Before refrigeration many foods were cultured in order to prolong shelf life. What this also did was to add nutritional value to the food by encouraging probiotic growth in the food. Beneficial bacteria are very important to our general health and well being and to the health of our digestive tract in particular. This is a recipe for a simple food that turns it into a powerhouse for health.
Not only does fermenting the apple sauce add beneficial bacteria, but it also preserves it really well. When I make regular apple sauce, it can keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. Then it starts to grow mold. I’ve made almost two quarts of the fermented apple sauce at one time and it has kept for 6 weeks in the refrigerator. Be sure to put a date on the jar, so you know.
The other tip I would share is to check it every day. In my house it is ready after two days — when I let it go beyond that — I can smell the alcohol forming. Fruit can ferment very quickly so you have to watch it carefully.
This apple sauce tastes like raw apples (because it is) and has a very fresh and crisp taste. I know it is fermented because it stays so well. I usually ferment it with a half packet of starter in 1/4 cup of water, but you can use whey.
Cultured Apple Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 organic apples
- 2 tablespoons whey, culture starter (where to buy culture starter) or a probiotic capsule opened and mixed with water just like the culture starter
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (where to buy sea salt)
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon (where to buy organic cinnamon in bulk)
- filtered water (where to buy a great water filter)
Equipment
- Vitamix or other high powered blender (where to buy a Vitamix — I love mine!)
Options for starter:
- Vegetable starter culture can be used: 1/2 package dissolved into 1/4 cup water plus two tablespoons warm water.
- Fresh whey can be used as a starter for this recipe. Use 1/4 cup plus two tablespoons.
- One capsule of a strong probiotic mixed in 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Wash, core and peel the apples
- Cut into pieces and place in the Vitamix
- Add the liquid whey or starter
- Add the salt and cinnamon
- Cover and turn on the Vitamix for only a few seconds
- Use the plunger to get the apples mixed in quickly
- You don’t want to liquify the apples so move quickly or pulse the blender
- Be sure all the ingredients are mixed together
- Pour into glass quart jars
- Pour enough whey or culture starter on top to cover the apple sauce and create a seal
- Cover with a lid
- Place in a dark cabinet for 1 day (maybe 2 if your house is cold)
- Check this every day because fruit cultures will become alcoholic if left too long — you will taste it and smell it
- I check mine after 2 days and most of the time it is ready — then refrigerate
- When it is warm (70 degrees) I would leave it one day
- This should yield about a quart and a cup depending upon the size of the apples
- This applesauce will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 weeks which is much longer than regular apple sauce
The best way to reinoculate ourselves with beneficial bacteria is to eat cultured foods. Learn how to culture anything! From the most common yogurt to more esoteric culturing of vegetables, salsa, chutneys and condiments — most foods can be fermented — their shelf live lengthened without chemical preservatives, and most importantly, the beneficial bacteria is created.
By eating cultured foods on a daily basis you are building up the colonies of good bacteria that do so much for us and you are protecting yourself from the pathogens created by our dangerous food supply.
Register for Get Cultured! How to Culture Anything
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