Instant Pot Apple-Pearsauce
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds apples
- 3 pounds pears
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- sweetener (see recipe)
Directions:
Wash, dry off and peel, then quarter and core apples, and then chop up.
Add the apples, water, and cinnamon to the Instant Pot. Put on cover and seal according to directions. Set “manual” (or “pressure cook”) for 5 minutes.
Once done, let pressure release naturally for 20 minutes. If your Instant Pot has the “keep warm” setting on, hit “cancel” to turn off.
Place a clean kitchen towel over the steam valve and hit release to let any leftover steam out (the pot must release naturally or the applesauce will bubble up into the valve).
Take off the lid, turn onto “saute”.
Using a potato masher, mash up the applesauce.
Let cook down for a few minutes, until it is bubbling and mounds on a spoon. Stir often while doing this to avoid scorching.
Taste for sweetness.
I added 1/3 cup of Sucralose sweetener to counter the apples and lemon juice. Use your favorite sweetener as desired, both granulated and brown sugar work well. If using the applesauce for in baking later on, leave unsweetened.
To water bath can:
Add 5 pint mason jars to a canning pot, fill jars with water, then the pot about half full. Bring to a boil while applesauce is in the steam release period.
Place the lids and rings into a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer.
When applesauce is ready, drain jars and place on a clean kitchen towel.
Sterilize a ladle, canning funnel and air bubble remover in the boiling water.
Fill jars with hot applesauce, leaving a ¼” headspace.
Run the bubble popper in each jar.
Wipe the rims with a new damp paper towel.
Place a drained lid on each jar, then finger tighten the rings.
Place the jars into the kettle, lower the rack in. Make sure the jars are covered with water.
Bring to a boil, process for 10 minutes.
Remove the jars, let cool on a towel covered rack.
Remove rings, check that each lid is flat and sealed.
Mark contents on lid, use within a year. If any do not seal, refrigerate and use up within a week or so.
Makes about 4 pints. (I always add an extra jar just in case there is more.)
~Sarah