Applesauce is one of the easiest things you can make homemade. It is so much better than anything you can buy at the store. It’s not only fresh, you know exactly what you put into it. No preservatives, no additives, just applesauce.
INGREDIENTS
8-10 pounds apples, any type or an assortment of various type
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
sugar
cinnamon
I started with an assortment of apples, probably 8-10 pounds. The types I used were gala, yellow delicious, red delicious, and granny smith. I love using a variety because each has it’s own unique flavor profile that adds depth to the end result of the applesauce.
Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place them in the crock pot and sprinkle with the lemon juice. Add the sugar and stir well. I used 1/2 cup sugar because most of these were sweet apples. If you use more tart apples, you might want to increase the amount of sugar. You could also use honey, succanant, maple syrup, or any sweetener you prefer. If using honey or syrup you will have to stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking and burning. Add cinnamon to taste.
It was late in the day when I started the applesauce, so I cooked it overnight on low heat. In the morning, I increased the heat to high, slid the lid about 1/4 of the way back to release the steam and allow the liquids to cook out. It will take about an hour or so.
Once the applesauce is the correct consistency, you can either use an immersion blender to achieve the texture you want, or use a potato masher if you prefer chunky applesauce. The latter was my preferred method.
I chose to can these for later use, water-bathing them for 20 minutes according to approved methods. (Please research proper methods before trying this.)
