Watch out Apple Trees, your branches are about to be raided. This Canning Apple Sauce Recipe Hack just made canning apple sauce much easier. Forget peeling and coring your apples and save time and energy with this quick hack for making apple sauce!
Transparent Apples are the earliest ripening apple tree that often grows in backyards across North America. If you haven’t tried a transparent apple before its probably because you can’t find them in the grocery store.
They are great for fresh eating and ripen in early summer, usually in July depending on your growing zone. Often grown on semi dwarf trees this apple variety originates from Russia and is an easy to grow cold hardy tree.
These apples are great for fresh eating and the perfect apple for making apple sauce. They are a white transparent apple and have a light green skin.
The best apples for apple sauce are apples that soften easily and are sweet in flavour. I often use transparent apples as they aren’t good for much other than canning.
Other apples that are great for applesauce are McIntosh and Golden Delicious commonly found at the grocery store. For chunky apple sauce, use this recipe here.
Source local apple trees for fun varieties that also make for great applesauce, check out these top apple trees to grow in the Pacific Northwest.
These apples have a thin skin and are often thought of as yellow trasparents because when ripe they turn yellow quickly.
Transparent apples are often not sought after because they are crumbly and once picked only last about a week on the shelf. ( The main reason why these apples aren’t imported.)
But what’s the hack? Well transparent apples are the perfect apples for throwing in the pot with the cores, peels and even stems attached to make apple sauce.
CANNING TRANSPARENT APPLE SAUCE WITH A FOOD MILL
It’s all about the food mill! Before I bought this food mill, I made lots of chunky apple sauce for my kids using this recipe. But it was time to switch it up, try a new method and save some time.
I love my apple peeler corer, it has it’s place when it comes to canning and I use it all the time for my apple recipes. But the food mill, means I don’t have to individually peel and core all my apples then quarter them before adding them to the pot.
With this food mill, I grab my apple and quarter it then add it to my large stainless steel pot. Once the apples are steamed, they go through the mill and into the jars for canning using the hot water bath method.
NO PEEL APPLE SAUCE
Sure you can use a food processor or immersion blender for your apple sauce, like in our popular chunky apple sauce recipe, but a food processor won’t remove the seeds and skins.
By completely removing the seeds and skins from the apples the apple sauce’s flavour and texture isn’t effected. The sauce is smooth and velvety. It’s honestly amazing.
Another reason why you need to use a food mill for apple sauce is when preparing apples using an apple peeler and corer the apples are more prone to browning. This is due to the enzymes in the apples causing oxidation when they are exposed to air.
The apples are steamed and mashed in only quarters and processed through the mill for a lighter and more appealing apple sauce.
HOW TO USE A HAND CRANKED FOOD MILL FOR NO PEEL APPLE SAUCE
A food mill is used for making purees just as baby food, jellies, cream sauces and even grinding meat.
A Food mill is shaped like a 2 quart sauce pan with holes in the bottom and has a handle with a horizontal cranking arm that operates a semi circular desk that forces the food through the holes underneath a spring loaded wire blade that scapes the bottom.
To use a food mill, place the milling disk into the food mill with the smooth toned shaped surface facing up insert the crane into the centre of mill. Watching your fingers, ask me how I know…, tuck in the arms under the clamps to secure the spring.
Place the food mill over a bowl or sauce pan and turn the crank the handle clockwise to scrape and mill the food.
Don’t turn the food mill without any food in it, and make sure the food is fully cooked and soft before cranking for best results.
If the crank gets stuck, try to turn counterclockwise to lossen any materials that are stuck and recrank. If it’s still stuck, then you’ll need to empty it, take it apart and clean out skins, pits and seeds and restart.
This part is a downfall when you’re making a large batch of apple sauce, especially when the apples are hot or warm. Just be careful not to get splatted with hot apple sauce and do over a sink.
This hand cranked food mill comes apart easily into three pieces for easy cleaning and can be thrown in the dishwasher for a quick clean up after canning.
THE BEST FOOD MILL FOR NO PEEL APPLE SAUCE
I highly suggest you grab yourself a food mill for your apple sauce this year. It will make all the difference in your canning, especially at the peak of the season when canning season can get crazy!
KITCHENAID MIXER ATTACHMENT FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STRAINER
Pst. Don’t forget to print off our canning organizer to stay on top of it this year!
OTHER MATERIALS FOR MAKING APPLE SAUCE
Hot Water Bath Canning Starter Kit
APPLE SAUCE RECIPE USING A FOOD MILL
Fill pot with 2 inches of water to prevent apples from scorching.
Quarter and add enough apples to almost fill the pot. I like to make big batches at a time to get through my apple processing quickly and easily.
Heat over medium low heat and mix. Continue to stir until apples are soft and start to resemble apple sauce. Using a ladle, place apple sauce through food mill into another saucepan or pot.
Once through the food mill and into the next pot it’s optional to add sugar and any spices you’d like.
Homemade applesauce is good for a week to ten days when stored in the refrigerator. It can also be canned or frozen for longer term storage.
If you choose to freeze your homemade applesauce, then do so in 2 cup measures and label with date and amount. This helps when using the applesauce for baking.
HOT WATER BATH PROCESSING APPLE SAUCE
If you’re new to hot water bath canning I highly recommend you read this guide, Quickstart Guide to Water Bath Canning, before you prepare your jars and use your hot water bath.
Water Bath canning is simple and friendly but their a science to this art that needs to be understood for the health and safety of your family.
Prepare jars and lids.
Fill jars using a silicon ladle
Wipe rims and add hot seals and lids
Place in hot water bath for 15 minutes for half pint jars.
Set jars to cool, label and store for eating over the winter months.
APPLE SAUCE RECIPE
APPLE SAUCE USING A FOOD MILL
Equipment
- HAND CRANKED FOOD MILL
Ingredients
- Full 1 large pot Transparent Apples quartered with skins, seeds and cores attached.
- Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Optional to taste
- 2 tbsp Real Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Wash and quarter transparent apples
- Add apples to fill large stock pot
- Fill with two inches of water and steam over medium high heat with lid on
- Stir apples until apple sauce consistency appears
- Scoop into food mill and run through into another large pot
- Optional, add sweetner and spices
- Can for 15-20 minutes following the Hot Water Bath Method
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