Cook Loose

Yes, you can buy applesauce at the store, Yes, it's cheap. Yes, you can even get it in any of a number of different "styles".

But it's so easy to make your own and it can be SO much better than what you get from the grocery. And if you have a cheap source of apples, it will even cost less.

• 6 pounds of apples
• 8 ounces (by wt) of cinnamon red hots candy
• 1 C water

Peel and core and slice apples and put in large pot with water and red hots. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Mash with a potato masher as it comes to a boil to the desired level of chunkiness.

This recipe makes 2 quarts of applesauce. You can expand or contract the recipe as you wish. You may can this applesauce and store. Otherwise keep in the refrigerator until you use it up (won't be long).

If you ARE canning and are mathematically challenged, like I can be when I am working on canning and not thinking straight, the following will give you slightly more than seven quarts, which is what probably fits in your hot water canner.

• 12 pounds peeled and cored apples
• 24 ounces (by wt) of cinnamon red hots candy
• 1 Quart of water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Salt helps the flavor. The little bit more of water helps keep things from burning. Note that the weight of the apples for this recipe is for the apples AFTER they have been peeled, cored.

Options

• My favorite apple for this is the Winesap. If you only have access to "normal" store apples, go for Fuji or Gala. Or you can use a combination of apples, say Delicious and Granny Smith.
• You don't have to do the red hots, although it makes a tasty sauce. You can make your sauce with straight apples, or you can add sugar to taste, up to about 1/2 C per quart of applesauce.
• You can do MORE red hots, up to another half (instead of 8 ounce, go to 12, for instance. It's a bit candy-like for my tastes, but there are people around here who like the increase.
• You can add cinnamon and cloves to your applesauce, but go light. 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of cloves for the whole recipe is probably plenty. Or go nuts. Your call.