Help w/Apple Pie Filling

[JanieD]

I have 5 dozen apples or so, half ripe/over ripe & need to do something real simple with them. Can I freeze them for pie filling? Did I mention I'm not an expert in the kitchen, plus I'm sick with a cold or something & working 6 days this week.

I usually make a simple pie using frozen crust. I peel the apples, slice & lightly coat with suger & cinnamon. Then bake for 45 minutes or so at 350. DH prefers them plain & not too sweet. I've made room in the fridge for most of them & this should give me more time to work with them. Please help me, I'd hate to let my apple ruin!

[justatxmom]

My mother freezes apple slices rather than canning.

She peels, cores, and slices them. The she puts however much is necessary for her pie or cake recipes in freezer containers and then covers them with water with a bit of lemon juice and then into the freezer.

When she's ready for them, she simply thaws and drains off the water and then uses the apples accordingly in her recipes.

Stored in water (lemon juice to prevent browning) they keep very well. They are still crisp and fresh tasting when thawed.

[JanieD]

Excellent! Thanks for the help. Do you prefer one kind/brand of freezer container? I really need some since I use freezer bags most of the time.

[Jamauk]

If you want to use up the over ripe ones right away, you can peel, core, dice them and throw them in teh crockpot with some water, sugar/cinamon. Let them cook all day and then mash them up a bit with the back of a spoon ~ applesauce.

This freezes well, also but I rarely have enough left over to freeze!

[justatxmom]

I personally prefer square, boxy type containers for stackability and tidyness in the freezer... no brand loyality though.

My mother on the other hand, in true frugal form, reuses butter and coolwhip containers.