What's the best apple for freezing?

Want to preserve your favorite apples to enjoy at a later date?  Well, there are apples for that! Don’t let perfectly good apples go to waste; freeze them and use them later in baking, canning, stewing, or whatever your heart desires. Believe it or not, some apples freeze better than others, so it is important to note which varieties can last in your freezer.

The apple varieties that stand up best to freezing are Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Cortland and Empire. You’ll want hardy apples with a strong, snappy texture.

Here are two methods to freeze apples:

• First, wash, peel, and core each apple (use sweet apple varieties for best results).
• Next, cut the apple into even, thin slices. A medium apple yields 12 slices, while a large apple yields 16.
• Brush the slices with a water-ascorbic acid mixture, or a lemon juice and water mixture. This prevents the fruit from browning.
• Then, choose your freezing method: syrup pack or dry pack.
• Syrup Pack: Mix 2 cups of sugar in 3 cups of cold water in pot and bring to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves, place apple slices in the boiling syrup for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Pack the apples into freezer safe bags. Remove excess air. Freeze. These slices will remain good for 6 or more months.
• Dry Pack: Place the apple slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Freeze until solid. Remove and pack into freezer safe bags.