Slow Cooker Applesauce

Slow Cooker Applesauce puts Honey Crisp apples, Golden Delicious apples and Gala apples at the center of a side recipe and finishes in about 255 minutes, enough for 8 Cups (6-8 cups depending on apples).

• Yield 8 Cups (6-8 cups depending on apples)
• Ready in 255 minutes
• Prep 15 minutes
• Cook 240 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Honey Crisp apples
• 5 Golden Delicious apples
• 7 Gala apples
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. Cut the apples into quarters and slice out the pieces of core in each one. Leaving the peels on or off is your choice. If leaving them on, be sure to wash the apples very well (even if buying organic). If you want a chunkier applesauce, I'd suggest peeling all the apples so you can leave the sauce with texture and not get bits of peel all over.
2. In a large, oval slow cooker (about 7- to 8-quarts), toss the apples with the lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
3. Blend with a handheld immersion blender or by scooping the applesauce into a blender (may need to do this in batches - take care since hot foods expand in a blender so only fill it half full).
4. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled. This will keep well-covered in the refrigerator for a week or two and can be frozen for a couple of months.

Give it a minute off the heat, then serve it while it is still hot.