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.
Lynn@Happier Than A Pig In Mud says
Your applesauce looks great! I’d use the jars for either apple or pear butter, both sound good:@)
Amy Schmelzer says
I 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
I can always use more jars, great give away!
Teri Stich says
Gifts gifts and more gifts!! The Holidays are coming!
Karen C says
I’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
Love canning. I can all sorts of things and can always use more canning ideas and jars. Thanks
Jonniee says
Always 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
I’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
for canning my spaghetti sauce
wilma says
I love to can, so they will be filled soon
Darlene roszkowski says
Our apple tree is heavy with fruit this year! Applesauce would fill every one of those beautiful jars!
Nina says
I’ll be making fig jam and filling jars shortly. These would be perfect!!
Kitty says
I 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
Kitty, 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
Thanks, Angi! I’ll look into those varieties! Wish me luck :)
Brenda says
Can’t have too many jars! They have so many uses, oh, and canning too!
Elizabeth Cotten says
I’m making Christmas presents with the jars!
Sara says
My garden just exploded with seasonal delights, so I’ve been canning like crazy. These jars will help me continue to can.
Amber O. says
This 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
I would use these jars for canning apple or pear butter for my family members.
Ann Cluck says
I would definitely be watching your blog for a great canning recipe for these gorgeous jars!!
Angie says
Applesauce 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
I like your recipe for the chunky apple sauce. Will give it a try
jo n says
I would use the jars for more violet jelly, chicken soups, and probably some pickled eggs if there are any wide mouth jars.
Grammyprepper says
I’d love to try your applesauce recipe, it sounds super simple
Laurie says
I’d use the jars for canned chicken.
Victoria says
Would love to win. Your site is very informative and I look forward to your posts.
Marilee Reyes says
Thanks 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
Apple 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
Not peeling gives apple sauce a pretty color too! I could always use more jars – Please send more.
Keith Webster says
I 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
The 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
I want to make and can apple butter.
Marlene says
I will make blackberry jam, peach jam, apple, pear and pumpkin butters and give these as holiday gifts.
loura says
I want to make Apple butter and peach jam.
Leticia says
I would be canning for the first time, so I will probably can fruit.
Ma says
I would use them for gifts.
Gail says
I 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
Tomato 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
We like to can jams, tomatoes, pickles, etc.
Heather says
I am just beginning my adventures of canning, but loving keeping the freshness of my garden-picked veggies!
Fee Roberts says
I’d make some of my grandpa’s fig preserves, and maybe try my hand at some apple butter.
Laurel says
Did 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
Our 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
I would use the jelly jars to make raspberry preserves, the canning jars I would use to make homemade salsa and pickles.
Helena says
That 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
I 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
I’d use them for jams and for storing dehydrated fruits and veggies (and herbs)
Catrina says
I just picked about 5 bushels of organic apples yesterday! I can wait to use these jars.
Tami Lewis says
I will can jam!
Diane says
I want to can some more tomatoes. There is never enough strawberry jam around here either!
RIANN THRELKELD says
AROUND HERE WE LIKE TO ADD RED HOTS TO MAKE SPICY SAUCE.
Kim Campbell says
I would can some sort of apple relish!
Opal says
what a great treat on a cold winter day