Best apple for pie?
Now that fall has officially arrived, so too has apple pie season. I, for one, am totally excited about this, and my guess is that many of you are too. With that in mind, what brand of apples do you feel is the best for pie? I've tried various kinds over the years (some with better luck than others), but I'm on the hunt for which one is perfect. Do you use only one kind, or do you mix several? I've got a recipe I generally use, so now I just want the perfect apple to complete it.
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33 Comments:
I like using McIntoshes, as they have a nice flavor but are a little softer, and cook down evenly. Golden Delicious and McIntoshes mixed is a nice combo-- I tend to add a touch of citrus to these, as they aren't the tartest varities.
Laurel E at 9:24AM on 09/24/08
Second the Mcintoshes. I use only them with a little fresh lime juice in the filling mixture (usual suspects - brown/white sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg).
savecara at 9:33AM on 09/24/08
I prefer Jonathan's for sweet pies, and Granny Smith for tart pies.
LunaPierCook at 9:41AM on 09/24/08
Hands down, my favorite apple for pie and other cooked apple desserts is the Mutsu (also called Pippin). They're sweeter than a Granny but still have an excellent tartness, and never get mealy when cooked.
producestories at 9:43AM on 09/24/08
I've never had a good experience with Golden Delicious in cooking. I'd be glad to hear contrary opinions. I just find it bland and un-apple-y, despite adding some acidity.
lemons at 9:45AM on 09/24/08
Cortlands are my favorite. They are flavorful, NOT mealy, and have the added advantage of not turning brown as quickly as others. We just finished a delicious apple crumb pie last night. And this from someone who doesn't typically enjoy apples (unless they are baked into a pie!). We go to the orchard every year, and after much experimentation Cortlands win the baking prize, the other varieties we buy are enjoyed out of hand by my family.
Bumblebutton at 9:47AM on 09/24/08
I second Bumble on the Cortlands - I find Macs too juicy, you need a lot of flour to not get soup. Cortlands have a nice bite to them, and they're rarely mealy.
embolini9 at 9:59AM on 09/24/08
Cortlands, Macs, with a Granny smith tossed in for good measure!
Maureen at 10:15AM on 09/24/08
Granny Smith for the pie, then 1 or 2 sliced Mac or Red Delicious on top. They will cook down to add an apple sweetness to the pie.
NanaJoie at 10:31AM on 09/24/08
I like Cortlands, Empires and Mutsus for pie. I usually use a mix of all three.
rjoskow at 10:56AM on 09/24/08
Definitely mix them up! Make sure to include some Granny Smith. I like Rome Beauty too, they're great for baking. I use at least 3 different types in pie (usually the 2 above and then Jonagold or MacIntosh). Yum!
CookiePie at 11:58AM on 09/24/08
I've discovered that there's a difference between Golden Delicious apples from New York State and Washington State. New Yorks (my favorite) have a rougher/uglier skin, but are sweeter and hold up better in cooking. Washingtons are smoother/shinier, but have less flavor. For pies, I like to mix up two or three varieties: early Macs/NYS Golden Delicious/any other hard and tart apple.
SavtaShayna at 12:18PM on 09/24/08
For me, Cortlands as well, though Macouns are probably my favorite for both eating and baking. You can always mix Granny Smith and Golden Delicious (or another sweet apple) with very good results, though.
emmab at 12:43PM on 09/24/08
last time i made an apple pie i used three different types of apples. rome, granny smith and red delicious. it made for a great pie.
dozertx at 12:48PM on 09/24/08
There's a newer variety called Northern Spy that's supposed to be ideal for pie-baking.
Mama Beckala at 12:49PM on 09/24/08
@Mama Beckala - Northern Spy's are great for pie baking, but they aren't new...they are actually an older variety that are making a comeback. They've been around in upstate NY for quite awhile. I remember picking them at my uncle's house 35 years ago.
mepolo at 1:23PM on 09/24/08
Yeah; and I also remember Northern Spys -- they were my father's favorite. In the fall we used to drive to "the apple country" -- apple farms in Onondaga County. Pumpkins, cider, wide variety of just-picked apples --great memories.
SavtaShayna at 2:40PM on 09/24/08
I like to mix Golden Delicious and Macs in a pie. Check out some of the heirloom varieties, too, if you can find them. Another good recommend are Jonagolds.
