This time of year always finds me putting up apples for use during the coming year. I've dried apples, sauced apples and frozen apples. The later being the fastest and the most useful. While I don't mind peeling them by hand, when there are literally bushels sitting on the floor waiting for attention, this little gizmo, the Apple Peeler Slicer Corer, is a very handy thing to have. 
You can find them easily for under $25.00. There is a bit more waste than peeling by hand. However, it sure is easier to get help if you have the little gizmo screwed tightly to your table. Guess it makes it look fun and easy. I'll take that page from Tom Sawyer and forget about the extra bit of wasted apple.
Personally, my favorite peeler, by far, is this one from OXO. I carry one in my pack (guess after yesterday, you'll believe me on that) whenever I travel and know I'll have some sort of housekeeping arrangement. It is a very handy item.
Since C is home too these days, and he as a real appetite for apple pie; he was easily persuaded to operate the gizmo. He'd never use the slow peeler. NEVER. In under a half hour, we had emptied the first bucket of apples and had them bagged and ready for the freezer.
How to freeze apples:
I like to freeze the apples in pie sized portions. Here's what you do. For one 9-10" pie, put 6-7 cups of sliced apples in a freezer bag. Add to this, 1/2 cup sugar and a good shake of cinnamon. Adding the cinnamon will disguise the slight browning of the apples as they thaw. You could add a bit of citric acid or lemon juice to prevent this. Not all of the apples will be for pies. Often, I'll grab a bag, heat it a bit and make apple sauce, as chunky as you choose in 5 minutes. Some bags are filled with apples only. I use them for pork dishes, adding to sauces, whatever. It is important to gently squeeze as much of the air from the bags as you possibly can before sealing them. Rolling them up like a jelly roll works great. Seal and freeze immediately. They keep all year and beyond.
One bucket down, four more to go.
Comments
14 responses to “freezing apples.. part 2”
Oh great. Now I want apple pie.
I’ve been thinking about apples for a couple of days…the perfect fall food. The makings for apple crisp are on my kitchen counter..can’t wait!
I love the gizmo. It makes things so much easier and faster.
I think I need pie now, too.
I’ve never done it but my friend’s mother would use the apple peelings to make apple jelly.
My apples are sitting on the counter waiting to become pie, and frozen and jarred pie filling. …so this is a timely post.
I will certainly try a few bags with your method!
My “gizmo” is from the 1930’s and still going strong!
Interesting. I own both the OXO peeler AND the apple peeler (I got mine from Lee Valley Tools). I also have a much higher peeling participation percentage from my kids when we use the peeler.
Mmmmmm, time for a trip to the orchard!
I would make a lot more apple crisp — mine has oatmeal in it, so it’s healthy, HA!– if I had one of these gadgets. I’ve thought bout getting one for years. Now I have followed your link and ordered one. I think we’ll be eating pie and crisp next weekend. 😉
I have that same OXO peeler and love it, but it’s just too durn SLOW for volume pie-making!
Found it –
http://www.recipezaar.com/99636
Google “apple jelly from peels recipe” for some interesting reading. I found a recipe from the Civil War era. I bet that jelly is delicious. So many ideas, so little time! lol
I just used a bag frozen from last fall for apple crisp. You would have never known they were one year old!
Eek! That gizmo looks like something from a Hannibal Lector movie. Do you ever have nightmares about the trees throwing apples at you, like in the Wizard of Oz? 😛
I helped a friend run her cooked apples through a food mill for apple butter. Bet those meaty peels would be just the ticket for apple butter! Thank God we are rich enough to throw away the peels. Or at least feed them to the chickens or the compost.
You know, I had no idea I could freeze apple like that! I did some peaches that way earlier in the season and it worked beautifully. I’ll definitely give this a try. I’m so glad you mentioned it!
Thanks so much! Frozen apples here I come!