How Long Does Applesauce Last In The Fridge

When you think of apple sauce, what’s first on your mind? Is it how much better a good quality apple sauce tastes than a mediocre one or is it the fact that they can be used in all kinds of recipes from pancakes to pie filling?
Regardless of which answer you choose, there’s no doubt that most people love their applesauce. It’s not just kids who like it either — grown-ups eat it too! If you’ve ever stopped into an Apple Store, you’ll see shelves upon shelves of jars of every kind of applesauce. Some are labeled “organic” while others have funny names, but regardless of where it came from, everyone seems to agree that some varieties of applesauces taste best.
The reason why applesauce goes so well with everything is because of its high sugar content. On average, apples contain more natural sugars than any other fruit. And although canned apple juice provides another source of natural sugars, it doesn’t offer the same consistency as fresh applesauce does. Plus, if you’re making something like muffins, pancakes, cookies or even breads using fresh applesauce, then going with organic is important since pesticides may transfer to these foods during preparation. Finally, many people enjoy cooking with fresh applesauce instead of pureed apple sauce because the flavor is richer.
To make sure you get the best tasting applesauce possible, buy them directly from farmers’ markets or local farms rather than buying them at supermarkets or big box stores. This way, the apples were picked when ripe and they won’t have traveled great distances before reaching you.
Now that we know the benefits of selecting organic apples, let’s learn how long they actually last once you bring home that jar of applesauce from the grocery store. Although applesauce usually comes in glass containers, plastic containers work just fine too. Just remember that plastic containers don’t hold heat very well, so it’s recommended that you use glass jars to preserve freshness.
In general, applesauce lasts up to two weeks in the refrigerator. However, this depends on whether the applesauce was refrigerated properly to begin with. For instance, if you open a jar of applesauce that hasn’t been stored under proper conditions, then it could spoil within days. So to prevent this from happening, follow these guidelines:
Keep applesauce away from strong flavored condiments, such as relishes, vinegars and spices. These ingredients can alter the flavor of the applesauce.
Store applesauce in a dark place with low humidity to help slow down bacteria growth.
If you’d rather not consume the entire contents of the jar quickly, pour off what you need and put the rest back into a new sealed jar; otherwise, it might go bad faster.
Don’t wash out the old applesauce until you’re ready to use it. When preparing applesauce, try to avoid peeling the apples. Doing so can add unnecessary time to the process.
So now you know how long applesauce keeps, but what happens if you forget to take it out of the fridge right away? Let’s find out by learning how to extend the lifespan of opened applesauce.
Extend the Lifespan of Opened Applesauce
With applesauce sitting in the fridge, it only takes a few days for it to start spoiling. After several days, the smell becomes stronger and the texture gets grainy. But if you want to save your applesauce longer, here are three ways you can do it:
Freeze it. As mentioned earlier, applesauce expands when it freezes, so leave at least ¾ inch head space at the top of the jar when freezing. Also, it’s best to seal the lid tightly to prevent freezer burn. Once the applesauce is completely frozen, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to sit overnight to defrost. Then reheat it gently in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Refrigerate again. Many people recommend storing your applesauce in the refrigerator to maintain freshness. Since it didn’t spoil over night, it should still be okay to refrigerate it again. Just make sure you allow enough room between the layers of applesauce. You can also cover the jar loosely with aluminum foil to trap moisture inside.
Rehydrate. Even though it’s convenient to simply throw open a jar of applesauce that sat around for months, it’s not a good idea to rehydrate it yourself. Instead, you should consider bringing it to a trusted food processor or blender and letting professional chefs deal with it. They will purée the applesauce, kill harmful microbes and adjust the pH level so the final product isn’t spoiled. If you decide to dehydrate your own applesauce, make sure you sterilize the utensils you plan to use first.
It’s pretty easy to tell when applesauce starts to turn sour. Generally speaking, if you notice a foul odor coming from the jar, it’s probably past its prime. Don’t worry, though — there’s plenty of delicious applesauce left in the jar. Simply pour the applesauce through a sieve and discard the solids. Now that you’ve got rid of the bad stuff, you can use the leftover liquid in smoothies, soups, sauces, cakes and anything else you can imagine.
Although applesauce is one of nature’s simplest products, it’s surprisingly complex to produce. Each year, American farmers grow approximately 6 billion pounds (about 2.7 billion kilograms) of apples. During harvest season, workers pick apples by hand, sort them based on size and color, pack them into crates and truck them across state lines. From picking to processing, each step requires manual labor. In fact, roughly 95 percent of the apples sold in America are processed by machines.

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