Comments on Family Feedbag: Applesauce fruit blends

We love using the immersion blender to pulverize e...

2016-08-30T16:09:55.851-07:00

We love using the immersion blender to pulverize everything. It makes it really simple!

Thanks for sharing your recipes. I always buy the ...

2016-08-11T17:14:37.293-07:00

Thanks for sharing your recipes. I always buy the unsweetened applesauce at the store. I just picked a lot of peaches and was looking for a fruit sauce recipe; I like to use applesauce on pancakes and think peach sauce will be better. I used more peaches than apples (what I had on hand) and am hoping it will turn out all right. It looks a little thin now.

I am going to try the peach-applesauce. Sounds wo...

2016-07-24T18:42:57.411-07:00

I am going to try the peach-applesauce. Sounds wonderful. One thing I can every year is applesauce and put in a handful of small cinnamon candies . I add the candies into the apples while cooking it and then run it through a Foley Food Mill. Put it in pints or quarts and process in pressure cooker, 5 pounds pressure for 15 minutes. This reminds me of the peach-apple pie I made up and that is delicious.

Hi, thanks for the question. With raw apples I wou...

2015-10-20T12:29:52.953-07:00

Hi, thanks for the question. With raw apples I would add lemon juice to prevent browning, but I haven't found it necessary with cooked and canned applesauce. As for acidity, apples and the other fruits above (peaches, strawberries and blueberries) are perfectly safe to be canned on their own and with each other since all have a safe pH.

Hi, I've been using the Bernardian home cann...

2015-10-20T12:17:38.454-07:00

Hi,

I've been using the Bernardian home canning book. It says when making apple sauce you must use lemon juice to keep the colour and help keep the acidity levels up. They do not have a recipie for making apple sauce with an addition of other fruits. Is there a reason you don't use lemon juice? Since you've published a book I don't doubt the safety of your product I'm just curious why you chose not to add lemon juice. Thanks.

And Amy, can you can the pear sauce the same as th...

2015-09-03T13:41:31.311-07:00

And Amy, can you can the pear sauce the same as the applesauce?

You got my attention: NO SUGAR! Thank you

2015-08-11T14:13:06.173-07:00

You got my attention: NO SUGAR! Thank you

No, factory processing is different from home cann...

2015-07-13T08:46:52.248-07:00

No, factory processing is different from home canning processing and I wouldn't trust a factory jar to re-seal on my home preserves. The gold standard in home canning is mason jars with a 2-piece lid. Good luck!

I meant to ask if I were to reuse old jam jars, li...

2015-07-12T13:16:38.535-07:00

I meant to ask if I were to reuse old jam jars, like from store bought jams, will they reseal, not refreeze.

If freezing, I would use freezer-suitable containe...

2015-07-11T17:31:14.713-07:00

If freezing, I would use freezer-suitable containers. Whatever you normally use for freezing liquids in smaller portions. Bernardin does some freezer containers as well.

2015-07-11T17:29:57.093-07:00

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How far from the top should I fill the jars if fre...

2015-07-11T15:07:51.285-07:00

How far from the top should I fill the jars if freezing?? Also, if I were to use other jars such as old jam and pickle jars, will they refreeze??

Yes, you can mash strawberries and can them. On th...

2015-04-09T14:09:10.152-07:00

Yes, you can mash strawberries and can them. On their own, though, they don't hold their colour very well without added sugar. That's likely why you don't see a lot of recipes for preserved strawberries without sugar.

I'm sure this is a stupid question, and I apol...

2015-04-09T13:55:23.983-07:00

I'm sure this is a stupid question, and I apologize ahead of time (I'm new to canning). Is it possible to simply can the strawberries mashed up? I'm looking to free up some space in my freezer and am trying to can the various ingredients I use in my smoothies. I have been unable to find any recipes for canning strawberries without sugar or pectin. Thanks!

Hi. Apples and strawberries are both in the safe p...

