# Home-made applesauce **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 2, 2011, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-made-applesauce/584060 "2011-06-02T06:31:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-made-applesauce/584060/1 "2011-06-02T06:31:02Z")
I’ve decided to make my own applesauce . . . unsweetened, chunky with cinnamon. What is the procedure, and what kind of apples should I use? I know that delicious is too sweet and granny smith is too tart. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-made-applesauce/584060/2 "2011-06-02T08:56:48Z")
I have made it with Macouns or Macintoshes, but that was because that was what they had at the U-pick orchard we went to. Turned out good. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-made-applesauce/584060/3 "2011-06-02T12:29:17Z")
It’s really just a simple matter of tossing peeled (or unpeeled, if you prefer) and chopped apples into a pot/pan with a little water and spices and then just covering and cooking the crap out of them. When they’re good and soft mash them up with a fork. You can use any kind of apple you like, even granny smiths. The cooking will mellow the tartness. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-made-applesauce/584060/4 "2011-06-02T13:32:55Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > It’s really just a simple matter of tossing peeled (or unpeeled, if you prefer) and chopped apples into a pot/pan with a little water and spices and then just covering and cooking the crap out of them. When they’re good and soft mash them up with a fork. > > You can use any kind of apple you like, even granny smiths. The cooking will mellow the tartness. Agreed on all points. You don’t even have to “mash” the apples really. They’ll fall apart on their own and stirring will break up all but the large lumps. You don’t have to dice the apples fine or anything (in fact you wouldn’t wnt to, if you want it chunky). Cutting them in quarters or 8ths is plenty. Don’t forget to core them though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-made-applesauce/584060/5 "2011-06-02T14:39:21Z")
Macintosh work the best in my opinion. The apples need to be cored. If you are going for a chunky sauce, I’d peel the apples. If you are planning to strain or use a tomato press then leave the skins on. If you are using a red skinned apple then you’ll get a pinkish sauce with the skins left on for cooking. I like to add a bit of lemon juice to the water, it keeps the apples from browning (dump them into the acidified water as soon as you core and peel them) and it enhances the sweetness. ---
**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 2, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/home-made-applesauce/584060/6 "2011-06-02T23:22:21Z")
My preference is to use Jonathon apples for sauce, pies, and other cooked apple things but they’re becoming harder to find it seems. Macintoshes are my second choice. Jonagolds are good, too. Jonathans have a sort of spicy tang to them but they also bruise easier than some other varieties so be gentle.