Homemade Applesauce

Aunt Jessica came over and helped me can applesauce. It was my first time ever canning applesauce and I am so grateful to Jessica for her time and effort. It was an all day process! We used Jonagold apples because that is what "Mother Allred" suggested would be best for applesauce. I must say she does know her apples because the applesauce tastes divine. I taste tested every batch just to make sure I had added enough spices. I made mostly spiced applesauce and a few jars of 100% natural applesauce. The spiced applesauce tastes like ground up pie filling. Ashlee and Gavin came to visit and do laundry while we were making the applesauce. We all had a fun time visiting.

Bastian turned the crank for a long, long time. Seriously, I think I got to turn the crank for a few minutes during the entire canning process. He took it over as "his job" and never tired of turning that crank. I am very thankful for his help.

This is the cores, seeds and skin that comes out the garbage spout. This machine really made things very easy.

The kitchen smelled soooooo good.

Look at how much darker the spiced applesause is. I am glad I learned how to make applesauce. Thanks to Aunt Jessica and Bastian the applesauce was a great success.

The recipe we used came from the Ball Blue Book: Guide to Home Canning, Freezing, and Dehydration.

Applesauce:

2-1/2 to 3-1/2 pounds apples per quart

Water

Sugar (optional)

Wash, stem, and quarter apples; do not core or peel. Cook apples until soft in a large covered saucepot with just enough water to prevent sticking. Press apples and juice through a sieve or food mill (this is such a fun process for the mom's and the kids) to separate seeds and peel from the pulp. Return apple pulp to saucepot. Add 1/4 cup sugar per pound of apples or to taste, if desired (each box was approximately 25 pounds so I used 6 cups sugar). Bring applesauce to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process pints and quarts 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Recipe Variation: Spiced applesauce can be made by adding ground spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice, to the sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking. For a chunky sauce, core and peel apples before they are cooked. Coarsely crush half of the ocoked apples with a potato masher; press remaining apples through a sieve or food mill. Combine crushed and sauced apple mixtures; continue as for Applesauce.Note: Using a sweet variety eating apple may lessen the need for adding sugar.