# Cooking with apples; what kind? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208 "2006-06-10T16:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![D.E.S.K.Top668](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@D.E.S.K.Top668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D.E.S.K.Top668)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/1 "2006-06-10T16:03:33Z")
Tonight I’m making, for the first time, [apple stuffed pork chops](http://pork.allrecipes.com/az/AppleStuffedPorkChops.asp). My dumb question is, what type of apples are best used for cooking? Should I use Fugi, Granny Smiths, Red Delicious, or what? I’m looking for a flavour to enhance, not overwhelm, the pork. Any suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance - DESK ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/2 "2006-06-10T16:11:55Z")
To a certain extent it’s a matter of taste, but I’d use something at least a little bit tart with meat (e.g. more likely Granny Smith than Red Delicious). ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/3 "2006-06-10T16:14:00Z")
Granny Smiths are usually better for cooking because they’re firmer. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/4 "2006-06-10T16:15:46Z")
Another vote for granny. ---
**Author:** ![Ana\_Byrd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ana\_Byrd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ana_Byrd)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/5 "2006-06-10T16:21:31Z")
And another - I always use granny smith in pies, since they keep their shape well and give a nice tartness which would complement the meat well. Don’t use red delicious, whatever you do; they don’t cook well (though they’re not much good for eating raw either). ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/6 "2006-06-10T16:46:24Z")
Another vote for Granny Smiths, and one for the Northern Spy as well, although they’re a little more difficult to get. Red Delicious are the iceberg lettuce of apples. That’s bad, by the way, at least I think so. Essentially flavorless, but they make a nice appearnce. ---
**Author:** ![PerditaX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@PerditaX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PerditaX)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/7 "2006-06-10T16:50:18Z")
Another vote for Granny Smith. I love them, because they’re tart and crisp. Red Delicious are okay for just eating uncooked (although they’re a little too “mealy” for my taste), but if you put them in a pie, they get mushy like applesauce rather than maintaining distinct slices. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/8 "2006-06-10T16:52:13Z")
Wow. I was going to recommend Granny Smiths before I opened the thread, and now it seems kind of redundant. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/9 "2006-06-10T17:39:02Z")
Anything but red delicious. Red delicious apples are generally tasteless and mealy and have been foisted on the public with aggressive advertising. ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/10 "2006-06-10T17:43:44Z")
My mother would always bake pies with Cooking Apples, big lumpy sour things. Then she would heel in half a bag of sugar to counteract the sourness. I often wondered why she wouldnt just make pies using sweet apples. i asked her, but she told me not to be so fucking silly. Anyone got a more scientific response? ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/11 "2006-06-11T04:10:19Z")
Granny Smith once again. Agree on Red Delicious being the Devil’s apple. Beautifully red, huge size, long shelf life…and a tasteless piece of junk (apparently, the public has finally caught on, Red Delicious sales have been down for a while), whether eaten out of hand or cooked. Now, _Golden_ Delicious, that’s a good eatin’ apple. But my favorites are Empires. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/12 "2006-06-11T06:14:15Z")
Granny Smiths are common, but I don’t think they’re particularly interesting. Pink Ladys are good cooking apples with better flavor than Granny Smiths (in my opinion). Fujis are sweet - good for eating, not so good for cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/13 "2006-06-11T07:44:22Z")
My favorite apple variety is Jonathans, which have a slightly spicy note and do very well as cooked apples. Not as tart as Granny Smiths. They’re not as common and not as large as many other varieties, and they do tend to bruise a little easier. Usually found in bags, not loose. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/14 "2006-06-11T08:12:38Z")
Pink Ladies for just about anything. Cooking, eating from the hand and display. An overall great apple. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/15 "2006-06-11T11:03:10Z")
I’ve been told that the best cooking apples are tart and firm–granted, that was for pies. Granny Smith’s (do I hear an echo in here?) would be good, though I’d rather eat those and cook with Cortlands 😉 Agreed with the Red Delicious–it’s anything but delicious. That reminds me, I was going to make some pies… ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-apples-what-kind/360208/16 "2006-06-11T14:30:48Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Anything but red delicious. Red delicious apples are generally tasteless and mealy and have been foisted on the public with aggressive advertising. Here, here, chefguy. Agree 100% ANY apple is better than a Red Delcious.