2015-04-09T13:28:02.472-07:00

Hi. Apples and strawberries are both in the safe pH zone for water bath canning. So, yes, canning them on their own or together is perfectly safe. However, you should cook the apples first by boiling them in a little water (in chunks or slices) for 5 minutes before putting them in jars for better quality preserves. Be sure to top up with a little of the cooking liquid to avoid air pockets in your jars.

But, if you are just adding your apples and strawberries to smoothies, you might want to consider just chopping your fruit and storing it in the freezer. Particularly the strawberries, as they tend to maintain their bright colour better in the freezer.

I'm looking to can apples and strawberries tog...

2015-04-09T13:11:34.583-07:00

I'm looking to can apples and strawberries together without the sugar and pectin. Because I'm not worried about the consistency, could you can the mixture before you strain it? I'm going to be adding the mixture to a smoothie mix so it will all be blended in the end. Thoughts? Thanks!

Hi Jessica. I don't can bananas. They are a lo...

2015-03-06T09:32:17.961-08:00

Hi Jessica. I don't can bananas. They are a low acid food and the texture is better suited to freezing. So, if you were to mash a banana to add to your strawberry applesauce, you can always just put the finished sauce in the freezer.

Do you have any recommendations on how to make a s...

2015-03-06T04:11:07.800-08:00

Do you have any recommendations on how to make a strawberry banana applesauce?

Thanks!

I am glad I found this site. I am older, and looki...

2014-11-14T10:40:33.355-08:00

I am glad I found this site. I am older, and looking for a recipe where I can combine applesauce (because of its high pectin and soluble fiber content) with wild picked Autumn Olives (which are very high in Lycopene). I have high cholesterol, and the combination of the high pectin and soluble fiber can help reduce cholesterol levels. The Lycopene in the Autumn Olives is 10-14 times higher than tomatoes, and lycopene is good in fighting heart disease and other things. Your applesauce with other fruits is a great idea to get ALL of the benefits of apples and wild Autumn Olives. Autumn Olive jam is yummy! Its wild, and FREE, and you are helping keep this invasive bush in check also.

I do suggest you keep the cores in the apples (seeds and all) when you cook the fruit, because the cores along with the skins have the most pectin content in them. The cooking process neutalizes any harmful chemicals in the apple seeds. I have done a LOT of reading up on this and know this is true, not just an urban legend. (smile).
When you strain the fruit, you will get rid of the apple and Autumn Olive seeds - but keep the pulp, cooked skin and pectin. It is important to make sure that you get the red SKINS of the Autumn Olives in the sauce because this is where the lycopene is.

Thanks again for your idea!

I just found your site and it helped me make quick...

2014-09-21T14:00:06.586-07:00

I just found your site and it helped me make quick work of saving a bowlful of apples that might otherwise have gone to waste. In less than an hour I was able to turn the neglected bowl of apples into 9 jars of appetizing blackberry applesauce. I added some frozen blackberries that I picked earlier this summer and the colour turned out great. The aroma had everyone in the house coming to check out what smelled so good! I love that this recipe is just made of REAL FOOD and no sugar, nor preservatives.

Yes, applesauce is a nice use for frozen apples. I...

2014-02-22T07:43:33.211-08:00

Yes, applesauce is a nice use for frozen apples. I like to freeze pieces of fruit on a cookie sheet first before putting into freezer bags or containers. That way they don't stick together in one big frozen block.

2014-02-22T07:42:41.054-08:00

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Can you slice and core the apples and freeze when ...

2014-02-22T07:24:35.213-08:00

Can you slice and core the apples and freeze when you have enough to make a big enough batch?

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2013-11-11T12:33:13.036-08:00

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Just fyi for those of you that pick apples from th...

2013-10-18T09:59:09.643-07:00

Just fyi for those of you that pick apples from the ground... if deer are prevalent in your area and stand at the apple trees to eat, you have the possibility of introducing E. Colin into you batch. I haven't researched if the canning process kills that bacteria but it would be worth perusing if you gather your apples that way.