From early fall to late winter we are rarely without a batch of homemade applesauce in our fridge. It's a great snack and since there isn't a lot of fruit in season here in the NE, it is nice to switch it up from eating apples out-of-hand or the trucked-in citrus we otherwise turn to.

After a bit of playing around a few years ago, I established what has become for us the perfect recipe. I haven't strayed since. And since it contains only the tiniest bit of added sweetener (honey), it is super healthy, too!

The last few times I made applesauce I added a knob or two of whole, peeled ginger. The longer it sits in the fridge, the more intense the spicy kick gets. 

I don't judge the amount of apples I am going to use by weight or number; I simply fill my 3.5 qt pot to the top and call it a day. This time I used 13 apples, mostly medium sized. I prefer to use a wide variety of apples so as to achieve a nice balance of sweet & tart, firm & soft. This batch used some Northern Spy & Winesaps from Soons Orchard and one of each variety Blooming Hill Farm had that week.

Almost, but not quite, done. 

It is done when you can easily smash the apple chunks against the side of the pot. I like the texture to be a mixture of smooth and chunky, so I leave a lot of the apple pieces intact. This way you get some melding of flavors while still enjoying distinct bites of apple. 

You may wish to warn diners who serve themselves about the ginger. A guest of mine once declared, "Man, that was a spicy apple!", after eating a big chunk of ginger. Whoops!

CHUNKY APPLESAUCE 

  • 3.5 quarts of peeled & cored apple chunks (I like a mixture of varieties)
  • 2 tablespoons of raw honey (or to taste)
  • juice of one lemon, approximately 2-3 tablespoons
  • a knob or two of fresh peeled ginger (optional)
  1. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with the apple chunks, honey, lemon, and ginger (if using).  Cover with a tight-fitting lid and set the heat to medium/medium-high. You now have time to tidy up while waiting for the apples to simmer.
  2. Once the apples begin to bubble vigorously and make noise, stir the pot and turn the heat to low.* Replace the lid. 
  3. Stir occasionally until the apples are soft. A good way to test them for doneness is to mash an apple chunk against the side of the pot with your spoon. Once they are tender it is up to you to create the texture you like best. Mash a few apple bits for a chunky sauce or crush a ton for a smoother sauce. You want a super smooth sauce? Pop your stick blender right in the pot to puree (but fish that ginger chunk out first!).
  4. You will end up with about 2 ½ quarts of delicious applesauce. It lasts for at least two weeks in the fridge and also freezes beautifully.

* Cooking at the higher temp for too long will result in a messy boil-over (ask me how I know!). If you don't have time to watch the pot carefully, it is fine to cook over low heat from the get-go; it will simply take longer to cook. 

You really can make this your own; here are a few ideas:

  • use any sweetener you like (or none at all)
  • omit the ginger and add a few cinnamon sticks instead
  • add other fruits (fresh cranberries, frozen blueberries, etc.)

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