Recipes + Resources

Not sure what to make with your fresh bushel of apples? We’ve curated eight of our family’s super sweet recipes for you and yours.

Recipes + Resources

Not sure what to make with your fresh bushel of apples? We’ve curated eight of our family’s super sweet recipes for you and yours.

All About Apples

We are all about apples at Kercher’s. 20 of our 300 acres are dedicated to growing 19 different varieties of apples.

Select apples that are firm to the touch, have a good aroma and are free of skin breaks and bruises.

Handle them gently to prevent bruising.

Wash each apple under running water and dry with a clean paper towel.

Slicing Apples

Cut and coat apple slices in a mixture of one part lemon juice to three parts water, in vitamin C-fortified 100% apple juice, or in a commercial anti-browning product to prevent browning. Eat within 2 hours or refrigerate immediately until use.

Fresh and Ready-to-Eat

Refrigerate apples as soon as possible to slow ripening and maintain flavor. Properly-refrigerated apples can keep anywhere from 4-6 weeks.
Store apples away from strong-smelling foods, to prevent them from absorbing unpleasant odors.
Wash individually-sold apples in cool water before serving.

Freeze for Later Use

Select firm and crisp apples for freezing.

Unsweetened Dry-pack Method of Freezing

Peel, cut and core the apples and soak in ascorbic acid to prevent browning. Place slices on a cookie sheet until frozen solid. Once frozen, remove and place in plastic freezer bags or freezer containers and place in freezer. Ideal for use in pies.

Sweetened Dry-pack Method of Freezing

Peel, cut and core the apples and soak in ascorbic acid to prevent browning. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to slices and mix until thoroughly coated. Pack in freezer containers, seal, and freeze. Ideal for use in pies.

Syrup-pack Method of Freezing

Prepare a syrup by adding 2 3/4 c sugar to 4 c of water. Stir over heat until sugar is dissolved and chill. Peel, cut and core the apples and soak in vitamin C to prevent browning. Once chilled, add 1/2 teaspoon of anti-browning agent (ascorbic acid) to syrup and place in freezer containers. Add apples to syrup and submerge completely. Seal the containers and freeze. Ideal for use in uncooked desserts.

Dried Apples

Drying apples at home is difficult without a dehydrator. If you plan to use a dehydrator, we encourage you to follow the instructions included with the dehydrator. Treat apples with ascorbic acid, fruit juice or sulfite prior to drying to prevent browning and preserve flavor. Thin-sliced apples dry the fastest. To cook reconstituted apples, simmer covered in liquid, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Unpasteurized, cider may contain some naturally occurring bacteria that could be harmful to the elderly and very young. These bacteria must be killed by a pasteurization process prior to drinking the cider. To pasteurize, Kercher’s Sunrise Orchards uses a consistent process that heats cider to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 seconds and immediately cools it back down to 50 degrees. The USDA and FDA have determined that this process ensures a safe product for all to enjoy.

We believe pasteurization only improves the flavor of our cider. Take an apple pie for example…when a pie is baked at 375 degrees for one hour, the flavor of the apples is enhanced by the baking process. The same can also be said for cider and pasteurization.

All About Apples

We are all about apples at Kercher’s. 20 of our 300 acres are dedicated to growing 19 different varieties of apples.

Select apples that are firm to the touch, have a good aroma and are free of skin breaks and bruises.

Handle them gently to prevent bruising.

Wash each apple under running water and dry with a clean paper towel.

Slicing Apples

Cut and coat apple slices in a mixture of one part lemon juice to three parts water, in vitamin C-fortified 100% apple juice, or in a commercial anti-browning product to prevent browning. Eat within 2 hours or refrigerate immediately until use.

Fresh and Ready-to-Eat

Refrigerate apples as soon as possible to slow ripening and maintain flavor. Properly-refrigerated apples can keep anywhere from 4-6 weeks.
Store apples away from strong-smelling foods, to prevent them from absorbing unpleasant odors.
Wash individually-sold apples in cool water before serving.

Freeze for Later Use

Select firm and crisp apples for freezing.

Unsweetened Dry-pack Method of Freezing

Peel, cut and core the apples and soak in ascorbic acid to prevent browning. Place slices on a cookie sheet until frozen solid. Once frozen, remove and place in plastic freezer bags or freezer containers and place in freezer. Ideal for use in pies.

Sweetened Dry-pack Method of Freezing

Peel, cut and core the apples and soak in ascorbic acid to prevent browning. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to slices and mix until thoroughly coated. Pack in freezer containers, seal, and freeze. Ideal for use in pies.

Syrup-pack Method of Freezing

Prepare a syrup by adding 2 3/4 c sugar to 4 c of water. Stir over heat until sugar is dissolved and chill. Peel, cut and core the apples and soak in vitamin C to prevent browning. Once chilled, add 1/2 teaspoon of anti-browning agent (ascorbic acid) to syrup and place in freezer containers. Add apples to syrup and submerge completely. Seal the containers and freeze. Ideal for use in uncooked desserts.

Dried Apples

Drying apples at home is difficult without a dehydrator. If you plan to use a dehydrator, we encourage you to follow the instructions included with the dehydrator. Treat apples with ascorbic acid, fruit juice or sulfite prior to drying to prevent browning and preserve flavor. Thin-sliced apples dry the fastest. To cook reconstituted apples, simmer covered in liquid, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Unpasteurized, cider may contain some naturally occurring bacteria that could be harmful to the elderly and very young. These bacteria must be killed by a pasteurization process prior to drinking the cider. To pasteurize, Kercher’s Sunrise Orchards uses a consistent process that heats cider to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 seconds and immediately cools it back down to 50 degrees. The USDA and FDA have determined that this process ensures a safe product for all to enjoy.

We believe pasteurization only improves the flavor of our cider. Take an apple pie for example…when a pie is baked at 375 degrees for one hour, the flavor of the apples is enhanced by the baking process. The same can also be said for cider and pasteurization.

Apples + More

Learn about all the species of apples we grow, our super sweet corn, and pumpkins.

Learn More

Apples + More

Learn about all the species of apples we grow, our super sweet corn, and pumpkins.

Learn More