Here's a link to the basic canning instructions for applesauce.

You don't need to add lemon juice; it would be recommended if you were using windfall apples. They have a higher pH (lower acidity).

If your applesauce is really thick you might want to thin it a little with apple juice, cider or water before you can it. If it's too dense you end up with air bubbles and it can separate or siphon out from under the lid during processing.

Remember the new standard for boiling water bath calls for a wait time at the end. So process your pints or quarts; at the end of the time turn off the heat, remove the lid and leave the jars in the water 5 minutes. Then take them out.

I hope this helps.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Canning Applesauce

"Remember the new standard for boiling water bath calls for a wait time at the end. So process your pints or quarts; at the end of the time turn off the heat, remove the lid and leave the jars in the water 5 minutes. Then take them out."

Huh? My Ball Book can't be more than 3 years old, and I don't recall seeing that when I made my peach butter last week. Why did they change the instructions?

Thanks! I found a link to making applesauce but it was a homespun site and I want the real skinny.

Ellen, I just heard about it this year, I think it's a brand new guideline, but it may have been last year's and I just overlooked it?

It is absolutely not in my latest Ball Blue Book either, nor has it made it onto the Michigan State University website. My extension service director didn't even know about it!

Annie

I know, it's a pain that there are these inconsistencies. That wait time comes out of the NCHFP, which is USDA-supported, and I expect it will be standard in the new USDA guide now in the works.

The nice thing about the wait time is it does reduce siphoning from jars and I've noticed a lot of jars seal more quickly once they come out of the water.

There's also a new wait-time standard for pressure canners. Remove the weight once the canner's at zero and leave the product where it is for 10 minutes then remove the lid. That really helps reduce liquid loss.

Added lemon juice for applesauce is starting to come out in some guides, like the new Ball/Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving. But the regular Ball Blue Book doesn't call for it. I expect that will become standard in the new guidelines too, to cover all the situations where people use bruised over-ripe apples. If you do want to go the lemon juice route, it's 1 T. per quart jar.

It's a real trick keeping up with everything, especially when one Ball book says one thing and a second one says another. It drives me nuts.

You can see the new standard for boiling water baths at the link.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Using Boiling Water Canners

Barnmom, I make applesauce every year and have gotten a bit playful with it at times. My favorites have been when I added some whole cranberries to a batch (it became my Polka Dot Sauce!), one batch I made with cardamom instead of cinnamon, and one batch that I flavored with brandy and chopped pecans.

Pear sauce is really good too, for something different.

Freeze it....buy another freezer and freeze it...!!
I know you have to run the freezer all the time, but considering the costs fo a canner and jars and the energy to boil it all...
Just be lazy like I am and freeze the stuff!! Dump it into plastic bags and pop it into the freezer!!
yes!! I feel better now....I had a 1/2 bushel of apples left on my door step today!! LOL!

I prefer it frozen myself. It doesn't seem to brown. I do it in 2 cup quart baggies..layed flat on a cookie sheet so I can stack them "standing"..

I have a large freezer. Maybe I'll do that. I might do some canning to give away. The browning aspect is neither here not there because I use brown sugar! And if I add cinnamon it's even more brown. Freezing is sure easier.

I have never had any problem with browning, and I use white sugar. Of course, I do soak the apples in water and lemon juice before I cook them, so perhaps the lemon juice prevents it?

Freezing is fine, but I haven't noticed any deterioration of flavor or texture when I can it, and I put so much stuff in my freezer as it is, I can what I can (no pun intended!):D

My freezer couldn't accomodate one more thing right now, so canning is the only option.

I haven't noticed darkening either. I like this Vegetable Whitener. It works well for me and it's lots cheaper than Fruit Fresh. I linked to one source, but it's available elsewhere.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Vegetable and Fruit Whitener

I have been making applesauce, we like it thick, and can't seem to get any air bubbles out. Is there any way to do it?

alidb, the short answer is "no". At least I haven't been able to get them out, no matter how much I try and I've been trying for 40 years or so!

Like Carol and rachelellen, I have so much in my freezer that canning is the only option, so I've never frozen it.

Annie

Freezers are fine as long as we have electricity running. I like to can for 'just in case' food. If the elect. goes off for any reason, we need to use our generator to get water out of the well. The refrig. and freezers will be fine for a couple of days if kept closed, but after that????

If you have a chest or upright freezer and it isn't full all the time, keep milk bottles full of water in there to freeze and take up the extra space -- then in case of emergency, you can extend the time your food stays frozen.