Fall Apples

Canning Organic Applesauce

I am very fortunate to have a grandma who supplies me with beautiful produce all summer and fall.  My Dad comes to visit me in Grande Prairie once a month, and always has a car filled with goodies from Grandma's garden.  This last visit included pickling cucumbers (which I used to make the Bread and Butter Pickles yesterday), as well as two giant bags of apples.  My husband LOVES fresh applesauce with pork chops, so applesauce it is!

Applesauce is very simple to make... All you really need is apples and lemon juice.  Peel and core them, and make sure to put all the slices in a lemon-water bath to prevent browning.  Cook the slices in a large pot with a lid, and use either lemon juice or Fruit Fresh to make sure they don't discolour.  When everything's all soupy and bubbly I like to give it a quick once over with the immersion blender before packing the sauce into sterilized jars. Then process in a boiling water bath for 15 mins.  You can always add fun stuff and be creative with your applesauce... cinnamon and a hint of brown sugar perhaps.  Or while the apples are cooking add in some frozen strawberries to make strawberry applesauce.  Leaving it plain adds to its veratility though, and I often sub out half the fat in baking recipes with my homemade applesauce!