Red Sauce

Why you should be excited

Red Sauce is an apple that lives up to its name, with pink-stained flesh that makes for a red applesauce.

The story of Red Sauce

It would be overstating things to say that modern-day interest in red-fleshed apples is a craze.

However, it is a growing phenomenon, given the number of questions and inquiries we get from high-end restaurant and catering types wanting to wow their customers with red-tinged apple baked goods. Same goes with cidermakers, who also are seeing red.

Recent as this interest may be, many of the apples that fuel it are far from new arrivals. For example, Red Sauce, a variety bred at New York' State's Agricultural Experiment Station more than a century ago.

It's a variety that needs to be fully ripe for any redness to develop in the flesh, but when it does, it fully lives up to its name.

Red Sauce Facts

Its origins

Bred in Geneva, New York, USA in 1920. Introduced in 1926.

Flavour, aroma, texture

Quite sour, with strong and distinctive apple flavour.

Appearance

A round apple with red flush and striping over a yellow background skin colour. Varying amounts of red on the inside, too.

When they’re available

Mid-season (usually in mid-September).

Quality for fresh eating

Good.

Quality for cooking

Good, especially for apple sauce and jelly.

Keeping ability

So-so (little more than 1 month when kept refrigerated).