- Sugar: Add sugar to taste, depending on the sweetness of your apples. You can use white sugar, brown sugar, or honey.
- Cinnamon: This classic spice adds a warm flavor to the applesauce. You can also add other spices like nutmeg or allspice.
- Lemon Juice: A small amount of lemon juice helps to brighten the flavor and prevent browning.
Instructions:
1. Prepare Your Apples:
- Wash and peel the apples. You can core them or leave them in, as you'll be blending the sauce later.
- Cut the apples into chunks, about 1-inch thick.
2. Cook the Apples:
- In a large pot, combine the apples, water, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until the apples are tender and easily mashed.
3. Make the Applesauce:
- While the apples are still hot, use a potato masher or an immersion blender to puree them until you achieve your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness and spices as needed.
4. Can the Applesauce:
- Sterilize your jars: Wash jars and lids in hot, soapy water, then place them in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. This will ensure they are sterile before filling.
- Fill the jars: Carefully pour the hot applesauce into the sterilized jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace.
- Remove air bubbles: Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.
- Seal the jars: Place the lids on the jars and tighten the rings until they are fingertip tight.
- Process the jars: Place the filled jars in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. This process seals the jars and ensures that the applesauce is safe to eat.
- Let the jars cool: Once the jars are done processing, carefully remove them from the water bath and let them cool completely.
5. Store your applesauce:
- Once cooled, check the lids for proper sealing (they should be concave and not pop back up).
- Label the jars with the date and store them in a cool, dark place.
Tips for Success:
- Use ripe apples: Choose apples that are ripe but not overripe.
- Adjust sweetness to your liking: You can add more or less sugar depending on the sweetness of your apples.
- Experiment with spices: Don't be afraid to add other spices like nutmeg, allspice, or even ginger.
- Use a food mill: For a smoother applesauce, you can use a food mill to remove any chunks.
- Can in smaller batches: If you're new to canning, it's helpful to can in smaller batches to make sure you get the hang of it.
Enjoy your delicious homemade canned applesauce!
