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Forget pumpkin spice season, it’s apple season! This week, I’m continuing my farmers market produce series by talking about my favorite apple varieties, along with the best ways to use each of them. Spoiler alert: different apples are best used in different applications.
Apples are one of America’s most famous and favorite fruit crops, so it should be no surprise that there are hundreds of apple varieties grown here. Apples are extremely versatile fruits, and are great in both sweet and savory recipes.
The four apple varieties I’m focusing on aren’t in any particular order. You’ll have to guess at what my absolute favorite apple is. Bonus points if you guess it correctly in the comments section.
Mutsu (Crispin) Apples
The first time I tried a Mutsu (pronounced like MIT-su) apple, I was at the farmers market in Sunnyvale, CA, and one of the booths had samples of all their different kinds of apples. It’s a variety that I’ve really only seen at farmers markets, and pretty much never in the grocery store (doesn’t mean this is true everywhere). I’ve been hooked ever since.
Mutsu apples were developed in Japan as a cross between the Golden Delicious and the Indo apple varieties. In some parts of the United States, you’ll see it labeled as “Crispin,” but the Mutsu name is becoming more common.
Flavor and Texture
When they’re ripe, Mutsu apples are sweet with notes of honey with some tart notes. They are firmer than Golden Delicious apples, but not as firm as a Granny Smith.
I’m a weirdo and I quite like Mutsus when they’re not quite ripe. They’ve got a great sour flavor that is hard to beat, that is, if you love sour the way I do.
Recipe Recommendations
Use Mutsu apples in my Pork and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash. The tartness will help to balance the fatty pork and the sweet acorn squash. This is one of my favorite and most popular fall recipes.
Another great sweet and savory recipe is this Cider Braised Chicken with Apples, Onions and Thyme by Food52. Mutsu apples work extremely well in these sweet and savory applications.
Winesap Apples
There is a bit of a mystery to the origin of the Winesap apple, but it has been around the United States since the 18th century, though the first literary references appear in 1804.
Winesap apples store extremely well in a dark, cool environment. While it is rare that you’d see Winesap apples in the grocery store today, prior to 1950 they were very common, likely due to its ability to withstand long storage periods without spoiling.
Flavor and Texture
Winesap apples taste sweet at first, but finish with a tart bite. They’re crisp, but not nearly as firm as the Arkansas Black variety.
Recipe Recommendations
Try using Winesaps in my Kohlrabi Apple Salad. While the recipe was written for Granny Smith apples, the Winesaps can hold up just as well to the punchy flavor of the dressing.
Winesaps are great for applesauce, and my favorite way to make it is in a slow cooker, like this recipe from Fit Slow Cooker Queen. I do, however, prefer to peel my apples before making applesauce because it makes for a smoother texture when finished.
Braeburn Apples
Braeburns are pretty popular in the US, so it is fairly likely you’ll see these at the grocery store, along with the related Jazz variety (one of its offspring). They were first discovered in New Zealand in 1952.
Flavor and Texture
I find Braeburns to be mostly on the sweet side, with a little bit of tartness in the background.
Braeburn apples are firm, not hard, and are not juicy. This makes them great for baked applications when you don’t want the dreaded “soggy bottom.”
Recipe Recommendations
What would an apple recipe round-up be without an apple pie recipe? Braeburns would be perfect in Grandbaby Cake’s Foolproof Apple Pie recipe.
I’ve also made this Apple Tart recipe from Nerds with Knives. It’s much easier than baking a whole pie thanks to the use of frozen puff pastry, plus everyone gets their own personal tart.
Arkansas Black Apples
Arkansas Black apples are a late fall variety, hitting peak season in late October and early November. They are a very deep red color, almost black with creamy colored flesh inside. They were first grown in Arkansas (surprise!) and Missouri in the 1840s.
Flavor and Texture
When Arkansas Black apples are very hard and tart when they are first picked off the tree, kind of like a crab apple. If you’re like me and love tart apples, this is the best time to eat them.
However, these apples do extraordinarily well when stored in a cold place (cold cellar, refrigerator, etc). They’ll maintain their firmness, but develop a much sweeter flavor over the course of a few months. This is one of the best apples for long term storage and for use throughout the winter.
Due to the firmness of the Arkansas Black, they’re great for cooked recipes where you still want some texture.
Recipe Recommendations
Arkansas Black apples are perfect for this Paleo Apple Crisp recipe from Coconuts and Kettlebells. Due to their extremely firm texture, these apples can withstand the baking process without dissolving. And they’re sweet on their own, so you might not even need any maple syrup to sweeten this dessert.
Looking for a sweet, brunch-y dessert? Arkansas Black apples would be great in this Dutch Baby from Leigh Anne Wilkes.
A Not-Sponsored Recommendation
All of the apple varieties I’ve talked about can be found at Apple Hill orchards.
Now, I am extremely lucky that I have access to my mom’s apple orchard basically whenever I want, but she doesn’t grow all of my favorite apples (just a lot of them). If you are planning to visit the Apple Hill area in Placerville, California, and you book a stay at Ponderosa Ridge, a Bed and Breakfast, you will have access to the same orchard I do. Yes, I am shamelessly plugging my mom’s business (she doesn’t know I’m posting this). But trust me, her place is awesome!
