Making your own homemade applesauce couldn't be easier or tastier, especially when you use Ohio-grown apples. A few simple tools makes it even easier.
A Foley Food Mill makes the process really simple to convert cooked apple slices into the sauce. Not only does this hand-cranked mill press the apples, but it removes the skins so you don't have to peel them before cooking. Foley Food Mills are available in most kitchen stores and come in different sizes and priced between $15 and $50. To make an average batch of applesauce, the 2-quart mill works fine.
The other utensil worth having is an apple slicer corer that is available for less than $5.00.
Ingredients:
Thoroughly wash the apples to remove any sprays, waxes, or other foreign materials. Then slice and core 3 - 4 apples. Remove seeds and stems. Cut the slices into thirds, and place these pieces into a heated sauce pan with about 1/2" of water in the bottom, and cover. Cook until the apple pieces are soft (5 - 10 minutes).
Drain the water, and place the pieces into the Foley Food Mill. Place the mill over a large bowl and turn the crank clockwise, occasionally reverse directions to clear the skins off the sieve. Use a spatula to push apple pieces off the sides. Put what's left in the Foley Mill can go to the compost pile for recycling.
Since you'll probably be making several batches, add some of the sugar to the first processed batch to determine how much sugar to add. The amount of sugar is entirely dependent upon personal taste and the sweetness of the apples.
Once the sauce has been processed and sweetened, you might want to mix all the batches together in a large bowl to insure consistency. Re-taste for sweetness. Then divide the entire batch up into smaller freezer-safe containers of a suitable size for your particular needs. Can be frozen in the containers.
Color: applesauce color is entirely dependent upon the apple skins. Some red apple types will give the sauce a reddish color while other reds won't.
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