Canning: Blueberry Cinnamon Applesauce

I decided to try something new this year with our applesauce.  It was a very bad year for apples, so they weren't particularly consistent with regard to flavor.  That being the case, I thought it would be best if most of my applesauce for the year was flavored instead of plain.  With that in mind, and plenty of blueberries in the freezer, I tried my hand at making a blueberry applesauce, along the same lines as my strawberry applesauce.  Since cinnamon pairs so well with blueberries, I thought that would be a good addition as well.

Here are approximate ratios for the sauce:

Blueberry Cinnamon Applesauce

14 - 15lbs apples

2 1/2lbs. blueberries

(if you really like blueberries, you could use a bit more)

1/4c. lemon juice

2 1/2c. brown sugar

2-3tsp. cinnamon

Everything except the sugar and cinnamon go in the pot to cook down.

Here, you can see I tried to use my immersion blender, but those blueberries were just too elusive.

The regular blender was needed. 

I also ended up a bit more pleased with how finely it chopped up the blueberry skins.

Be careful transferring that hot applesauce.

 After it's all blended well, return it to the pot and add your cinnamon and sugar.

Bring it back up to a simmer, stirring often to keep from scorching.

It's best to taste this while it's cool, to see if you need more cinnamon or sugar.  You can transfer a bit to a small bowl and set it in the freezer for a few minutes in order to cool it down for a taste test.

Once you've got it the way you like, go ahead and put it in jars, leaving a 1/2" headspace.  Wipe your rims, place lids and rings, and process in a water bath for 20 minutes once your water has reached a full boil, with steam escaping from under the lid.

Here is some of the blueberry cinnamon applesauce.

That's strawberry applesauce sitting to the right.

I really liked this sauce.  Maybe even better than the strawberry - but then again, I like blueberries better anyway.  The acid test was the girls.  All of the ones who like blueberries, liked this sauce, and one that doesn't declared it to be, "Pretty good".  A firm recommendation if I ever heard one.

I've linked this post with the Carnival of Home Preserving,

and the

Farm Girl Friday Blog Fest.

I have also linked up with the Homestead Barn Hop,

and with the blog hop at Simple and Joyful.

There are lots of good ideas being shared through these link-ups. You should check them out.