Applesauce questions

[mocro]

I'm making applesauce for the first time to go with a pork roast. Does anyone have experience using a microwave recipe vs stovetop? And can I make it today to serv eon Friday or is that too far in advance? Thanks!

[buttertart]

I love this thread. Nice autumnal topic, cogent and informative answers, civilized discussion. CH at its best!

[grammywheels]

Consider cooking your apples in the oven, 350*F until nicely cooked, if peeled and cored they can simply be mashed to the consistency you like. Can also be cut into sixths with core and skin still in place and run through a food mill when done. I have found that baking evaporates the excess moisture and makes an apple sauce with good body and flavor and concentrates the natural sweetness... no sugar required. Macouns also make a beautifully pink applesauce when roasted.

[bushwickgirl]

Now that's a nice idea!

[roxlet]

I like that too!

[magiesmom]

a little butter is a nice addition, I love them baked. I like a mixture of apples for complexity.

[Splendid Spatula]

I keep homemade applesauce in the fridge for days, so you can totally make it today for Friday. I do it on the stovetop, low and slow, adapted from The Way To Cook. Quarter the apples, removing the core. I leave the skin on at this point for some color. Toss in a cinnamon stick, and a healthy squeeze of lemon juice, sometimes a peel of lemon. Cook very low until they breakdown. Cooking too high, this way anyway, leads to scorching unless you are super vigilant, which I am not. Remove the cinn stick, send through a food mill to get rid of the peels. Then back in the pot for a few minutes, with sugar to taste. I like about a 1/4 cup of raw sugar for a big pile of apples, maybe 10 or so?

[magiesmom]

why core them if they are going through the food mill?

[Harters]

It's never occured to me to use a microwave. Not least as sauce made in a pan is the work of minutes. What are the perceived benefits of using the microwave?

[bushwickgirl]

One less burner in operation, plus I make it in the container I store it in, so one less pot to wash. It's also faster to cook and doesn't require as much watching, as in the sauce scorching on the bottom of the pan, less stirring, those sorts of things.

It's lazy person's applesauce.

I should add, so no one thinks I'm a lazy person, that this is not the only way I make applesauce.

[tcamp]

I usually use my slow cooker or stove top. Have never even tried the microwave. I was recently gifted with a bushel of Macoun apples and they made some terrific sauce. I just added a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of cinnamon and allspice. That whole bushel was gone in no time.

However, it will keep fine until Friday if you have that kind of willpower.

[mocro]

Thanks tcamp. A friend just brought over a basket of apples (it's my b'day!) from her tree that she says makes great sauce so I'm halfway there.

[bushwickgirl]

I use my microwave for applesauce; just for a small, quick amount; peel, core and chunk apples; I usually use Macs for this, add a little water, cider or apple juice, a tinse of honey, lemon or cinnamon if you like, cover and microwave for about 5 minutes, stir, and cook for another 5 minutes (time should be adjusted, depending on MW wattage and size of container) and check. When the apples have broken down and are tender, stir and add sweetener if you want. I find it usually doesn't need any. Done. I prefer to leaven the sauce chunky.

I do this when I have a pork roast, potato pancakes or gingerbread working, and want a still warm quick applesauce to go with.