HOMESTEAD LIFE: APPLESAUCE
If you are looking for a way to start making some of your foods at home or even get into canning, applesauce it a great place to start.
4-5 pounds of apples ( I recommend Gala, Honey Crisp, or Pink Lady apples. They are all a sweet and firm variety)
Water
Sugar
Optional: Pressure Canner (I prefer the 23 quart Presto Canner)
Optional: Apple Corer Peeler (I highly recommend this if you are making large amounts of apple sauce. It makes the process much faster.)
Optional: Immersion Blender (This makes a smoother applesauce)
Using my Apple Corer Peeler, I peeled all of the apples and placed them in the crockpot. Since the peeler removes the skin and core and creates a spiral, I don’t really have to chop them. Save the core and peels to make syrup and jelly later on! I just keep them in a big freezer bag in my deep freeze until I’m ready to use them.
After all of the apples have been peeled, cored and sliced, place them in a crockpot or large stock pot. Cover the apples with water and add 1-2 cups of sugar or honey. If you want to see how sweet the apples are once they cook down, you can leave the sugar/honey until later and add it in if needed.
If you are using a crockpot, put the lid on and cook on low for about 3.5 hours. I do a quick taste test about half way through, if needed I’ll add more sugar/honey or I’ll just give it a good stir and put the lid back on.
If you are using a stockpot, you will do the same thing, but make sure to keep the heat low. You want it to cook slowly and you will need to stir it occasionally to make sure it is not burning on the bottom.
When the applesauce is done cooking, I like to use an immersion blender to make sure that all the big chunks of apple have cooked down. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can also achieve this with a whisk. Just be careful not to splatter since the applesauce will still be very hot. If you like a chunkier applesauce, you can just stir till well blended.
At this point you can enjoy your homemade applesauce. It stores in the refrigerator for 7-10 days. You can also freeze applesauce in airtight containers or if you want to preserve it for longer shelf life, I’ve provided the instructions on how to water bath can applesauce below.
Water bath canning is only for food items that are HIGH in acid, think tomatoes, berries, fruits, pickling vegetables. For more information on Water Bath Canning, this website gives a great introduction.
Apples have a higher acidity level, so they are safe to can using the water bath method.
To can applesauce:
Prepare jars and lids by sterilizing in boiling water.
Place canning rack on the bottom of the canner. In your pressure canner (or stockpot for water bath canning), fill halfway with water and bring to a slow simmer.
Fill sterilized jar to 1 inch head space. Use a bubble remover tool to go around the edges and make sure there are no bubbles in the bottom. Wipe rims. Secure lids and rings to fingertip tight.
Lower jars into water. There should be about 2 inches of water above the jars once they are all in.
Increase heat so that the water comes to a vigorous boil. Once boiling, place the cover on top and set the time to process pints or quarts for 20 minutes (adjusting for altitude). Turn heat down to maintain a gentle boil.
When time has completed, turn off heat and remove cover. Let canner cool for 5 minutes before removing jars.
Remove jars using the jar lifter. Place jars on a towel or cooling rack, 1 inch apart. Allow jars to cool naturally (and undisturbed) for 12 to 24 hours before checking for a seal.
Why do you can food?
I’m a modern homesteader. I have a small garden in the spring and summer that we eat fresh vegetables from. However when I’m thinking about creating a food reserve, I’m thinking about it in a very practical way for my family.
I only preserve items that my family consumes on a regular basis. We pull from our canning reserve regularly. We also replenish it regularly. Therefore I am always looking for sales on the things we eat on a regular basis or that I can use to make ready-to-go meals like chili, soups, meat bases (spaghetti meat, taco meat, etc.) and staple items that I use regularly in the kitchen.
Why do you can staple items like flour, milk and butter?
As grocery store prices continue to rise and grocery shortages continue to be a very real issue, I like the peace of mind knowing that my family is taken care of and that if I want to bake a cake or make bread, I’m able to do so.
Are you a prepper and building up a food reserve?
I like to refer to myself as a modern homesteader and when thinking about taking care of my family often revert back to the ways of the woman in Proverbs 31. My family very much enjoys the modern amenities that we have, I still place a Walmart grocery order every week and we don’t have a bunker (much to my husband’s dismay), BUT I do believe that it is wise to prepare for the unexpected. That includes job loss, financial setbacks, grocery shortages, inflation, etc.
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