Name: Thrive! NCHE Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-05-22T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-24T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Winston-Salem, NC

This topic has 9 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 7 months ago by Sue.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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September 29, 2011 at 3:31 pm
my3boys
Participant
So, I’m reading Understood Betsy (to myself) and absolutely love it! I have to reread it to the boys one of these days. Well, she just learned how to make applesauce and now I HAVE to make some. Call me a bad mom, but I’ve never made homemade applesauce before. I found some recipes on the internet but was wondering if any of you ladies have a “tried and true” recipe that your whole family loves. Thanks in advance.
September 29, 2011 at 3:38 pm
jeaninpa
Participant
Well, there are several ways to do it. Probably the easiest is to core, peel and slice your apples. Put them in a mircrowavable container, cover and cook until they’re soft — cooking time will depend on how much you’re making. Add sugar to taste, and voila! This would make a chunkier applesauce. If you like it smoother you can push it through a colander. Be sure to choose apples that bake well, some don’t get soft very easily.
If you want to make a huge batch, you do the same thing except cook them slowly in a heavy pot on the stove. You might need to add a little bit of water to keep them from sticking. You could also cook them in a crock pot or in the oven. The basic idea is to get them soft.
September 29, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Monica
Participant
Applesauce in the crock pot is great! We prepare before bedtime and then just let it cook on low the whole night. Yum!!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spiced-slow-cooker-applesauce/detail.aspx
September 29, 2011 at 4:09 pm
thepinkballerina
Participant
This is the only recipe I’ve used and LOVE it. We eat it alongside potato latkes and sour cream for Hannukah fun. 🙂
Sarah’s Applesauce Recipe
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/sarahs-applesauce/detail.aspx

Tara
September 29, 2011 at 4:19 pm
my3boys
Participant
Thanks ladies. I knew you all would have plenty of recipes to choose from. Love the crockpot ones….think I’ll try those first.
September 29, 2011 at 4:20 pm
sara p.
Participant
Here is the recipe I use to make delicious applesauce that also freezes very well. It will make app. 25 quarts so note when making it. I just made 50 quarts to freeze. My family loves it! I do use Back to Basics food strainer and sauce maker. Amazon has them for $49. Your local farm store may have them also. Trust me, it is worth the $. I use mine for all kinds of fruits and veggies.
First go to your local orchard and ask for 2 bushels of the seconds (it is cheeper this way) of the following:
Jonathon, Mac Intosh, Gala, Delicious & Courtland.
Bring large pots of water to a boil and put in your apples whole (do nothing to them). Boil until soft.
Then run them through the food strainer/sauce maker. It does all the work for you. You are left with the sauce. I then just keep making it until I fill a large stainless steel bowl full and add 3 C. sugar and sprinkle cinnamon all over the top. Then I put it in plastic quart containers and freeze. It is so easy! Hope this helps.
September 29, 2011 at 4:42 pm
pangit
Participant
When I make applesauce I never add sugar. I just use a mixture of apples, usually 2 or 3 different kinds. I chop them in quarters (no peeling or coring), steam them with a little water or apple juice in bottom of pan, then run them through a vitorio strainer. You could peel and core them and put them in your blender. Then I put them in quart jars and can it. When using a variety of apples I have not needed to add sugar. Then when we want cinnamon applesauce I just add it to it at the time.
I like to use Jona-Gold’s or Jonathon, Golden Delicious, Ida Red’s, and Honeycrisp. Usually I’ve used Jona-Gold and Golden Delicious because they are easier to get. I was thinking of trying Gravenstein this year, but don’t know.
I do not like Fuji apples for applesauce. Even after adding sugar it wasn’t very good, but the sugar definately helped those ones.
September 29, 2011 at 5:06 pm
my3boys
Participant
Wow! You ladies are awesome! Thanks for the variety of suggestions.
September 29, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Shannon
Participant
I make quick batches of applesauce when we eat pork chops and invariably I ended up scorching it so that it has a caramelized taste that we’ve grown to love! The flavors are more complex so now I intentionally scorch it to make it just how we love it best.
Shannon in NC
September 30, 2011 at 3:13 am
Sue
Participant
Isn’t that funny? I never would think to cook the apples for applesauce in the microwave!
I guess it just seems…..uncivilized. (LOL!)