Step 1

Wash the apples well and then boil them in a large stockpot for around 30 - 45 minutes or until apples become soft and squishy.

Step 2

Drain the water and then run the apples through a Chinois Strainer or something similar to remove all the outsides, seeds, etc.

Step 3

Add brown sugar and vanilla extract to taste. How much you add is up to you. I think I had around 5-6 cups of pureed apples and I added about 1 cup of brown sugar and several tablespoons of vanilla. We really liked the vanilla flavor in it. If we're using storebought apples, we do not add any sugar to them. But it does help to add a bit to the tart apples that are more likely to grow at home. Taste your apples for sweetness before adding any sweetener.

Step 4

Put applesauce into any size sterilized jars you wish, leaving 1″ of headspace.

Step 5

Process for the time and pressure indicated on the chart above according to your altitude. For jelly size jars, process the jars in a hot water bather for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool and seal.  Click over to the USDA website for guidelines on a weighted pressure canner. Be sure to check your pressure canner’s instruction manual to follow proper procedures.