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British

Apple sauce

Vegetarian

Sharp cooking apples stewed with a little sugar and water until they collapse into a fluffy purée, finished with butter. The classic British sauce for roast pork.

Apple sauce is a British sauce from United Kingdom, ready in about 22 minutes and made with apple, sugar and butter. It serves 8 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Close-up of homemade applesauce in a clear glass bowl on a tiled surface.
Photo: Rachel Loughman / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Total
22 min
Serves
8
Level
Beginner
Calories
58

Ingredients

8 servings (about 55 g)

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Peel, quarter and core the apples (opens in a new tab) and cut into 2 cm chunks, dropping them into the pan with the water and lemon juice (opens in a new tab) as you go so they do not brown.

  2. Step 2

    Add the sugar (opens in a new tab) (and cinnamon (opens in a new tab) if using), cover and cook over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the apples (opens in a new tab) collapse into a soft, fluffy mass.

  3. Step 3

    Beat in the butter (opens in a new tab) with a wooden spoon (opens in a new tab) to make a rough purée (or blend for a smooth sauce). Taste and add more sugar (opens in a new tab) if very tart. Serve warm or at room temperature.

About this dish

Origin
United Kingdom · Well documentedApple sauce with pork appears in English cookery from at least the 17th century. Bramley apples, which cook down to a fluff, became the British standard in the 19th century. Germany's Apfelmus is a close relative.Also popular in Ireland, Germany, Austria, United StatesMore food from United Kingdom
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Sauces · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
Stewed
Taste
fruity, tangy, sweet
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly · Child-friendly
Cook more with
Apple · Sugar · Butter
Techniques
Stewing · Knife skills

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom butter

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

58 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 56 g · recipe makes 8

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 1%
  • Carbohydrate 76%
  • Fat 23%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy58 kcal103 kcal
Protein0.2 g0.3 g
Carbohydrate11.8 g20.9 g
Net carbohydrate10.3 g18.2 g
Sugars9.6 g17.1 g
Added sugars3.1 g5.6 g
Fibre1.5 g2.7 g
Fat1.6 g2.9 g
Saturated fat1 g1.7 g
Trans fat0.1 g0.1 g
Cholesterol4 mg7 mg
Sodium13 mg23 mg
Salt equivalent0 g0.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
67 mg
Calcium
5 mg
Iron
0.1 mg
Magnesium
3 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
15 µg
Vitamin C
3 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
2 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: lemon juice, cinnamon.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Dessert apples hold their shape; add 50 ml extra water and mash them, or use them for a chunky compote.

Common mistakes

  • Over-sweetening; the sauce should cut through rich pork.

Serve with

  • Roast pork with crackling, pork chops and sausages.
  • Kaiserschmarrn, potato pancakes and Reibekuchen.
  • Stirred into porridge or yoghurt.

Storage

  • Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days; freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating

  • Warm gently, or serve at room temperature.

Variations

  • Apfelmus (Germany): Sweeter German and Austrian apple purée, often with cinnamon, served with potato pancakes and Kaiserschmarrn.
  • American applesauce (United States): Usually smoother and sweeter, eaten as a side dish or snack.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Apple, Bramley or other tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 2 cm chunks500 g
Used in step 1

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

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