Alright, so, the other day I’m staring at this crab apple tree in my yard, just loaded with fruit. I mean, seriously loaded. And I’m thinking, “What the heck am I gonna do with all these things?” They’re too tart to just, you know, eat like a regular apple. I felt bad to just let them rot and fall off, so I figured there’s gotta be something I can use them for. I don’t want to waste anything in my yard if I can help it.
I did some digging around, asked some neighbors, and guess what? Turns out, you can actually do a bunch of stuff with crab apples! Who knew, right? They’re not just for show, it turns out they can be made into some good stuff. So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.
Picking and Prepping
First things first, I had to get those little suckers off the tree. I grabbed a ladder and a big bucket, and spent a good hour just picking. My arms were definitely feeling it by the end, but it was kinda satisfying to see the bucket fill up. Then came the tedious part – washing and sorting. I tossed any that looked bruised or had wormholes, just to be safe. Now I’ve got a big ol’ bucket of clean and usable crab apples.
Making Crab Apple Sauce
I decided to try my hand at making crab apple sauce, since I saw a few people talk about it online and it seemed like the easiest thing to try. I dumped a good amount of the crab apples into a big pot, added some water, and let it all simmer on the stove. It took a while, but eventually, those apples started to break down into a mushy mess.
Once they were soft, I used one of those potato mashers to really pulverize them. I didn’t have one of those fancy food mills, but hey, the masher did the trick. After that, I strained the whole mush through a sieve to get rid of the seeds and skins. It was a bit messy, I won’t lie, but I ended up with a smooth, kinda pinkish sauce.
I put the sauce back on the stove, added some sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, and let it cook a bit longer to thicken up. I kept tasting and adjusting the sugar until it was just right – not too sweet, but not too tart either. It needs to balance that super tart flavor, you know?
The Result
Honestly, I was pretty darn impressed with myself. This crab apple sauce turned out way better than I expected. It’s got this tangy, vibrant flavor that’s really unique. I’ve been putting it on everything – toast, yogurt, even ice cream. It’s also amazing with pork chops, let me tell you.
And you know what the best part is? It’s basically free food! I mean, besides the sugar and a bit of my time, it didn’t cost me a thing. Plus, I got to use up all those crab apples that would have otherwise gone to waste.
So, yeah, that’s my crab apple adventure. I’m already thinking about what else I can make with them next year. Maybe jelly? Or some kind of chutney? The possibilities are endless, really. It feels good to make the most of what’s growing in your own backyard, and it was way easier than I thought it would be. I’m happy to share my little process with you all!
If you’ve got a crab apple tree, don’t just let those fruits go to waste! Give it a try, and you might be surprised at what you can create. You’ll probably discover your own little tricks and recipes along the way. I think it’s worth it.
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