We have a giant, old apple tree on our little homestead. It's an amazing blessing that each year gives us lots of fruit. We make a bunch of hard cider, a goodly amount of apple crisps, and can up around 50 pints of applesauce. Recipes for applesauce abound, I know, but this method is quick and easy when time might be short. Canning chunky applesauce is done with minimal equipment and open to customization.
Skip the Peeling
I know this is going to sound odd to many folks and certainly to applesauce purists but there's no reason to peel in most cases. If someone, is really opposed, by all means peel but around here we don't. Just core and quarter those apples.
Boil
Toss those apple quarters into a pot with about two inches of water in the bottom. Add some lemon juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Cook until the apples are very soft. Remove from heat.
Mash
Use a potato masher and mash those apples to a desired level of chunky. Return the pan to the stove and sweeten and add spice, if desired. Bring to a boil again.
Put in Jars
Add the chunky applesauce to hot jars leaving 1/2″ headspace for canning (1″ headspace for freezing). Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes (adjusting for elevation) or freeze.
Canning Chunky Applesauce
Ingredients
- 12 lbs apples, cored, quartered
- Water
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice
- Up to 3 Cups Sugar, optional
Instructions
- Put the apples into a heavy pan with two inches of water and the lemon juice. Cook until the fruit is soft.
- Once the fruit is soft, remove from heat. Mash to the desired texture.
- Return the mashed fruit to the pan and reheat. Add sugar, if desired. Heat until just boiling and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Pour the sauce into hot jars, leaving ½” headspace at the top. Process for 20 minutes, adding time for elevation.
[email protected] Than A Pig In Mud says
September 14, 2015 at 4:04 amYour applesauce looks great! I’d use the jars for either apple or pear butter, both sound good:@)
Amy Schmelzer says
September 14, 2015 at 4:36 amI will use the pints for more applesauce, but peeling them is a must. Maybe it depends on the variety used, but my kids complain when they find “fish bones” in their sauce.
The jelly jars are for apple pie jam, which is the last sweet spread on my to-do list.
deb rowley says
September 14, 2015 at 5:16 amI can always use more jars, great give away!
Teri Stich says
September 14, 2015 at 5:31 amGifts gifts and more gifts!! The Holidays are coming!
Karen C says
September 14, 2015 at 5:42 amI’m dehydrating fruits and herbs right now, so that would be my immediate use. I love to make my own applesauce, but I’ve done it in very small batches and use right away. The jars definitely would be used!!
Dawn says
September 14, 2015 at 5:47 amLove canning. I can all sorts of things and can always use more canning ideas and jars. Thanks
Jonniee says
September 14, 2015 at 5:58 amAlways enjoy the recipes, and can use the jars. There are some I had as a child, that I am looking for. Chow-chow, Apple butter, and fake strawberry jam. The jam uses figs, and strawberry jello
that much I remember. The Chow-chow cabbage, and cauliflower. I have tried three different applebutter recipes, and they did not look, or taste like the recipe my mother used to make. I am a great-grandmother now, making her a great great-grandmother, and my sister said she doesn’t remember any more, since she quit cooking years ago. So I am stuck, can anybody help?! It would be greatly appreciated.
Tanya Donahue says
October 1, 2018 at 6:32 amI’m kinda picky about my apple butter flavor and I’ve found what works the best is to follow the recipe that gets the closest to what I like and then I just keep adding spices until I get the flavor I want, adding spices will not change the acid levels so you don’t need to worry about that. The spices I’d add are cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper. My Mom always cooks hers in the oven and I’ve found that’s the best method flavor wise also. Good luck!!
Michelle says
September 14, 2015 at 6:05 amfor canning my spaghetti sauce
wilma says
September 14, 2015 at 6:19 amI love to can, so they will be filled soon
Darlene roszkowski says
September 14, 2015 at 6:39 amOur apple tree is heavy with fruit this year! Applesauce would fill every one of those beautiful jars!
Nina says
September 14, 2015 at 6:54 amI’ll be making fig jam and filling jars shortly. These would be perfect!!
Kitty says
September 14, 2015 at 7:01 amI also jealous of your apple tree! I am trying so hard to be self sufficient. Central Texas just doesn’t get enough rain and is too warm to sustain apple trees :(
Angi @ SchneiderPeeps says
September 15, 2015 at 10:12 amKitty, I live along the Texas Gulf coast and there are apple tree that require fewer chilling hours. Anna and Golden Dorset are two that we are growing. You might find this article from Texas A&M helpful, http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/files/2010/10/apples.pdf
Kitty says
September 16, 2015 at 3:18 amThanks, Angi! I’ll look into those varieties! Wish me luck :)
Brenda says
September 14, 2015 at 8:07 amCan’t have too many jars! They have so many uses, oh, and canning too!
Elizabeth Cotten says
September 14, 2015 at 8:35 amI’m making Christmas presents with the jars!
Sara says
September 14, 2015 at 8:57 amMy garden just exploded with seasonal delights, so I’ve been canning like crazy. These jars will help me continue to can.
Amber O. says
September 14, 2015 at 9:14 amThis looks great! I preserve apple sauce every year – smooth though! Cooked down on the stove or crock pot. I like to use 1/2 or 1/4 pint jars since there are only 2 people in my household. It’s great for cooking or is enough for a serving or two without a jar open in the back of the refrigerator. Also do pints for gifts though!
Joy R says
September 14, 2015 at 9:45 amI would use these jars for canning apple or pear butter for my family members.
Ann Cluck says
September 14, 2015 at 10:02 amI would definitely be watching your blog for a great canning recipe for these gorgeous jars!!
