Know Your Apples! Grill, Bake, Pie, Sauce, Snacking!

October means Fall has arrived and that means apples! Depending on where you live, apple festivals are starting up and plenty of locally grown varieties are heading to market. You can grab one for a snack, use them in pies, cakes, sauces, and more. You can even infuse beer with apple flavors!

The question is – what apples are for how you plan on using them? Sugar content and flavor vary between varieties. Picking the wrong apple could be the difference between a mushy apple pie or one that holds up with some firmness.

Have no fear – Washington Apple Commission has broken things down for some of the most common apples found in grocery stores. The great thing about their information is that it includes some history of each apple starting with the Red Delicious apple which is known as the “World’s Favorite Snacking Apple.”

Red Delicious – Crunchy and Mildly Sweet

Excellent for Salads
Not suggested for Pie
Not suggested for Sauce
Not suggested for Baking
Not suggested for Freezing

Meet the world’s favorite snacking apple. The heart-shaped Red Delicious features a bright red and sometimes striped skin. Renowned for its crunchy texture and mildly sweet flavor, this tasty apple shines in cool, crisp salads.

Uses: snacking, salads
History: Introduction to Market in 1874
Place of Origin: Peru, Iowa
Parentage: Unknown, discovered as a chance seedling on the farm of Jesse Hiatt. Originally known as Hawkeye.

Grilling Apples? Check out the BBQ Dragon Rotating Grill Grate!

Gala – Crisp and Very Sweet

Excellent for Salads
Very good for Pie
Excellent for Sauce
Very good for Baking
Not suggested for Freezing

You’ll go gaga for Gala! This crisp, aromatically-sweet apple features pink-orange stripes atop a pretty yellow background. Delicious in salads, pies, and sauces, the Gala’s popularity is on the rise around the world.

Uses: snacking, salads, baking, beverages, pies, sauce
History: Introduction to Market in 1965
Place of Origin: New Zealand
Parentage: Cross of Kidd’s Orange and Golden Delicious apples

Fuji – Crunchy and Super Sweet

Excellent for Salads
Very good for Pie
Very good for Sauce
Very good for Baking
Very good for Freezing

Enjoy the full flavor of a Fuji! A crunchy, super-sweet and flavor-forward apple, the Fuji can be enjoyed as an everyday snack as well as in pies, sauces, baking and more.

Uses: snacking, salads, baking, beverages, pies, sauce, freezing
History: Introduction to Market – 1962
Place of Origin: Japan
Parentage: Cross of Red Delicious and Ralls Janet apples

Grilling Apples? Check out the BBQ Dragon Rotating Grill Grate!

Granny Smith – Crunchy and Tart

Excellent for Salads
Excellent for Pie
Excellent for Sauce
Excellent for Baking
Excellent for Freezing

Tempt your taste buds with tart Granny Smith apples! Known for its delicious tart flavor and pleasing crunch, the Granny Smith apple’s popularity comes as no surprise. What’s more, it’s a go-to apple variety for snacking and is a favorite of pie bakers. Granny Smiths are great in all kinds of recipes, such as salads, sauces, baking, freezing, and more.

Uses: snacking, salads, baking, beverages, pies, sauce, freezing
History: Introduction to Market in 1868
Place of Origin: Australia
Parentage: Believed to be descended from French Crabapples cultivated by Australian grandmother Maria Ann Smith

Honeycrisp – Crisp and Distinctly Sweet

Excellent for Salads
Excellent for Pie
Excellent for Sauce
Excellent for Baking
Good for Freezing

The Honeycrisp apple’s name says it all! Pleasantly crisp, sweet and juicy, this popular apple features a beautiful bright red skin mottled with pale green. Its complex flavor is subtly tart, and is a versatile ingredient for recipes ranging from sweet to savory. As a snack, Honeycrisp apples burst with juice with every bite, and they are also a delicious addition to salads, pies, sauces, and baked goods.

Uses: snacking, salads, baking, beverages, pies, sauce
History: Introduction to Market in 1991
Place of Origin: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
Parentage: Cross between a Keepsake apple and an unknown variety

Grilling Apples? Check out the BBQ Dragon Rotating Grill Grate!

Pink Lady® (Cripps Pink cv.) Crunchy and Sweet-Tart

Excellent for Salads
Excellent for Pie
Excellent for Sauce
Very good for Baking
Very good for Freezing

Bask in the sweet blush of Pink Lady® (Cripps Pink cv.)! Loved by snackers and bakers alike for its unique sweet-tart flavor and firm, crisp flesh, this beauty of an apple is a crowd pleaser. Named for its bright pink skin, this versatile apple is great for eating fresh out of hand as well as in salads, pies, sauces, baking, and freezing.

Uses: snacking, salads, baking, beverages, pies, sauce, freezing
History: Introduction to Market in 1985
Place of Origin: Australia
Parentage: Cross between Golden Delicious and Lady Williams

Grilling Apples? Check out the BBQ Dragon Rotating Grill Grate!

Golden Delicious – Crisp and Sweet

Excellent for Salads
Excellent for Pie
Excellent for Sauce
Excellent for Baking
Excellent for Freezing

The Golden Delicious is a perfect pick for any recipe. Sweet and mellow, this crisp apple has a tender golden skin, and its flesh stays white after slicing for longer than other apple varieties. Reach for a Golden Delicious as an all-purpose apple for snacking, salads, baking, freezing, sauces, and more.

Uses: snacking, salads, baking, beverages, pies, sauce, freezing
History: Introduction to Market in 1914
Place of Origin: Clay County, West Virginia
Parentage: Unknown, perhaps the chance seedling can be traced to Golden Reinette and Grimes Golden

Those are some of the most popular apples consumers will find at their local grocery stores. But there are more! Check out the Washington Apple Commission for additional types of apples – many of which are proprietary and grown only by specific producers. Now you have an idea of what apples are best suited for cooking and their uses courtesy of the Washington Apple Commission – time to fire up the BBQ Dragon Chimney of Insanity!