A mealy apple is no one's favorite lunchtime surprise, we can all agree on that! So what do you do when you wind up with a bunch of them in your fridge? Before just throwing them away, try using them in one of these ways:
Waste Not! Five Ways To Use Mealy Apples
Cooking helps to break down dry, mealy apples and release their flavorful juice:
1. Applesauce - Homemade applesauce is a great snack to have around the house, and you can make a batch with even just a few apples. Here's our recipe for making it yourself: DIY Applesauce.
2. Baked Apples - Baking whole apples is like making apple sauce in a handy container! We like to stuff apples with whatever is handy: brown sugar, maple syrup, oatmeal, nuts, and dried fruit. Then we bake them with a little liquid until they're soft and piping hot.
3. Sweet-Savory Sauce for Pork - Pork and apples are a classic pairing. You can make a quick un-sweetened applesauce, or you can sauté diced apples with other savory ingredients like cabbage, nuts, and caramelized onions.
4. In Baking - We wouldn't use mealy apples for something like apple pie, but they can make a great addition to muffins, scones, and pancakes.
5. Dried Apples - Thin slices of apples can be baked or microwaved into crispy chips, while thicker chunks could be dehydrated slowly in the oven and used in our winter baking.
What other ideas do you have for using mealy apples?
Related: How to: Use Up Over-Ripe Fruit
(Image: Flickr member DeusXFlorida licensed under Creative Commons)
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Ingredients - Fruit, Tips & Techniques, Fruits and Vegetables, Baking Products, apples, applesauce, mealy apples, baked apples, dried applesRelated Links
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i absolutely LOVE this recipe for cocoa apple cake. i make it when i am "gifted" macintosh apples.
http://coffeeworks.blogs.com/coffee_and_tea/2005/11/chocolate_frida_1.html
view hmo's profile
Press your own cider!
http://www.learningvicariously.com/?p=33
view learningvicariously's profile
I love baked apples. My mom used to also make a quick version in the microwave for after-school snacks. Stuffed with raisins, with a little orange juice poured on top before cooking.
view maggie (p/c)'s profile
once i see an apple going bad or turning mealy, i cut it up and put the pieces in the freezer and then use them in smoothies later.
view spaceygrl's profile
I love to make chunky applesauce with a diced up orange among the apples. The orange keeps the sauce brightly colored and flavorful.
view lona's profile
Apple butter! I like my applesauce full of toothsome chunks, so when it comes to mealy or dry apples, apple butter is the way to go! It cooks out all the icky mealy bits and you still get the apple flavor.
view vintagejenta's profile
Try making Raw Apple Pecan Crumble Pie Sundae http://bit.ly/2X4to0 (which is surprisingly delicious) or if all else fails, make shrunken apple head dolls -- this is the perfect season!! All you need to do is peel and carve an apple creating whatever facial features you want, mix 1 cup of lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of salt, soak the apple in that mixture for 30 minutes, pat it dry and then sit it on your windowsill for several days. Voila -- shriveled up head will reveal itself!
view lindalucille's profile
I think the culprit here is 'apples in the fridge'.
view kibitzknitz's profile
Those dried apples can also be made with the skin on - this makes for great fall craft projects. They look good on wreaths and such. Thanks for all the ideas.
view Teacherteacher's profile