Apples

[S.A. Boggs]

Was able to pick up from my Amish friends 2 1/2 bushel of red/golden delicious apples for $75.00 and these are HUGE! Daughter helped my today and I will be doing the rest this week. Today's went into our dryer for mom/sis to snack on and much of the rest will go into the freezer for pies later in the winter.
Sam

[Allen]

Just wondering. How long can you freeze apples. I assume you peel and cut them up? Do they turn brown?

Down here we freeze shrimp in water. I've done it with chopped up bell peppers too. Seems like you can keep them fresh forever if submerged in frozen water. Apples may not like it though.

Old timers (down here) had farms. We can't grow apples but we can sure grow pears (the hard type). Seems like every house you went into long ago had canned pears stored away.

[PWC]

My wife peeled, cut and cooked them wth all the spices. The house smelled like Christmas for days. She won't can but she puts them up for the freezer. Pork (any) with spiced apples.... ice cream with spiced appls beats choco or butterscotch toping.

Yes, the apples tun brown but in a good way.

[Allen]

I didn't think about cooking them first.
Sounds about the same as canning (pears). They're cooked with cinnamon and dumped into the Mason jars while fairly warm, then lids put on. When it cools it creates a vacuum and preserves the mixture.

[lyman]

got a pile of them in the kitchen now to make a pie this weekend,
we also fry them up (spices and some brown sugar) and freeze the excess in a vacuum bag

[Allen]

The reason I asked about the apples turning brown is because they seem to head that way as soon as they are cut or bit into. Yet WM sells apple slices in bags (refrigerated) for snacking that look fresh cut. I asked a number of people how this was possible. Finally one person said they think lemon juice is applied. I guess the acid in the lemons stops or slows down the oxidation effect? If so, you don't taste any lemon.

This is why I didn't think about cooking them first but see where that is needed. You're creating the pie filling in advance.

[S.A. Boggs]

it is very simple and fast. My Kitchen Aid tool will peel, core and thinly slice an apple in about 10 seconds or less. Below the peeler apparatus I have a large bowl with cool water and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. The juice keeps the apples from oxidizing as they dry. On the ones I dry I just leave the peel on as this is where some of the nutrients are. For freezing I put the slices on large trays and pop them into our biggest freezer and in about two hours they are ready for the vacuum bag. As with most everything we purchase, I buy our spices in bulk to keep the prices down. My crust for pies is a combination of lard and butter, along with the spices. Before the top crust goes on, I put several pieces of Colby cheese for added flavor.
Sam

[PWC]

Cheese under top crust...what a wonderful idea!

[S.A. Boggs]

Cheese under top crust...what a wonderful idea!

Can't take credit for this as Mom baked her pies this way. One of Mom's candies was to take orange peels, boil them until tender. Still hot, roll the peels in a combination of brown and white sugar coating generously. Then Mom put them on wax paper to dry. With the hot water one can add sugar with the water on a low boil. This can make an orange flavored syrup.

[PWC]

Did she scrape all the "white stuff" which is bitter, off the peels before boiling?

[lyman]

The reason I asked about the apples turning brown is because they seem to head that way as soon as they are cut or bit into. Yet WM sells apple slices in bags (refrigerated) for snacking that look fresh cut. I asked a number of people how this was possible. Finally one person said they think lemon juice is applied. I guess the acid in the lemons stops or slows down the oxidation effect? If so, you don't taste any lemon.

This is why I didn't think about cooking them first but see where that is needed. You're creating the pie filling in advance.

yes, lemon juice keeps it form turning

[S.A. Boggs]

Did she scrape all the "white stuff" which is bitter, off the peels before boiling?

Kids got to do this with a small spoon to "cook" in the kitchen.
Sam

[Allen]

Speaking of apples, the McIntosh apples appeared yesterday in the stores. I bought a couple of bags---I doubt I will see any more this year.

These are my favorites (and apparently everyone else's). The season is very short what gets shipped here. We get possibly a one time shipment to all the larger various stores then that is it till the following year. WM is no exception.

[S.A. Boggs]

What I don't dry, and jar will end up frozen in the fridge. Just got the Red Delicious and will start on them.
Sam

[lyman]

What I don't dry, and jar will end up frozen in the fridge. Just got the Red Delicious and will start on them.
Sam

to be honest, Red Delicious are one of the worst tasting apples I have had, and in this area, regardless if local, west coast , or from one of the southern hemisphere countries, they tend to be mealy,


when i can find them, we prefer Nothern Spy, but will settle for some of the older varieties like Empire, rome, Winesap to fry, or make a pie, or peel and eat,