What Are The Best Apples For Preserves?

Every state in the union grows apples. While some apples are better eaten raw, others are better preserved or cooked. In the US, there are 2,500 different types of apples that are used for everything from juicing to drying, making applesauce, and making desserts. Discover which apples work best for everything from apple butter to pie by reading on.

Apple Makes Use of

With so many different types of apples, you’re sure to find one that meets your needs. For instance, Ambrosia, Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Pink Lady are the best apples to use for pies and other baked goods.

Other types of apples are better suited for canning and freezing, making applesauce or butter, juice or cider, or drying or turning into leather.

Use quality Apples To Make Applesauce

Apples that are crisp, sweet, and juicy—like Ambrosia, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady—are perfect for applesauce. For apples with more tang, such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, McIntosh, or Winesap, add one or two pounds (roughly ½ to 1 kg) for every three pounds (1.3 kg) of apples with more sweetness.

When making apple jelly, use sweet types such as Gala, Fuji, or Ambrosia. Granny Smith and Pink Lady apples, as well as other sweet and tart types, should be used in apple jam.

Apple Butter’s Best Apple

To make apple butter, apples must be cooked slowly and gently until the flesh is tender. Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, McIntosh, and Red Delicious apples are good for making apple butter.

Consider Empire, Cameo, Gravenstein, Jazz, Jonagold, Rome Beauty, and Stayman as additional apples to use for applesauce and butter.

The Best Apples To Juice

For juicing or making cider, juicy apples such as Ambrosia, Cameo, Gala, Golden Delicious, Gold Rush, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Jonagold, and Pink Lady are perfect.

How to Dry or Freeze Apples

Depending on how you want to freeze it, any kind of apple will freeze well. Apples can be peeled and sliced, frozen whole, or frozen as apple pie filling.

You can dry any kind of apple. Which kind you want dried will depend on your taste. Sweet apples like Gala or Fuji make great sweet dried apples; try drying Granny Smith if you like a little sourness.

Any of the above methods can be used to prepare any apple. Try any or all of the above techniques if you have a whole Gravenstein tree to work with, though some are more effective than others.