Homemade Applesauce Recipe {Slow Cooker} - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

Homemade Applesauce Recipe {Slow Cooker} - Belly Full? ›

Adding sugar to applesauce is optional…. However, lemon juice is not an optional addition. Lemon juice is added to help preserve the apples' natural colour and to assure the acidity of the finished product, since different varieties and harvesting conditions can produce apples of lower acidity.”

Adding sugar to applesauce is optional…. However, lemon juice is not an optional addition. Lemon juice is added to help preserve the apples' natural colour and to assure the acidity of the finished product, since different varieties and harvesting conditions can produce apples of lower acidity.”

Apple sauce is low in calories, fat-free, and contains beneficial vitamins and minerals. Apples are packed with fiber, which helps keep you feeling full and aids in digestion. They also contain antioxidants, which can help protect against chronic diseases.

The mellow sweetness of toasted sugar adds complexity. Apple cider vinegar helps brighten cooked fruit. Using skin-on fruit improves both flavor and color in the finished product. Aromatics like cinnamon, orange peel, and rose water intensify the flavor of the apples.

The apples could be larger than usual, or you might not have had the heat on the stovetop high enough or left the sauce to stew for long enough. The same holds true for many other sauces (apples aside), but don't despair because there are many ways to thicken the sauce.

If your recipe called for lemon juice and you forgot to put it in, your mixture will not be acid enough for safe canning. You have to open the jars and put the mixture into a sauce pan.

If you don't have any lemon juice, just substitute it with some apple cider vinegar. I like to add some lemon zest to my applesauce; the flavour of apple and lemon compliment each other really well. Some like to add orange zest.

The soluble fiber in applesauce, in the form of pectin, can be helpful in treating digestive issues, such as diarrhea and constipation. It can help to neutralize the effects of irritable bowel syndrome. Pectin also acts as a prebiotic, which feeds good gut bacteria and promotes good digestive health.

If you think you are having an allergic reaction after eating apples, you likely have oral allergy syndrome (OAS), especially if the symptoms are mild, don't last long, and only affect your mouth.

Naturally sweet foods like applesauce reduce orexin, a neurotransmitter responsible for keeping the body alert and inducing sleep.

What combination of apples make the best applesauce? ›

For a basic applesauce, use McIntosh and Golden Delicious apples. Golden Delicious is a soft apple variety with a mellow flavor, so it cooks down easily and provides a great foundation for your applesauce. McIntosh apples are slightly tart and crisp, but soften easily, making them a stellar choice for pies and sauces.

On Monday morning's show, he showed off one of his favorite college snacks: A mixture of applesauce, milk and maple syrup.

Some recipes for applesauce include a tablespoon of lemon juice for each quart of sauce to preserve the color and to increase acidity. The addition of ground spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg adds natural color that may mask some of the oxidation.

Start by toasting a half-teaspoon of your favorite ground baking spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice) in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl to stop the cooking, then stir in a pinch or two of the spice into your applesauce, adding more to taste.

Different varieties of apples have different pH levels (some of which are not safe for waterbath canning and some that are), so to be on the safe side, we recommend adding lemon juice to every batch of applesauce.

Do you have to add lemon juice when canning spaghetti sauce? Yes. Adding lemon juice makes this tomato sauce safe to water-bath can. This takes the pH level to a safe range.

Adding the recommended amount of bottled lemon juice or citric acid lowers the pH of all tested varieties enough to allow for the safe process of water bath canning.

The lemon juice/citric acid debate.

The apples have enough acidity that you can can them safely without adding anything! Even if you decide to add a little sugar to the jars, there is no need to add additional acid to the mixture.