It’s raining again and I’ve been saucing but not finding time to write up about the applesauce.  I’ll get a bunch ready for you today!  I’m going to start with an apple we still have available at the moment – the Haralson.

Haralson Apple:

Good baking, eating and cider apple. Flesh is crisp, juicy, firm. Mildly tart flavor, not acid. Holds its shape and texture in baking. Retains good flavor in keeping.

I peeled, cored and sliced my haralson apples and put them right into my crock pot to make into applesauce.

It took a bit to cook down so I think in a pie they would keep there shape fairly nicely.

The applesauce was slightly chunky and had a great tart flavor to it.  Since I’m a sweet girl it was a bit too tart for me but my daughter Cedi just gobbled it down!  If you are a fan of tart – the Haralson is the apple for you!

The next on my saucesational list was the Haralson apple.  I peeled, cored and sliced some Haralson’s into the slow cooker. 

A few hours later I had some jaw tingling tart applesauce. The apples were more chunky than smooth once they were cooked down.  I liked the texture but they were just too tart for me.  Mix in a few sweeter apples and you’d have a great sauce!

This comes directly from the Wisconsin Apple Grower Association Cookbook.

Named after Charles Haralson, superintendent of the University of Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm, Haralson apples are one of the gems of the Midwest.

Its origin is from the seedling of Malinda and was made available to the public in 1923. In creating Haralson, the breeders were seeking a hardy apple, which is why this variety has remained popular in northern climates with long winters.

The medium-sized, bright red fruit has a tart flavor, yet is juicy and crisp. The white flesh is mild tasting and tender. Some say they notice the scent of pineapple or lime when biting into a Haralson.

Haralson is best used for eating fresh, making cider, and baking because the flesh won’t collapse when cooked.

Harvest in Wisconsin is from September 25 through October 10, and the apples generally store well for up to three months.