Spiced Apple Chutney Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Apple Chutney

Apple chutney is a gluten-free condiment consisting of diced apples cooked with spices, sugar, butter, and vinegar or citrus juice. Apple chutney is a spin on traditional chutney, a savory condiment that originated on the Indian subcontinent. Like its fellow chutneys, mango chutney, tamarind chutney, and tomato chutney, apple chutney often accompanies savory dishes, where it adds a sweet, textural contrast.

Apple chutney has a chunky, slightly sticky texture that adds textural contrast to many dishes and shines when paired with savory preparations. Here are a few ways to use the condiment in your cooking:

1. 1. Add it to baked goods: To add dimension to classical pies and galettes, add a layer of apple chutney along the bottom of the dough before loading it up with fruit. Try this in an apple pie, or complement with other ingredients like pear or rhubarb.
2. 2. Pair it with cheeses: Use apple chutney as a topping for a grilled cheese sandwich or bagel and cream cheese, bake it into puff pastry filled with brie, or serve it alongside a cheese platter.
3. 3. Topping for grilled or roasted meats: The sweetness of chutney is a perfect foil for smoky, savory barbecue dishes or roasted pork chops, where the tanginess of the fruit brings a bit of levity to the richness of the meat.
4. 4. Pair it with Indian breads and snacks: The easiest way to enjoy chutney is with classic Indian dishes: Use it as a dip for fried samosas or vadas, flatbreads like dosa, roti, or naan, or as an essential condiment or side dish alongside a meal.

Chutney is an excellent way to extend the lifespan of particularly good apples and will keep for a few months in a cool, dry spot. Here’s what to know about building your own:

1. 1. Choosing the best apples: The best apples for chutney have relatively firm flesh and a bright, juicy flavor. Tart apples like Granny Smith, McIntosh, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady are ideal for this reason. Conversely, Golden Delicious apples will soften too much in the cooking liquid.
   
2. 2. Finding the right spice blend: Spices set chutney apart from other apple-based ingredients like apple butter, jam, applesauce, and compote. Experiment with different profiles depending on your preferences: Try aromatic seeds like whole coriander, cumin, or fennel, warm spices like allspice, nutmeg, clove, and star anise, or add a touch of heat with red pepper flakes. Toast the spices in oil, butter, or ghee to draw out the fullest expression of their flavor before adding the apple, sugar, and vinegar.
   
3. 3. Incorporating other fruits and vegetables: While other chutneys feature a dominant main ingredient, like tomato or tamarind, apple chutney is uniquely open to complementary flavors. Try onion, fresh cranberry, or golden raisins.