Can I stew a glut of eating apples?

[ravenAK]

Recently acquired a patch of garden (originally part of property, sold off to council several owners back, then rented by neighbour who has let us take over ) which includes a ludicrously productive apple tree - there's thousands of 'em!

Neighbour has no idea if they're technically cookers or eaters, but they're not that big, quite sharp but edible raw. Not a brilliant flavour tbh, but I'm determined not to let them go to waste.

Can I just peel, slice, cook & freeze them to use in crumbles etc? Or will they be tasteless & mushy if I do? I haven't got room to just store them all, & suspect they'd end up wizened or mouldy if I did.

quick answer is yes

Ta!

If you cook them you'll find out whether they are cookers or eaters. If within 10 minutes they have turned to mush, then you have cookers and a lovely apple puree/sauce that is great with yoghurt, cereal etc.

If they stay whole and in individual chunks after 10 minutes, they are eaters and can be used in crumbles etc.

You say they aren't a brilliant flavour - when you cook them you may want to add something to bring out the flavour a little, maybe sugar or vanilla or the lightest touch of cinnamon maybe.

Made crumble this evening, & it was pretty good, actually - the chunks stay whole, but cooking seems to make them far more flavoursome.

So, the consensus would be that they're eaters, but a bit boring eaten raw. Kids are enjoying them in lunchboxes, but tbh that'll be the novelty of choosing & picking their own apple - they're slightly sour & quite bland!

Best to peel, chunk & lightly cook surplus then, to freeze for crumble etc?