How to Make Applesauce with a Food Mill

Our Yellow Transparent apple tree produces about 2 bushels of apples in Mid-July and Early August, right in the middle of our busiest time of year.   Summer-bearing apples don’t store for more than a week and are pretty mediocre for fresh eating, but they’re perfect for applesauce.  Their soft crumbly texture means they break down quickly into a smooth creamy applesauce.

The trick is, how do you can 2 bushels of apples when you have about a thousand other summer projects?

The answer… a food mill.

Using a food mill to make applesauce means you skip the time-consuming peeling and coring steps.  Just coarsely chop the apples before cooking them into a chunky sauce.  The food strainer will puree them down to a smooth sauce, while at the same time removing the peels and cores.

There are a number of different types of food mills.  I have friends who are fond of the countertop chinois sieve.  It’s non-electric and works quickly.  My friends at the free-range life have a hand-powered counter mount strainer that they use for bulk applesauce batches. 

Personally, I’m fond of my KitchenAid food strainer.  I use a KitchenAid regularly in my cooking, so it’s almost always out and ready to go.

The food strainer attachment processes applesauce in no time. It took about 15-20 minutes to work through 40 pints of sauce.

I timed myself at each step, making a huge batch of 40 pints of applesauce:

Chopping: 15 minutes
Cooking: 45-60 minutes
Straining: 15-20 minutes
Canning: 45-55 minutes
Total Time: 2 to 2.5 hours

Of that 2 hours, only about half 45 minutes was “hands-on” time.  Chopping the apples, using the food strainer and then loading the canner.

How to Make Applesauce With a Food Mill

Yellow transparent apples are acidic and quite tart.  They taste best with a bit of sugar added, and a generous helping of ginger to balance out the acidity.  If you’re using milder or sweeter apples, feel free to omit the sugar or spices.

Yield: 40 Pints (approximate)
Process Time: 15 for Pints
Headspace: 1/2 inch
Method: Water Bath Canner

25-30 lbs Apples (5 gallons chopped)
2-4 Quarts Water or Apple Juice
1-3 C Sugar (optional)
2-3 t Ground Ginger (optional)
2-3 t Ground Cinnamon (optional)
1-2 T Molasses (optional)

Coarsely chop the apples in half or quarters.  Bring them to a boil in a large stockpot with 2-4 quarts of water or apple juice.  Once boiling, turn down to low and cook for 30-45 minutes until the apples disintegrate.  Process immediately (or allow to cool) through a KitchenAid Food Strainer or Chinois Sieve.  

Add the spices, if using, after straining the sauce.

Bring applesauce back up to a boil and can in a water bath canner.  Process 15 minutes with 1/2 inch headspace for pints under 1000 feet.  Remember to adjust cook time for altitude.