Recipe: Smoked Stuffed Apples

Recipe Source: Marr, Bryan.  Found in the Eggtoberfest 2006 Cookbook under the title "New England Smoked Apples," on p. 54.  The book is available for download on http://www.nakedwhiz.com/eggtoberfest2006.pdf.

This is one of the first recipes we ever made on our Big Green Egg, and we decided to reprise it recently because it was really, really good.  It was a real hit with everyone who ate it, and everyone always asks for more.  We've done this with sweet Italian pork sausage and we've done it with a chicken and apple sausage; I personally preferred the chicken sausage for this application.  I'm dying to try it again, maybe with pomegranate molasses in place of the syrup and a spicy lamb sausage. 

Smoked Stuffed Apples (serves 4; approx. cost per serving not available)

12 apples (we used Macs)

1 pound sausage - your choice of variety (see above)

1 stick butter

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried sage

Maple syrup

Equipment:

• Big Green Egg or other smoker
• Tongs and/or a spatula
• Saute pan
• Melon baller

1. Heat the saute pan over medium heat and melt 1 teaspoon of the butter.
2. Saute the celery and onion until golden brown. 
3. Add the sausage and sage.  Cook until you would pronounce the sausage safe to eat, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon as you go. 
4. Remove from heat and let drain.  Allow it to cool to room temperature, or at least until you're comfortable handling it, before continuing. 
5. Slice off the tops of the apples - try to be very conservative here. 
6. Use the melon baller to core and hollow out the inside.  Again, be conservative; the apples need to be able to stand up on their own and not disintegrate in the egg. 
7. Fill the cavity half way with stuffing.  Put maple syrup on top, then finish filling with the rest of the stuffing.
8. All of the above steps can be done well ahead of time with a refrigerator.  When you're ready to cook, bring your Egg up to between 350 and 375 degrees.  Set the Egg up for indirect cooking, with a drip pan.
9. Add plenty of apple wood for smoke. 
10. Put the apples on the egg and immediately add a small amount of butter to each one. 
11. Cook for 20 minutes, then add more maple syrup to the tops of the apples. 
12. Cook another 25 - 40 minutes, depending on the size of the apples.  The apples should be soft but still hold their shape. 
13. Serve. 

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Comments

[Jude]

Wish I had a smoker for this. Looks amazing. So many possible stuffings for apples.

[Erik]

Great idea. I also have a BGE (and the cookbook it's from) and you forgot to list in the ingredients the sausage...

Erik