Last fall the apple trees were packed with an abundance of apples. Even though I don’t have a tree myself I was lucky enough that Liz, my co-worker shared her apples with me! I used the majority of them to make and freeze applesauce for my family.
The best applesauce is made with apples that are sweet, juicy and crisp. If you like a tarter flavor, try adding 1 to 2 pounds of tart apples to each 3 pounds of sweeter apples. Simply wash, peel and core the apples. To prevent them from turning dark you can put them in a solution of ½ cup lemon juice per ½ gallon of water as you peel them. Then when you have enough that you are ready to start cooking, place them in an 8 to 10 quart pot. Add ½ cup water, and stir occasionally to prevent them from burning. Heat them quickly and cook until the apples are tender (5 to 20 minutes), depending on the maturity and variety. If you like smooth applesauce, press the cooked mixture through a sieve or food mill. If you like chunky-style sauce you are ready to taste. If desired, you can add 1/8 cup sugar per quart of sauce. Taste and add more if needed. My apples were so sweet additional sugar wasn’t needed!
I have found that using freezer bags is a very easy and space saving way to store applesauce in the freezer. I used quart freezer bags since this was a reasonable amount for our family to eat. When the applesauce is completely cooled simply lay the bags flat and you can stack them on top of each other in the freezer.
My family has really enjoyed having applesauce ready to eat in the freezer whenever they want it! I am sure your family will too!
Can I freeze applesauce which I recieved in a 106 oz. can from the store into quart size freezer bags/
Hi Rebecca, freezing the applesauce sounds like a great plan for storing that much applesauce for future use. There should be no problem with your plan.