Apples to applesauce

[astra_nomer]

We went apple-picking yesterday, along with the intrepid marcusmarcusrc. It was a mixed success, because DS1 got upset early on over not getting to pick out the wheelbarrow he wanted, so he spend the rest of the time moping in the car with DH. DS2, on the other hand, had a blast: apples are just about his favorite fruit.

In the afternoon, DH peeled and cored enough apples to fill my biggest mixing bowl, and I cooked them all down into applesauce.

Method:
1) pour 1 inch of apple juice into biggest pot
2) fill pot with sliced apples (luckily, volume of biggest bowl ~= volume of biggest pot)
3) cover pot, turn high on high until boiling vigorously, then turn down to moderate boil
4) cook until done (i.e. apples all mushy)
5) use stick blender to saucify cooked apples

Now, I'm not a huge fan of applesauce: I mean, if it's there I'll eat it, but there are lots yummier things I'd rather eat. But this stuff tasted just like fresh apples, not that watery gruel-like substance you buy in the store. Yum! Anyway, I canned about 5 pint jars, and put the last little bits in containers for DS2's lunches.

Now I am eyeing food grinder attachments for my KitchenAid mixer, on the theory that it will cut on the peeling and coring step. Then again, if DH will do the peeling and coring for me, maybe I don't need it! Home-cooked food tastes so wonderful: if only it didn't take so much time and energy.

That got us through maybe half of one of the three half-bushel boxes we picked. Maybe pies next?

Comments

[astra-nomer.livejournal.com]

Every time I mention this type of device to DH, he always says that he never found them to work too well. Is this the same brand that you have? Maybe the ones he tried were inferior in quality.

[schnerf.livejournal.com]

I think this is the brand I have. Occasionally I'll have trouble with very large or oddly shaped apples, but I think even if I have to trim those by hand, I still save a lot of time. Another thing to consider is how it attaches to the counter: mine's like this one, a suction cup, but the one I had growing up clamped to a table edge. The suction only works on very smooth surfaces. As a kid, I always wanted to turn the crank, and I loved the long strings of peel it produces.