Angie says
September 14, 2015 at 10:03 amApplesauce was one of the first things I ever canned. I love homemade applesauce! It just doesn’t get any easier! Thanks for sharing!
ruth says
September 14, 2015 at 10:12 amI like your recipe for the chunky apple sauce. Will give it a try
jo n says
September 14, 2015 at 10:14 amI would use the jars for more violet jelly, chicken soups, and probably some pickled eggs if there are any wide mouth jars.
Grammyprepper says
September 14, 2015 at 10:16 amI’d love to try your applesauce recipe, it sounds super simple
Laurie says
September 14, 2015 at 10:27 amI’d use the jars for canned chicken.
Victoria says
September 14, 2015 at 10:41 amWould love to win. Your site is very informative and I look forward to your posts.
Marilee Reyes says
September 14, 2015 at 10:49 amThanks for the opportunity to win this wonderful give-away, and for the chunky applesauce recipe. I always forget to make it chunky like my mother used to do. When my kids were little they liked it smooth so I got into that habit, but I actually prefer it chunky … and with those nutritious skins. Thanks again.
Lona Smith says
September 14, 2015 at 11:59 amApple sauce, apple butter and apple pie filling all can up well and are on my to-do list for October. New jars would be a great help. This is the first year with no pumpkin butter… need to get on that next.
Brenda M says
September 14, 2015 at 12:00 pmNot peeling gives apple sauce a pretty color too! I could always use more jars – Please send more.
Keith Webster says
September 14, 2015 at 12:04 pmI love having as many canning jars as I can this time of year. There is a thing called “Master Tonic” which is fermented from various things. It makes a cure all for most Fall/Winter aliments and as a side product a spicy condiment for chips! However, after making it a storing it for awhile. The tops become corroded.
Jonniee says
September 14, 2015 at 1:47 pmThe natural cure all’s, such as what you are talking about always work better than any prescription, or commercial product. It sounds like lifelike another ‘bag balm’, only for inside ailments, instead of wounds to the outside like bag balm. I love the natural ones. They are cheap, taste a lot better and no chemicals or dangerous side effects.? I would love the recipe, and fermentation time. Always looking for tried, and true remedies.
Wendi Niccole says
September 14, 2015 at 12:09 pmI want to make and can apple butter.
Marlene says
September 14, 2015 at 12:16 pmI will make blackberry jam, peach jam, apple, pear and pumpkin butters and give these as holiday gifts.
loura says
September 14, 2015 at 1:42 pmI want to make Apple butter and peach jam.
Leticia says
September 14, 2015 at 3:49 pmI would be canning for the first time, so I will probably can fruit.
Ma says
September 14, 2015 at 4:04 pmI would use them for gifts.
Gail says
September 14, 2015 at 5:11 pmI would make some of my specialties to give as Christmas gifts-Blueberry/Grand Marnier Jam, Peach Bourbon Jam, Orange Chablis Jelly, and Sweet Onion Comfit.
Debra Mills says
September 14, 2015 at 6:06 pmTomato jam, mint jelly, the options are endless. I’m in a bad area for apples – too hot, and to make apple sauce for canning, it would cost too much to buy the apples. But, I take advantage of what I can grow for preserving
tracy criswell says
September 14, 2015 at 7:07 pmWe like to can jams, tomatoes, pickles, etc.
Heather says
September 14, 2015 at 9:59 pmI am just beginning my adventures of canning, but loving keeping the freshness of my garden-picked veggies!
Fee Roberts says
September 14, 2015 at 11:22 pmI’d make some of my grandpa’s fig preserves, and maybe try my hand at some apple butter.
Laurel says
September 15, 2015 at 2:01 amDid someone say, “more canning jars, please!” Yeah. We just used every. last. jar. for blackberry and strawberry. Bought some apples at the local orchard and sure could use more canning jars to do more canning. May even try something new like apple jelly. Winning these would be perfect!
Shannon Hudson says
September 15, 2015 at 8:31 amOur family travels 3-4 hours each Fall to go apple picking. If I won these jars, they would be used for apple butter and apple pie jam. Yum!
Debi says
September 15, 2015 at 12:05 pmI would use the jelly jars to make raspberry preserves, the canning jars I would use to make homemade salsa and pickles.
Helena says
September 15, 2015 at 1:24 pmThat applesauce looks tasty. And weirdly, looking at the pictures, you can’t even tell the peels are in there.
As for how I’d use the jars–I have a hankering to try making pear jam, as I tried a store-bought one and liked it, but it was too sweet, so now I want to make my own. And before long it’ll be strawberry season again here in FL, so I’ll be making strawberry jam–even more now that my littlest has decided he likes jam sandwiches. :)
Sue Steele says
September 15, 2015 at 7:32 pmI am constantly running out of jars.. I think I am finished canning and my husband wants to know why I didn’t can pears or something else..
Karen D says
September 16, 2015 at 5:05 amI’d use them for jams and for storing dehydrated fruits and veggies (and herbs)
Catrina says
September 16, 2015 at 6:07 amI just picked about 5 bushels of organic apples yesterday! I can wait to use these jars.
Tami Lewis says
September 16, 2015 at 10:46 pmI will can jam!
Diane says
September 17, 2015 at 12:49 pmI want to can some more tomatoes. There is never enough strawberry jam around here either!
RIANN THRELKELD says
September 17, 2015 at 3:45 pmAROUND HERE WE LIKE TO ADD RED HOTS TO MAKE SPICY SAUCE.
Kim Campbell says
September 19, 2015 at 8:27 amI would can some sort of apple relish!
Opal says
September 19, 2015 at 4:33 pmwhat a great treat on a cold winter day