Slicing Apples The Right Way Is The Key To A Tasty Apple Pie

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Apple pie is a delicious staple of holiday spreads nationwide, but pulling off a flawless preparation is tricky. Even an easy apple pie requires a great deal of precision to shine, with slicing apples being among the more tedious tasks involved. How you slice your apples plays a big role in how your pie turns out, and there are certain best practices to follow.

The first and most obvious step is to wash and peel your apples. From there, core each apple. It's easiest to use an apple corer here, but if you don't have one, cutting the apple with a knife is still an option. If using a knife, cut off approximately ¼ of the apple, slicing as close to the core as possible. Rotate the apple 90 degrees and slice off the next quarter. Keep rotating and slicing until you've removed all four sides, leaving you with four large pieces.

After that, slice the quarters one by one. Thinner slices are key for apple pie. Aim for about a ¼ inch thick. Keep a large bowl of water by your side and toss the apple slices in as you work. Apples tend to brown fast, and this will keep them looking fresh as you finish prepping.

Choosing the right apples can make or break an apple pie. Determining the best and worst apples for pie is a matter of opinion, but understanding different tastes and textures can help you decide what would work for you. For instance, Pink Ladies contain a sweet, tart profile and maintain a good texture. McIntosh apples have a more cider-like taste, but may come out a bit mushy. You probably shouldn't use Red Delicious apples in apple pie because they lack flavor and bite when baked. Many bakers find combining a range of apple types works best, so do your research and even experiment a little to find a flavor profile that's suitable for you.

Make sure to keep your apple slices as even as possible. This ensures apples will cook in sync, giving the pie a more uniform texture. No one likes eating a slice of apple pie and finding certain portions mushy and other parts undercooked.

Lastly, when you slice your apples is as important as how you slice them. A mistake everyone makes when baking apple pie is slicing apples the night before to save time. Apples are very susceptible to open air and tend to oxidize the second they're cut. It's best to slice your apples immediately before baking your pie. If you cut them ahead of time, mix the slices with a bit of lemon juice and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.