I was recently at a friend’s house and she introduced me to freezing apples.  Really this should have been a no brainer, but for whatever reason it never entered this girl’s brain!  Apple pie is one of my main go-to pies for company or special occasions and it’s always shocking to see the winter and early summer prices.  So when she asked me to help her prep her apples for freezing I was in!

First, I always wash my apples in the sink with a white vinegar/water solution.  I fill the sink half full of water and add about 1/2 cup vinegar.  Even though I’m going to peel my apples, I want as much of the pesticides and waxy residue off as I can.  I soak the batch of apples about 10 minutes and then drain the sink and rinse.

Second, we start peeling.  Some people hate peeling, but I’ve always kind of enjoyed it.  See it’s a game…how many apples can I peel from top to bottom making one continuous spiral of peel?  Come on, if you’ve ever peeled apples you know you’ve secretly done this.  And you know the disappointment you feel when that continuous chain is broken.

Next, using an apple slicer, I divide each apple into perfect wedges and then place the slices in a bath of water and lemon juice.  No science necessary here, just a bowl of water with 5 or 6 squeezes of lemon juice in it.  Let it sit for a bit and then strain the slices out and place them in pre-labeled freezer bags.  If you’re into vacuum sealing you could do that as well, but for me, I saved my Foodsaver bags for meats.

Now you’re set to seal them up, flatten them out and freeze them for a snowy day!  I’ll be using mine later this year to make things like applesauce, pies and who knows what else I’ll dream up!  Enjoy having fall’s harvest all winter.  Even better is all the prep work is done.  Just set in the refrigerator to defrost and VOILA, ready to use.  I might just go and buy another 30 pounds 😉