Well, as crazy as I was for tomatoes this past late summer, now it's apple season, and with my pressure cooker....pressure cookers...I can have fresh, warm, homemade, nothing but apples, applesauce, in a matter of minutes, yum yum!
Apples. I used as much as my 8qt. PC would hold, probably 6lbs. A combination makes it more
interesting, I used Fuji, Gala and quince. You can peel them before you cook them, and by doing it that way you can simply mash them for a chunkier applesauce, but if you don't peel them you have to use a food mill to seperate the skins, but then you won't have the choice of a chunkier version. I did it both ways, and I found the applesauce made with the skins more flavorful, but that is just my opinion. You save time by not peeling the apples, but you make up for it by using the food mill...and washing it!
Many of the recipes I came across also suggested adding sugar. Again, pointless to me, but if your apples aren't sweet enough, sugar, white, raw/natural, or brown is always an option. As well as any other sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
Apples. I used as much as my 8qt. PC would hold, probably 6lbs. A combination makes it more
Water. I'm not sure if you even need any liquid, but I added only 1/2 c. I had never made applesauce in the pressure cooker before and it seemed weird, and scary to not add some kind of liquid. I did look online for PC appelsauce recipes and to my surprise many of them suggested....are you ready for this? Apple juice! What's the point of making your own applesauce? If you buy apple juice to make applesauce, you might as well buy applesauce, lol.
Optional stuff...
cinnamon stick
lemon or orange peel
other fresh fruits like pears and cranberries (in season), out of season fruit is still available like peaches, plums, pineapple, etc.
dried fruits, raisins, cranberries, prunes, apricots, etc.
Many of the recipes I came across also suggested adding sugar. Again, pointless to me, but if your apples aren't sweet enough, sugar, white, raw/natural, or brown is always an option. As well as any other sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
I'm dying to try making applesauce with a couple of diced red beets.....I think it'll work! It will make a gorgeous red sauce and as long as I use more apples than beets the flavor should still balance out ok.
10 comments:
Tracy, those look delicious! I have a PC on my wish list. I remember my grandmother cooking with one when I was a child and I have such wonderful memories of all the good food she served!
The beets and apples sound like a great combination and the color WILL be wonderful! I got my PC and am using it for the very first time today! (fingers crossed...)
I love pressure cooked applesauce. I like the beet and apple idea and can't wait to read about it.
Someone had a blog post about putting the apples with peels in her food processor, not the food mill, and has had good results. You might want to try it. Still have to wash something but you get all the apple.
Leslie, I am sure that your PC experience will go well -- fingers crossed or not.
Beth,
My focus in the next few weeks will be how to get started with using the PC regularly, not to mention tons of recipe ideas
Leslie,
Whatcha makin'? You know I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm always thrilled that most of the meals I make in the PC still work without using meat.
I'm in the process of stocking a new pantry...my pressure cooker pantry with various grains and beans...the possibilities are endless.
Arrrgh -- I chickened out with the PC. Couldn't find a recipe I thought my family would like. (I'm veg but family is not.) Ended up sauteing onions and peppers, steaming carrots, combining them with curry sauce, then adding some chick peas and (for the fam) some grilled chicken. Then it occurred to me that maybe I could have done all that in the pressure cooker -- sigh. Hit Barnes and Noble and bought a mainstream PC cookbook. Will try again Wednesday, the next night we're home for dinner.
P.S. I can't wait to cook along with you, Tracy!
Jill,
I'm trying the apple beet sauce today.
And yes, I think I'd rather wash my food mill, than my food processer! I may be the only woman in the US that has never owned a dishwasher, lol!
Leslie,
In the next few days I'm going to write step-by-step some of my ideas of how to start...exactly....making the PC a regular part of your cooking life.
I got my PC today. So I think I'll try the apples first! I love applesauce.
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