Applesauce: Thanksgiving Side Dish

For homemade applesauce, select an assortment of varieties.

I was looking for one more side dish for a ten-person dinner at the farm recently. Hmm… let’s see…something easy and seasonal. Fresh applesauce would be perfect. It goes with everything and is inexpensive, especially at this time of the year when there’s such an assortment of fresh apples available. And, I love the smell it brings to the kitchen.

Core and chop apples

The biggest decision is whether to leave the peel on the apples. Peel-on advocates like the pinkish color, shorter prep time, and the nutrients that come from the skins. It takes longer to peel the apples, but you can mash them in the pot and serve the sauce chunky style or puree it easily in a blender.

Cook apples until soft

I was cooking about fifteen apples, so I opted to chop and core them and put the cooked fruit through my “antique” food mill, an apparatus I was given as a wedding gift because it was considered necessary for every well-appointed kitchen

If unpeeled, put through food mill to remove skins.

I use a mixture of apples, my favorites being Pink Lady, McIntosh, Gala, and a few Granny Smith. Here’s how simple it is to make a small batch of this timeless, tasty treat.

Add sugar and a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired.

Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients:

6-8 apples, Pink Lady, McIntosh, Gala, or Granny Smith (or a mixture)
1 tsp. sugar, or more, or to taste.
A dash of cinnamon, optional

Directions:

Peel (or leave unpeeled), core, and quarter apples. Place them in a pot with about an inch of water. Bring the apples to a boil, turn the heat down slightly, and simmer 30 minutes or until the fruit gets soft and thickens. Run thru a food mill to remove skins. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon, to taste. I often add a pinch of fresh nutmeg as well.