Chris Cross.... Apple Sauce

Soooo..... I received several buckets of Apples from 2 different families.  One bucket was Granny Smith, and one of Fuji.  

I sterilized my jars in my Dishwasher, and got everything set up to put the finished apple sauce in the Jars.

Then I quartered and cored about half of my apples, (so about a 3 gallon buckets worth, the other half of them I used to make apple pie filling {I'll do a separate post on that later}).  I had a big stainless steel pot that I filled with about a gallon or 2 of water and one small bottle of Lemon juice.  When I was cutting them all up I put them in the pot so they wouldn't brown.  When I had them all cut and cored I rinsed them in my sink in a colander and then placed them back in the rinsed out big pot. 

I added about 2 inches of water to the pot.  ( You want to make sure that you use a heavy bottom pot to make sure you don't burn the bottom apples). 

They will start to soften like this....

When they are super soft and the skins start to peel off then I get out my Food Mill and put it on top of a smaller, but still pretty big stainless steel pot.

Then I add a little bit of the softened apples at a time.

Then I turn the food mill and the apple will go thru the holes in the bottom, and 90% of the skins will stay on top.

When the top part gets full of skins, I just add them to my Compost Pile that I put on my Garden. 

(waste not, want not)

I then took my emulsifying blender and ran it thru for a little bit to blend any of the skins that might have gotten thru the food mil.  This also makes the sauce really smooth, THIS is an optional step, if you want a thicker consistency then skip this step.

I added about a teaspoon of Cinnamon (you can leave it out, or add more if you want, a teaspoon add a little touch of cinnamon, but no overpowering the actually sauce)

I added about a 2 cups of sugar (I used organic sugar).  Depending on the types of apples you are using you may need to add more, or use less.  Just depends on what you like.  You can even substitute Splenda or splenda brown sugar, if you want it to be sugar free).  I added a little bit at a time until it got to the sweetness that I liked, I would recommend adding this way, so you don't make it too sweet.  Just add then taste, just make sure you use a new spoon each time!

This is what it looks like once it's all mixed in, and I have the sweetness I want. 

I then ladle the apple sauce into Pint Jars. 

Once they are filled then I wipe the rims and put the lids and bands on.  I them screw them on until finger tight, and then put them in a boiling water canner.

They need to stay in the boiling water bather for 20 minute for Pints, and if you use quarts then 25 minute.  When they are all done they are ready for storage or eating!

Enjoy!