We are completely out of applesauce! I only make it every other year, and this was the year.
Apple Valley Orchard sells bushels of second quality apples for a lower price than first quality. A warning: You must be ready to process the apples immediately because some of them are likely bruised and will begin to rot quickly. I bought three bushels which took about 5 hours to peel and core by hand.
If you read the instructions from the Ball Canning book, you will see that they instruct you to do minimal processing (peeling, etc) up front because they tell you to run it all through the food mill. That works, but the applesauce will have the texture of baby food which I do not like. I prefer a super chunky applesauce, so I peel and core the apples.
I put an inch or so of water in the bottom of the pan along with the apples and cook on medium low until the apples are soft and can be easily mashed. Then I add sugar and cinnamon to taste. I fill the sterilized jars with the hot applesauce to 1/2″ from the rim and screw on rings and lids. I process in a simmering hot water canner for 20 minutes. I cool them overnight and double check that all the jars have sealed. I only had one lid that didn’t seal.
I made 35 jars of applesauce from two and a half bushels of apples. I made the rest into apple butter. I’ll be posting about that too.
*Our chickens used to love to get all the scraps from applesauce making. They used to eat it ALL. So, I gave all the peels to a neighbor for her chickens. (She regularly give us farm eggs, so I am definitely getting the better end of the deal.)
Cathy At Home on the River 