(SavtaShayna - I grew up in apple country in Onondaga County. Boy, do I miss those loong hills and incredible vistas on Route 20 between Lafayette and Skaneateles - - it's so gorgeous in the fall! I have one old cookbook from the Lafayette Apple Festival from like 1975 or something --all the recipes, which feature apples in one incarnation or another, are handlettered by the contributors and it's a real keeper. )
moibec at 3:58PM on 09/24/08
ashmead's Kernel! you may or may not find this variety, but its the best pie apple i have ever eaten! it has a brownish/burgundy russet-type skin and is usually slightly misshappen. Its outward apperance is the reason you have never seen one in a store, it looks like a sick potato!lol but its taste is out of this world! tons of pectin, crisp and holds up well to heat so you get a nice piece of apple that is firm yet has no snap. if that makes sense!?......perfect balance of tart/sweet.
concreteoatmeal at 5:31PM on 09/24/08
Northern Spy - the best, although not a newer variety - an heirloom. Grandma used them over a 100 years ago. I've always used them as well. Hands down best.
mmclau28 at 1:37PM on 09/25/08
I've been using mostly granny smiths with the addition of one macintosh or other sweeter apple. I like the Grannies' firmness. Wow, how often does one get to say THAT?!
Stufsocker at 2:10PM on 09/25/08
I try to use 4 varieties, but always include Granny Smith. It provides a great tang.
pegfoley at 6:03PM on 09/25/08
I just made a pie with Fuji's, i hope it tastes good. . .
redhead at 9:44PM on 09/25/08
Most of what's grown where I live is Fuji, which I use in combination with Granny Smiths. It makes a great pie. Turns out Fujis make great applesauce too.
buffy at 10:10PM on 09/25/08
I guess it depends on what you value in a pie. Do you want your apples to keep their shape? Do you want some tartness?
I personally love MacIntosh for pies and eating. They are just sooo sweet, and I don't mind that they get mushy in a pie.
Kerosena at 12:34PM on 09/26/08
I fell in love with Gala apples in Colorado and was pleased to see how readily available they are around the country. They are great for baking and eating out of hand. They hold their shape when cooked and make beautiful pies.
Galas also make a great apple dumpling as they are not huge.
therealchiffonade at 9:10AM on 09/29/08
Oh, my goodness, Savta, do they still have cider stands beside the road in Central New York. It's been more years than I care to count (35-plus) since we lived in Syracuse, but it wasn't October without roadside cider and "fry cakes," cake doughnuts with a crunchy outside and a crumb like...what?...pound cake. It wasn't Halloween without cider and doughnuts. Thanks for the memories with that mention of Onondaga County/Lake.
expat39520 at 9:56AM on 09/29/08
I second (or third, or fourth, or whatever) the Northern Spies. I've also heard that Rhode Island Greenings (another heirloom) are supposedly some of the best pie apples, although I haven't yet been able to find them.
Enmalkm at 10:28AM on 09/29/08
Wow, can't believe so many mentioned Onondaga County! I lived there for awhile before I got married, but my parents were there from '68, in Fayetteville. What a beautiful scene in the fall. My mother used Northern Spy and possibly Granny Smith for pies? She also liked Macouns (sp?) and Empire and other local apples.
I look forward to apple cider here in SE PA! Not a fan of apple juice, but love local cider.
I just watched ATK this weekend and they used Golden Delicious for a huge apple tart (gallette...sp?). I have never been fond of that apple, but it seemed to hold up well to cooking.
PerkyMac at 11:44AM on 09/29/08
I live in Ontario, just over the border from Ogdensburg and about a two hour drive from Syracuse. We have amazing apples right now - in fact, yesterday I picked a bushel in the pouring rain on Howes Island, just south of Kingston, Ontario. Definitely apple country up this way.
Maureen at 12:16PM on 09/29/08
I always use Granny Smith for pie. I find that softer apples, like Macintosh, just turn to mush and get kind of mealy. Granny Smiths will give you a nice combination of gooeyness and soft-but-solid apple slices. (p.s. Did you know Granny Smiths were first bred, by accident, in Australia by an actual grandmother whose last name was Smith?)
cupcakelust at 12:48PM on 09/29/08
II think, after over 40 years of making apple pies (that most folks tell me are 'the best ever'), that without a doubt, Rhode Island Greenings will blow anything else away. I've used Grannies, Cortlands, Macs, Northerns, etc. and nothing compares. If you don't live in the Northeast, there's a similar variety called Northwest Greenings. Haven't tried them, but I'm told they're similar. Retains shape, essence of apple taste, tart/sweet. Not so good as a fresh eating apple (little too tart). For that, we love Macouns and Honeycrisps. Good luck with your baking.
Aunty at 8:38PM on 10/14/08
My mother Fran was a renown pie-maker in Kirkland Washington. My sister and I have tried to replicate her apple pie, the likes of which we have never found since at any gourmet dinner, top restaurant or bakeoff. She piled up chunks of Gravenstein apples in her amazing pies, which oozed with buttery apple syrup created during the baking process. Gravensteins are rare, tart and bursting with flavor. She would be horrified to hear people using mushy Golden Delicious and Macintosh. Her final trick was to paint the bulging pie crust cover with a light layer of egg white. The egg whites cooked into a beautiful, very shiny, golden glow rather than sort of brown and dull crust typical of most pies. With all due respect to the commenters, nobody can beat Fran Stewart on apple pies. Gravensteins rule. If only we had written down her recipe ... and so much other wisdom.
jillo at 2:19PM on 12/20/08