Green Apple Clog Blog: Applesauce of the Pear'n'Rhubarb Variety

There's a comfort in applesauce for me and a comfort in rhubarb so it was a very happy sight when Enz came in through the doorway after work one day carrying an armful of rhubarb his best friend, Enzo, had given him... Thank you, Enzo!!! Now, the gift of rhubarb was a real treat for us since we haven't had it for awhile... both my Gramma and my mama had big rhubarb patches at their houses for years and I loved nothing more than to take a little bowl of sugar and dunk-snack my way through a fresh picked stalk as I picked a bushel or two for making strawberry, rhubarb, pineapple jam every summer. But my Gramma moved not long after my Grampa died and Mama dug her patch up because she hated how overgrown it always got and I just never planted any because it just didn't feel the same; I think I'm going to plant a patch at the camp this summer, though because every camp needs a rhubarb patch... well, unless the people in the camp really hate rhubarb!

Anyhow, I had apples on-hand, pears on-hand and some beautiful gifted rhubarb so with the days still cool I figured an Applesauce of the Pear'n'Rhubarb Variety was totally a perfect way to enjoy! Enz loves it straight and cold from the fridge, I love it straight and at room temperature and we both LOVE it as a dunking sauce for roast pork and baked pork chops.

Applesauce is so easy to make and you can add different fruits and vary it up however you like so don't be afraid to experiment with different flavours! Here is how I made this batch and it turned out perfectly; so perfectly, in fact, that I shouldn't have even bothered with the canning part since Enz got home from work to taste test and in only a few hours of taste-testing he'd already started in on the second jar.

Applesauce... of the Pear'n'Rhubarb Variety

(makes 6 cups)

Ingredients:

6     Royal Gala Apples (peeled, cored and chopped)
2 Bartlett Pears (peeled, cored and chopped)
2 Bosc Pears (peeled, cored and chopped)
2 1/2 cups   Rhubarb (peeled and chopped)

1/3    cups Water
1/2   cup    Sugar (approx depending on desired sweetness)

1 1/2   tsp Cinnamon

Step one:

Fill a large pot to about half-full with cold water and set near fuit chopping station.

What's that? You need help keepin' your chopped fruit from discolouring?
Well not a worry, Sweetness, I'm here for ya, Babe

Step two:

Prep the fruit and toss immediately into the cold-water pot to help keep it from discolouring.

Ready and willin' to soon be mixin' in the cooltub

Chop, chop, CHOP!

When all the fruit is happily floating tanless it's time to pull the plug!

Step three:

Drain water from fruit.

Just a quick strainer-drain'er!

Step four:

Return fruit to dry pot and add in water, 1/4 cup of the sugar and cinnamon. Mix together well and cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches a bubbling simmer (approx 15 min)

Sweet-dressin' the fruit chunks!

And simmering the mix of simple deliciousness!

Step five:

Simmer mixture for another 15 minutes, stirring often then do a quick flavour test...

HEY! This ain't no school yard pick!!!

I like to just take a few chunks of each fruit out, along with a
drizzle of the liquid and smoosh it all together...

...with a fork to do the taste test.

Step six:

Add more sugar and cinnamon to desired taste... I used 1/2 cup of sugar in total and it made the fruit sauciness just sweet enough to not be too tart for me and just tart enough to not be too sweet for Enz (he likes tart fruit and I like sweet fruit).

Once happy with the flavour, cook another 15 minutes (stirring often) or until fruit is good'n'soft enough for blending.

Step seven:

Time to smoooooosh!!!

I like to use a hand blender just because I'm way too lazy to take apart and wash vessel blender or food processor components but if you want to use a different blender or a food processor or even just a plain old press masher, by all means give it a go YOUR way!

Just mash the cooked fruit mixture as smooooothly or as
coarsely as you would like it to be.

I like a really smooth finish!

And that is basically all there is to it! Just store in the refrigerator, for a sweet treat if you know you'll use it up in a few days. Otherwise you could freeze it if you wanted or you could do a quick hot-water bath canning like I did to keep it safe for future use.

I hope if you try this recipe you will find it as deliciously comforting as we do!

Easy canning keep:

This is how I canned the fruit sauciness but always be sure to check on proper canning techniques and times for where you live on the altitude scale!!!

After sterilizing and filling jars, I put the sealing lids on and tightened the screw-rings to
fingertip-tight and set them upright into the water still hot from sterilizing.