Canning was a regular part of this time of year for my mom. We always had canned peaches, tomatoes, applesauce, pears, salsa, jam etc.. on hand. It was a normal thing to me. I probably took for granted how lucky I was to have Raspberry Freezer Jam available all the time! We used our canned goods in everything! Canned tomatoes went in soup, canned peaches went in my favorite cobbler recipe. And Canned Applesauce with a little cinnamon on top was my favorite after school snack!
Since my tutorial on canning tomatoes has been so popular, I really wanted to share How to Can Applesauce! I think some people are weary of canning because it seems complicated or hard, but it’s so easy!!
The basic steps to canning applesauce are simple!
- Peel, core, and cut the apples (unless you use a food mill/strainer).
- Cook apples until they’re soft and mashable
- Add sweetner, if desired
- Process in waterbath canner
Easy, right?! If I can do it, you can to! And here’s a simple list of the items I use to make it easy!
Apple Peeler, Slicer And Corer
Ball Wide Mouth Canning Jar-Quart
Waterbath Canning Kit
Potato Masher
- Apples , whatever kind you like--I use Golden Delicious (6-8 apples make about 1 quart of applesauce)
- sugar , to taste
- water bath canner
- canning jars
- canning seals (new ones) and rings
- jar lifter
- large stock pot
-
First peel, core, and cut your apples into slices. (An apple peeler, corer, slicer may come in handy for this part, but you can do it by hand.)
-
Place apple slices in a large pot and add 1 cup of water. Cook the apples over medium heat, stirring often, until tender. Mash the apples with a potato masher. If you want an even smoother consistency, puree them in a blender.
-
At this point you can add a little extra water if you need to, depending on how thick or thin you want your applesauce. I like to reach the consistency of slightly runny pudding. You can also add sugar at this point, depending on how sweet you want your applesauce. Add a little at a time and taste it until it's how you like. The applesauce will also sweeten over time, in the jars, so keep that in mind when adding sugar. I use white granulated sugar because I hate the way brown sugar makes the applesauce so dark.
-
Bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Once boiling, add your new canning lids and boil for 8-10 minutes. This helps to soften the sealant on the lids before placing them on the jars.
-
Fill your jars with applesauce leaving 1/2'' of headspace. Use a small rubber spatula to scrape down the inside of the jar and remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rims clean. Place lids and rings on the jars. Process in your water bath canner for 20 minutes. (For more details follow water bath canning instructions : http://www.simplycanning.com/water-bath-canning.html )
Want more canning recipes: Try these!:
*This post contains affiliate links
Pam Dana says
I love Fall for Canning season! Can’t wait to get my hands on some apples and can my own!! I also LOVe to add some Cinnamon to mine!
Becky @ lovetobeinthekitchen says
Easier than I would have thought! Looks really good and a great idea to can applesauce. Pinned!
Kasey says
I cook my apples in a crock pot so it’s even less work!
Kit says
I read yesterday that the new ball lids are BPA free and shouldn’t be boiled. If using those kind, wash with hot soapy water and then use at room temperature. Boiling these types of lids for sterilization can ruin your chances of a seal. Here is a post that explains the info from them:
http://livinghomegrown.com/2014/08/changes-in-canning-lid-procedures.html
Just wanted to share.
Sonia says
How long is it good for after canning?
Lauren Allen says
Hi Sonia, if canned properly it should last for at least a year, but you could google this to find a more specific date based off of when you make it!
Heather Graham says
Hi! I found your site on Pinterest, and am including a link to this post in a Canning Recipe roundup I am doing today. I hope you can stop by to see it! This applesauce looks yummy!!
Natalie says
I’ve been making applesauce but after the water bath it seems to have separated with an inch or so of juice on the bottom. Do you know why that might be?
Lauren Allen says
Hi Natalie, Depending on your altitude, this can happen and it’s totally fine! As long as your bottle is sealed, there is no worry. When you’re ready to eat it, just shake or stir the bottle first.