How to Store Apples for Winter

I love it when I get questions in my inbox! I recently received an email from reader Erin with a great question: Are apples able to be stored for the winter? I figured since we’re in the height of apple picking season, she’s probably not the only reader with that question. The simple answer is yes, but you’ve got to know how to do it right. Here are some tips to keep those apples fresh for months!

Choose your apples wisely: Not all apples are created equal. Late-ripening varieties {harvested in October} like Red Delicious, Rome, Fuji or Crispin usually keep well. Other apple varieties will survive for awhile, but will probably not make it through winter. Do not mix varieties as different varieties ripen at different rate.

Your apples must be ripe, not over and not under. Ripe apples keep the longest. Store apples as soon after picking as possible. Also, make sure to inspect all apples for bruises, cuts and soft spots. Unless the apple is perfect, it won’t last and will actually ruin your perfectly good fruit. There is truth to that “One bad apple” saying! Check the apples frequently to make sure one apple has not begun to rot. Remove imperfect apples immediately from storage.

Finally, when choosing apples to store, smallest is best. Large apples don’t store as well, so if you sort the apples by size, you can keep the larger apples out so they get eaten first or are used in recipes.

Storage conditions are key: Apples ripen quickly if storage temperatures rise above 40 degrees F and will freeze and become inedible if temperatures drop below 30 degrees F. Find a place to store them with a temperature between 30-35 degrees F. A root cellar is preferable, but a cool basement, garage, fruit cellar or refrigerator will work just fine.

Apples also store best around 90% humidity, so finding a dry place isn’t necessary. In fact, although I’ve never tried this, some even recommend placing a damp paper towel over the apples to help keep the air moist.

Store apples in perforated plastic bags or in boxes lined with perforated plastic. I’ve also heard of people who individually wrap the apples in paper towels or black and white newspaper to keep the apples from potentially touching and bruising each other.

Do not store apples near potatoes or onions. They absorb flavors easily, so unless you want oniony apples, I’d avoid that. Potatoes cause apples to ripen faster, so keep your apples away from your potatoes if you are storing them in the same location.

Apple recipes: If you’re overrun with apples or if you have some bruised apples in the bunch that you need to get rid of, here are my favorite apple recipes:

• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
• Applesauce Spice Cake
• Cranberry Apple Pie
• Caramel Apples
• Homemade Applesauce
• Blackberry Apple Cake
• Apple Pie Jam
• Crock Pot Apple Butter
• Homemade Apple Chips
• Apple Pie Jam Bars
• DIY Apple Pie Spice Mix + Apple Pie Recipe
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies