Apple Sauce

Home-made apple sauce is pretty easy. You just need a lot of apples. I made a small batch - almost exactly a pint - with just over 2 lb of Paula Red apples. The type of apple is not important, although many people believe that a mix of different apples is best for flavor.

Start by peeling, coring and slicing your apples. I would strongly recommend setting up a bowl of water with a squirt of lemon juice in it first (this is called 'acidulated water', and prevents the slices from browning), and putting the slices in it as you go. Drain the slices and put in a pan with 1/2 cup water and a few appropriate spices - I used a couple of cloves, a star anise and a small stick of cinnamon. Heat on high for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove the spices, push through a food mill (alternatively, leave chunky or puree in a blender or food processor), and return to the pan, bringing it back to a boil before tasting and adding sugar if desired. I added 2-3 tbsp sugar. Either can the sauce (into a pint jar or 2 half pints, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, tightening and processing in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes) or cool and refrigerate.

Note 1 - If canning, see the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning for safety guidelines.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 1 pint = 470 ml; 2 lb = 900g; 1/2 cup = 120 ml.