How to Preserve Old Fashioned Applesauce

Canning applesauce is one way to preserve apples.

Saucing apples by cooking them and then processing them through a mill is an old-fashioned way to preserve this fall fruit for the winter. Apples are acidic enough to process with a hot water canner --- no pressure cooker required --- making this a great family project without the need for expensive equipment. Does this Spark an idea?

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Sieve
Sugar
Cinnamon
Pint or quart-sized jars and lids
Ladle
Canning pot
Canning rack

Instructions

- 1
  
  Prepare applesauce according to recipe. Preparing old-fashioned applesauce usually entails peeling and slicing the apples, then cooking them down before pressing through a sieve, mixing with sugar and spicing with cinnamon.
- 2
  
  Boil jars and lids for 10 minutes to sterilize. Carefully remove from pot one at a time to fill.
- 3
  
  Fill hot sterilized jars with hot applesauce to 1/2 inch from the top. Seal the jars with lids and rings.
- 4
  
  Fill a hot water canner half full with water and heat to 180 degrees. Put the jars in a canning rack and lower into the hot water. Add more water if necessary so that the water is one inch above the jar lids.
- 5
  
  Bring water to a vigorous boil and then lower heat until the water maintains a gentle boil. Process the jars for 15 minutes in pint jars and 20 minutes in quart jars, adding time for altitude as indicated by a canning manual.
- 6
  
  Remove the jars from the boiling water. Check that the lids have sealed by gently pressing on the center. The lids should be depressed and present no "give" when pressed down.

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