Bountiful Beauties

November 18, 2021

Bountiful Beauties

As fall is winding down I wanted to share a bit of this seasons fruit. I've said it before that on other posts that I love picking apples on 'Mt. Graham' at Angle Orchard. This year most of all I pick were on the ground, nothing wrong - as fresh as you can get, and with a discounted price. The rain we received this year and the right conditions gave a bountiful harvest. As you can see the apples on the ground had just about the same left in the trees!

So what did I do with all we picked.

Jump in and take a bite - you've heard the saying - an apple a day keeps the doctor away ~

Two ways this season apple butters, one cord and skin removed apples, apple cider, and spices. Slow cooked on top the stove in a large pot or cast iron - slow until perfecto. Jar it up.

Second way - I prefer - it has a better flavor, core apples, leave skins and chop up, add apple cider, spices, in to a large Dutch oven bake low temp long slow bake occasional stir and smash till done. Both are very similar. Oh make sure you have a strainer to remove all skin when done baking.

Another is make sauce. Basically butter without it totally cooked down and nothing added accept a bit of water or juice/cider.

Dehydrating is a great way to keep the goodness coming! I've made rollups 'fruit leathers' before using a combination of apple and banana. This time straight apple by making a sauce with a bit of cider, nothing use. Cook on stove top till you get it the desire you prefer. if you are dehydrating you want the same consistency so it all dries the same. I used 1/2 cup rounds then into the dehydrator.

Above, a variation adding sliced almonds, it's like eating an expensive treat! I will use this just as rollups. The plain sauce I will use for cakes anything calling for apple sauce, just hydrated with a comfort food or as a rollup. This real cuts down on storage space.

Now for hydration ~ I needed 1-1/3 cup of applesauce each half cup you can heat same amount of water. Water needs to be hot but not necessarily boiling, pour over top of opened leathers and allow to hydrate.