What to do with eating apple windfalls?

[caroline7758]

The old tree on my plot has had its first good year since I've been there and I have lots of bruised eaters to use up. As they don't "fall" when cooked like cookers, what do you do with them?

[caroline7758]

[hippydave]

i use them to make jelly adding different herbs such as mint/rosemary/sage etc. the bruises dont matter if making jelly as its strained and the pulp discarded.

[Mrs Gumboot]

You can just cook with them like eaters. Crumble or pie is just as good. Tarts usually use eaters as well.

[manicscousers]

we stew and freeze lots of our discovery and are making loads of juice this year  :)

[galina]

They do go to mush - sort of.  But you can speed up the process.  Cook them down and then use a stick blender to get the consistency you want.  Or a Passe Vite/food mill if you have one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_mill

Nice with cinnamon and sugar and served with pancakes or waffles.  Or plain with a little salt for pork dishes.  This mush (sorry: apple sauce) also freezes and bottles well.     

[goodlife]

I get tons of windfalls..unfortunately only the odd really good one of those get used..majority are left to birds..
Its good to leave plenty to nature as well. I think of it as good feast and thank you for doing good job rest of the year..eating all the 'nasties'.  ;D
Last year I had friend coming to fetch apples from me by the barrow load, I had shed full and I gave away for other frieds and neighbours..and still there was more than plenty left on ground and tree..sometimes it is just impossible to make good use of it all.

[caroline7758]

Ok, thanks for the hints- I really could do with a second freezer! ;D

[Mrs Gumboot]

I had the chance of a free chest freezer when my mum changed hers a few months ago. At the time it didn't seem like a bad idea. Now I have a tonne of plums, apples & who knows what else to sort out! Ah well!

[caroline7758]

I had a chest freezer which we put in the cellar when we got an upright one. Then my husband gave it away to a friend without telling me- he has never been forgiven! >:(

Actually, as we will be "empty nesters" from October, we probably don't really need another one- and can give some of the glut to the two daughters to take away to uni.

[caroline7758]

After reading some old threads on apple juice as well as this one, I have acquired a Kenwood juicer on freecycle. Should I chop/core/peel the apples before juicing?

[manicscousers]

we core and cut up, put in the freezer for a couple of days, take out and juice, makes it a bit easier to squish  :)

[peanuts]

Caroline
We cut them in half to make sure there  is no insect damage. You only need to remove the stalk, and then cut the apples into pieces, core, skin and all,  that will fit down the funnel to juice apples, so quite big.

[caroline7758]

Thanks. The funnel is quite small but I managed to use it successfully- just a shame my dishwasher didn't do a very good job of cleaning all the bits of the juicer!

[katynewbie]

I made some wine with windfalls last year, It's the most potent brew ever, think calvados on speed!

;)