Freezing Apples

Growing your own food is marvelous.  Having it all come ripe at the same time is not.  My apple tree is producing well this year, and the apples need to be stored in some way.  Since I don’t have a cold cellar, I need to can or freeze them.  My plan was to can apple slices in either a light water and sugar mixture, or make Pie-In-A-Jar pie filling.  However, two days of 101 degree heat took the wind out of my sails, and used up the time I had allotted for canning.  The apples, however, are still there.  So I froze them instead, which is probably the better solution because it doesn’t add any sweetener ahead of time.

Another good time saver if you are keeping apples for pies, is to make the apple pie filling, pour it into a pie pan and freeze it.  After freezing, slip it out and into a freezer bag.  When it comes time to bake, make the crust (which you actually can do ahead of time and freeze separately as well) and slip in the frozen pie filling.  Add baking time.

The best apple peeler I’ve ever had was purchased at the Del Mar Fair many years ago and given to me as a gift.  It is easy to hold (I have arthritis) and I can zip through peel like nobody’s business.  I know that design (in photo) is sold elsewhere, so don’t wait for the Fair.