The best apple for making a pie, or any sort of baked apple dish, is not necessarily the type that is best for eating out of hand for several reasons. When you choose an eating apple, the primary consideration is flavor, but even though flavor is reasonably important to the apple destined to go into a pie, the most important thing is texture. A pie apple must keep its shape during baking so that you have something to bite into and don't end up with apple sauce pie. The best apples for pies include Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap, Pippin, and the classic Granny Smith. All, excluding the fairly tart Granny Smith, have a moderate level of tartness, which will be tempered by the sugar in your pie. If you want sweeter apples, Fuji, Pink Lady, Suncrisp, Rome Beauty, and Empire will work well, too. You will probably want to avoid Red Delicious apples, which are popular for eating, but won't hold their shape in the oven, turning watery and mealy instead.
If all else fails, it is a good idea to go for a mixture of apples, not only because you won't have to remember to look for one particular type, but to give the pie a well-rounded flavor.
11-10-2006 @3:26PM Miranda said... I second the "mixture of apples" notion, Nicole! The Cook's Illustrated apple pie recipe is my standard and they recommend using 1/2 Granny Smith (holds up to cooking) and 1/2 McIntosh (good flavor, doesn't require thickeners).
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11-10-2006 @3:39PM candace said... I have to disagree with using Granny Smith apples. They often turn mushy, especially when in a top-and-bottom-crusted pie. The best apples for pie, I've found, are Winesap, Jonathan, Gala, and Fuji.
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11-10-2006 @3:39PM Matt said... Let us not forget the mighty Cortland apple, queen of all fruit... at least in pies.
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11-10-2006 @5:11PM KP said... I think you are all missing the boat here on apples..no one has mentioned an apple named "Honeycrisp"..it's the most incredible apple and it holds up wonderfully during pie or apple crisp making.
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11-10-2006 @11:43PM owen said... I was always told that the Spy apple was the preferred pie variety. I am completley surprised that it hasnt been mentioned yet, my world is quickly crashing down...
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11-10-2006 @7:58PM John said... You know, sometimes these coincidences are really freaky.
At this very moment, I'm preparing apple tarts in puff pastry. And I'm using Crispin apples. They're very similar to Grannys, but (to me, at least) they're just a little less tart. They hold their texture well, too, even after browning them off in butter and baking them.
(I should point out, though, that in this case I bought the Crispins because they were on sale. About 70 cents cheaper, per pound, than the Granny Smiths)
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11-11-2006 @5:30PM Sera said... I've always used Northern Spy and Gravenstein! Yum!
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11-11-2006 @11:32AM Miranda said... Northern Spy *is* the preferred variety, Owen. Hang in there! However, they are not readily available at large, chain supermarkets, and, so, CI's recipe calls for those two easier-to-find varieties.
Honeycrisps are excellent, but lose many of their flavor qualities when cooked. They are best enjoyed raw.
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11-17-2006 @6:32PM betsy said... Correct on the honeycrisp!! I just discovered these apples a few months ago and have fallen in love. I usually use granny smith, but not i will use Honeycrisp whenever the store has them...they hold up fantastically, in pie as well as crisp, but don't taste "uncooked." They are also a lovely combination of sweet and tart that make them great to eat out of hand. My husband adores them and he's not as big an apple person as i am.
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