What can I do with A LOT of cooking apples.

[HelloThereObiWan]

This year the big apple tree has got carried away when growing and has produced hundreds. The little tree that hasn't produced any fruit for a few years has decided to join in the action and produced a good crop as well.

My neighbours have their own apple trees so whilst I might be able to palm off a few to friends and family it's going to be tricky.

So what can I do with them all? My kids don't like apple pie and I don't want to spend money on cider making equipment. Anyone got any tips / recipes etc? They are starting to fall off the trees so I need to get thinking!

I am intrigued by the use of cooking apples in potato salad, do you have a recipe please?

We are also heading for a massive apple harvest. The problem with cakes & puddings is that they use so few apples, relatively speaking.

We make chutney - keeps for ages, we usually take a couple of jars when going to barbecues.
I also freeze apple sauce in ramekins to go with roast pork through the year. Apple sauce is also lovely with vanilla yoghurt and a bit of muesli or granola sprinkled on top for breakfast
Apple jelly keeps well, gorgeous on toast and crumpets.

I make a big crumble, eat it hot then cold for several days. I don’t have space in freezer and don’t find they store well so just eat crumble every day till they are all gone.

You would really need barrel loads to get anything out of pressing them - they'd more likely be ca mined with another home grower.
But make big jars or chutney - different kinds, including a Christmas on - that's half your Christmas list sorted!

Mum used to grate them and jar them for winter for strudels and such.
You can also cook them and freeze them but that's for sauces.

Bag them and sell them for a charity donation

I slice, core and freeze. Use for cooking throughout the year.
If they are a bit past it, apple jelly is good as you use the whole apple, no need to trim or prepare. Boil up, strain and use the juice for jelly/jam. Nice with cheese then!

Most varieties store quite well for good few months. Pick the ones that aren't blemished organised, and maybe wrap them in newspaper to avoid too much moisture loss. Then put them in one layer in, eg. supermarket cardboard fruit trays and keep somewhere cool and dark. Then you can have crumble each week for months.

I'm just checking in here for the recipe for chutney! That sounds good @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g thank you very much. We are going to have a huge amount of apples this year and I hate waste.

bumping this in case anyone has any new ideas!

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/glutney

I’ve used this recipe to use up apples on TOP (!) of Apple chutney recipes when I’ve had a glut.

As others have said, I’ve loaded them into the back of the car and taken them down to the local cider makers. Received apple juice and cider in return.

I do also swap my chutneys for other things from friends and neighbours… so a local currency!