I am reviewing New Zealand apple varieties this week. First up was the Breeze apple, today I am talking about the (Royal) Joburn apple. It is another apple that is an exclusive variety of Freshco. By the name you might be thinking that this is a combination of a Braburn and a Jonathan apple like how a Jonagold is a mix of Jonathan and Golden Delicious. That sound promising. As I Googled the apple I was met with disappointment that Joburn is actually more like a Kiku apple in that is it a sport variety of another apple. Kiku apple come from a Fuji mutation and the Jobburn apple is a genetic mutation of a Braeburn apple. As you see by the appearance the Joburn has quite a bit more red than a Braeburn, in fact the entire apple was full red. Red colored apples appeal to the eye of the customer. It is why the Red Delicious become so popular and so red - yet at the expense of flavor.
My Experience with this Apple (Rating Scale 1-10)
[table]
Aspect, Score
Crispiness, 8
Tartness, 5
Apple Flavor, 6
Sweetness, 6
Juiciness, 8
Where I Bought Them, Jungle Jim's (Cincinnati OH)
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Overall Feeling: Braeburn apples you get from New Zealand I find to better than the U.S. grown ones. Domestic Braeburn are very inconsistent in quality. The Joburn is an improved Braeburn. While not my favorite apple these weren't bad at all. Nothing I would actively seek out but if choosing amongst other apples it would have a chance. As it is a type of Braeburn you can use it the same way you would use any other Braeburn. So you can cook with it and it will hold it's shape. Joburn is a bit sweeter than I would like for a cooking/baking apple - however it can work in the absence of better options.
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