Christmas Homemade Applesauce Love Added!

What are you doing for holiday gifts this year?  After the tumultuous year (my mom passed on).  2016, keep it simple and filled with love is right for my family Christmas.  Honor  family traditions. Homemade applesauce lovingly cooked is my family Christmas gift.

I used to make baked goods for people every year cookies or breads, but there is so much dessert food during the holiday season.  No one I know would benefit more sugar laden sweets.  My mom taught me to cook and can and it feels right to share.

I picked and peeled, cored apples and canned homemade apple sauce for the people I love. As kids we went apple picking every year, and my mom would can apple sauce, enough to last until the next picking season. If you do this make some space in your schedule so you and enjoy the process and feel the love.

Go the extra steps to jar and preserve homemade applesauce with boiling water to extend the shelf life.  Preservation by boiling is safe for acidic fruits and veggies at pH 4.6 or below.  Above pH 4.6 boiling alone does not stop pathogen (bad bugs that can make you sick) growth. Water boiling is an effective way to preserve homemade apple sauce. I suggest people store it in the fridge regardless.

Here is my recipe

Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients

• 5 -6 lbs apples, Use 3 to 5 varieties to balance flavor. Mitzu, Jonagold, Cortland, Fuji and Honey Crisp all work. Try for organic apples if you can get them.
• Organic ground cinnamon
• Add the Love!

Equipment

• Peeler
• Corer
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board
• 2 –  8 – 10 Quart Heavy Bottomed Stock Pots
• 5 Pint Glass Canning Jars with bands and lids
• Kitchen timer
• Magnet Stick
• Jar tongs

Procedure

• Clean the equipment and jars. (Clean means free of dust and particulates then freshly washed with detergent, and rinsed really well and dry.)
  • Cook Pot
  • Canning Pot
  • Counters
  • Funnel
  • Spoons
  • Pint Jars
  • Bands
  • Lids
  • Potato Masher
• Sterilize (Sterilized means Boiled in Water for  15  minutes before use.)
  • Jars
  • Bands
  • Lids

• Remove any labels and rinse the apples.
• Peel
• Core and be sure to get all the hard edges. These don’t break down in cooking and mess up the texture.
• Use a corer slicer to get 8 pieces from each apple or cut with a knife and trim the seed pod edges.
• Layer the slices into the stock pot and add cinnamon to taste.
• Start slowly. Cook on low stirring to prevent sticking and allow the apples to release liquid.  This can take 30 plus minutes.  It releases the sweetness in the apples.
• Turn up to medium and bring to a simmer until the apples become sauce.
• Break any large pieces up with a spoon or potato masher.
• Bring to a boil for 10 to 15 minutes
• This will make a delicious chunky apple sauce.
• Hot Pack in pint containers.
• Leave ¼ inch head space
• Cover with lids
• Screw bands finger tight
• Store partial jars in the fridge and eat it up!

Canning Procedure for Homemade Applesauce

• • Fill the second stock pot with warm water ½ to 2/3 full.
  • Place the pot on the stove burner
  • Check all the lids are in place and the bands are finger tight.
  • Submerge the full  jars in warm water.
  • Be sure the jars are covered by at least 1” of water in order to completely kill any bad bugs.
  • Add heat to bring to a steady boil
  • Set Timer
  • Boil  a minimum of 15 minutes for applesauce.
  • Lift jars out of water with jar tongs
  • Place on towel
  • Allow to come to room temperature.
  • After 24 hours check the seals, tighten the bands.
  • Label and date
  • Store in the refrigerator or a cool dark space.
  • Give as Gifts or Enjoy

  

  If you decide not to preserve your homemade applesauce then store it in the fridge and eat within a few days.  Same goes for any partial jars. Preserved it is good for six months or so.  Don’t let this yummy treat go to waste.  It is a great breakfast food.

  Find a way to make meaningful gifts and enjoy your time with your family this holiday.  Quality family time is at the top of my list.   Share your ideas with friends and community.

  References :  Ball  (www.freshpreserving.com) , http:// canningdiva.com

  USDA (http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html)