Slow Cooking With Fall Flavors: Apple Harvest

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

It’s official— the apple season has arrived. Now that autumn is here you can find apples everywhere from your local market to the nearest orchard. The forbidden fruit is symbolic of many things and is quintessential of the fall harvest. Whether you prefer newer and more unusual varieties such as Johnagold or Mutsu or a good old red delicious apple, they can add a whole lot of fall flavor to so many dishes. And they are a simple addition to many crockpot dishes.

Because of their adaptability, apples lend themselves well to slow cooking. I generally favor cooking with a firmer and more tart apple such as the Granny Smith apple. But you can use pretty much any type of apple depending on your personal taste. Apples can be used as a complement to a range of savory dishes and go especially well with rich and spicy foods such as curries and roast meats. You can also thinly julienne or grate apples and mix with chopped mint and fresh lemon zest and juice to create a light garnish for a hearty fall stew.

The Pennsylvania Dutch treat, apple butter, is a natural to make in the slow cooker. Contrary to what the name suggests, there is no "butter" in apple butter. The name derives from its smooth and buttery texture, which comes from the slow cooking process that caramelizes the sugar in the apples. (think of it as a super concentrated applesauce) It can be used as a condiment, a side dish, or spread. Apple butter is delicious on buttered toast. It is difficult to find any apple butter, let alone good apple butter in the supermarket anymore. Making apple butter in the crockpot is a simple but delicious way to preserve the fruits of an apple harvest, especially if you are inclined towards canning or making your own preserves.

Another fall apple harvest item I love to cook with (and to drink) is apple cider. In southeastern Pennsylvania where I grew up, you can find the best apple cider at the local orchards. This, along with some apple cider donuts, was always a true sign that fall had begun. In fact, when I got married in my home state in the fall we offered warm spiced (mulled) apple cider to our guests as a pre-wedding warm up. Below you will find a recipe for mulled cider that is lovely to serve out of the crockpot at an open house or just to whip up on a cool evening. You can even include a clove-studded apple to the crockpot to add even more flavor. Apple cider, when reduced to a syrupy consistency, also makes a nice glaze for roast meat dishes and is very compatible with pork chops and applesauce.

Whether you’ve picked them up at the store or picked them yourself at an orchard, try some of these apple recipes in your crockpot tonight and savor the flavor of fall!

Serves/Makes: 4 pints

• 16 cups apples, washed, cored, unpeeled, and chopped
• 2 cups apple cider
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 dash salt

Serves/Makes: 1 gallon

• 12 whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 whole nutmeg
• 2 chunks crystallized ginger
• 1 gallon apple cider

Serves/Makes: 6

• 3 1/2 pounds pork loin roast (well trimmed)
• salt and pepper
• 5 apples, cored and quartered (peeled, optional)
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ginger