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| Apples from an 'Anna' apple tree: home garden, Redondo Beach CA |
If
you follow our blog, you know that our garden specializes in native plants
suitable for S. California gardens. So this topic may surprise you, particularly
if you haven’t actually visited Mother
Nature’s Backyard garden. The one
non-native plant we grow is an ‘Anna’ apple (Malus domestica), trained as an espalier along our cinderblock wall. The apple tree demonstrates how native and
non-native woody plants can be grown in very narrow spaces. Since ‘Anna’
is a low-chill apple, it grows well – and produces apples – even in S.
California.
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| 'Anna' apple (Malus domestica): Mother Nature's Backyard |
Our
‘Anna’ is relative young (6th year) and most of our apples thus far
have been picked by others (human or animal).
Fortunately, one of our members has a mature ‘Anna’ in her backyard –
and a bumper crop of apples this year.
So this is a good time to talk about making homemade applesauce. It’s easy, fun and we think the product is
superior to the store-bought version, both in taste and nutrition.
Making
applesauce is really simple. Back in the
day (1950’s and 60’s), girls learned to make applesauce in home economics class
(too bad for the guys – they had to take wood shop!). I suspect that many older readers learned to
make this treat in school. And if 7th
grade girls in the Pomona Unified School District managed to make applesauce,
then you can too! It’s a great way to
use a bumper crop (or less-than-perfect) apples. And applesauce that’s been properly preserved
can be safely stored at room temperature for 1-2 years – another benefit.
Applesauce
can be made from any type of apple. You
can purchase your favorite type – or use whatever apples you have available
(you can even mix varieties). You can
also make your applesauce as sweet as you like, by adding the appropriate
amount of sugar or other sweetener. You
can also add spices (cinnamon; ginger; etc.) or other fruits, if desired. In short, you can tailor your applesauce to
the needs and tastes of the applesauce eaters.
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| Homemade applesauce is delish! |
Here’s our homemade
applesauce recipe, with some notes and tips below.
Ingredients
Apples
(any amount, but at least 6-8 apples)
Water (to
cover apples in pot)
Sugar or
other sweetener (to taste)
Spices or
other fruits (berries) – optional, to taste
Directions
1. Thoroughly wash apples. Cut out any damaged areas. Quarter and remove stem and seeds (we leave
the skins on for better flavor). Slice the
quarters into ¼ inch slices; place slices in heavy pot or saucepan (large
enough to fit all the apple slices with about 2 inches to spare)*.
2. Fill pot with water to barely cover
the apple slices.
3. Heat pot on medium-high heat on stove
until water starts to boil. Stir occasionally. Turn down the heat and simmer until the
apples are cooked (mushy texture)*.
Stir as needed to keep mixture from burning on the bottom.
4. Remove from heat. Mash the hot apple mixture through a sieve (use
a spoon and be careful – it’s hot!). An
easier way is to process the apple mixture using a food mill.* The texture will now be smooth and ‘applesauce-like’
(but a bit runny).
5. Return the apple mixture to the
pot. Add sweetener and spices (and/or
berries) to taste.
6. Heat over low heat, stirring
regularly, until mixture is the consistency you like. Be sure that the mixture
comes to a boil (to kill any microbes).
7. If preserving, ladle hot mixture into
sterilized jars, cap with two-part canning lids and process in boiling water
bath (10 minutes for elevations below 1000 ft.; add 1 additional minute for
each 1000 ft. above 1000 ft.)*. Store
preserved applesauce in a cool, dark place (room temperature) for up to 2
years.
8. If not preserving, cool the
applesauce, then store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2
weeks (if not gobbled up long before).
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*Notes:
1. Here’s what the sliced apples should
look like. They cook quickly if sliced.
3. Here’s what the cooked apple ‘mush’ looks like at
this point
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| Cooked apples ready to puree |
4. The food mill is a great piece of
equipment if you do a lot of puree work. It’s a simple, old-fashioned tool and
uses no electricity. Food mills are made
by a number of manufacturers and available in stores and online. We use the Foley mill; it’s sturdy and lasts
a lifetime. Here’s what ours looks like.
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| A food mill makes quick work of the puree step |
7. For more on preserving food see: http://nchfp.uga.edu/ and https://extension.psu.edu/food-safety-and-processing/home-food-safety/canning-and-freezing
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We encourage you to
send us your questions, comments and recipes (either comment below or e-mail to
us at : mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com
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