Every October I make a trip to Northern Wisconsin to our family summer home. It’s a gorgeous time (albeit chilly) to visit with the fall foliage in full bloom. This year I left a week earlier than I normally go and not only did I get to see the exquisite fall colors I also had the luxury of picking wild apples.
Wild apples grow along the sides of the roads and the trees are normally picked clean by the time arrive. The apples I picked are a slight tart, not very firm; just perfect for making applesauce or butter.
I picked so many apples this year I decided to use a peck of them and kick up my standard recipe a notch with a little bourbon and a few chili peppers.
Spicy Bourbon Apple Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 lbs of apples peeled cored, and quartered
- 1 tbs of cinnamon
- 1/3 cup of honey use more if you want a sweeter sauce
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1/2 cup bourbon you can sub all the water for bourbon if you want a stronger bourbon flavor
- 2 dried chili peppers diced or 2 tsp dried chili pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
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Place the peeled, cored, and quartered apples into a large pot. Add cinnamon honey, water, bourbon and salt. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10-20 minutes, until the apples are cooked through.
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Once the apples are cooked , remove from heat. Use a potato masher to mash the cooked apples. For a smoother applesauce run the cooked apples through a food mill.
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Stir in chili peppers.
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This applesauce is tasty either hot or chilled. It will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks or you an process in canning jars.
Recipe Notes
yields about 2 quarts.
Having picked up some great bourbons in Kentucky this Spring I decided to use Single Barrel Four Roses. I chose it for its complex yet smooth characteristics. It added a nice taste but does not overpower the apple flavor. The chilies add a hint of spice which is balanced by the sweetness of the apples and honey.
A little sweet, a little spicy, a tad bit boozy makes this applesauce the perfect pairing for pork chops or grilled chicken.
Enjoy!
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