What in the world is a Smokehouse apple and where can one find these apples with the crazy name!
I am always intrigued by apples with unique sounding names.
Names like…
Ashmead’s Kernel
Hoople’s Antique Gold
The heirloom apple names have more intrigue to me then most of our next modern varieties that all have crisp in their name – EverCrisp, Cosmic Crisp, Crimson Crisp, etc.
I recently found the Smokehouse apple. And wondered why it had this name. My wife said it was probably because the tree was discovered near someone’s smokehouse.
I look it up.
Yep, that is exactly why.
? History
Smokehouse was discovered as a chance seedling, that means the fruit was found growing on a tree that was created through a natural crossing of apple blossoms (thanks bees!). The apple was growing near William Gibbons's smokehouse in the 1830s in Lancaster County, PA.
? Appearance
The apple is a mostly green apple with various amount of red blush. I have seen some Smokehouse apples that had little to no blush.
? Ratings
Here is what I thought when I had this apple for the first time.
| Tart | 6 |
| Sweet | 5 |
| Juiciness | 7 |
| Flavor | 7 |
| Crispiness | 7 |
I would say this is a solid apple. A bit more tart than sweet, but nicely balanced. It is juicy and crisp enough. It’s not Honeycrisp levels of crispiness, but for sure not soft.
It is tart, but not super, super tart. If you are a fan of mildly tart apples, this is the apple for you. Not mussy, but not completely crisp.
My oldest daughter
The apples are harvested either in late September or into October. I have seen reports of both. When your particular Smokehouse apples were harvested could make a difference of their crispiness, flavor, and how long they will keep. The apples seems to have a reputation for dropping, which may cause them to be harvested before peak flavor.
? Eating Tips - I tried the apples in late September. They were crisp enough and flavorful. Some say they last until March with good storage. I did keep mine in the fridge and ate them all in about a week and a half. For more on getting how to know when an apple is perfect to eat, check out this post
? Where to Buy
The variety seems to be popular in Pennsylvania and harder to find in other states. Here are all the locations that I know of. Make sure to leave a comment below if you know any additional orchards.
- Weston's Antique Apples (Dane County Farmer's Market, Madison, WI)
- Kauffman's Fruit Farm & Market (Bird in Hand, PA)
- Brecknock Orchard (Mohnton, PA)
- Weaver's Orchard (Morgantown, PA)
- Woolf's Apple House (Media, PA)
- Strites Orchard (Harrisburg, PA)
- Tendercrop Farm (Newburyport, MA)
? Give These Apples a Try
Have you tried this apple? What did you think? Leave a comment below telling us. Be a helper and share where you found it. You may make someone's day with your insider info on where to get them! If you are a true apple lover, you'll want to check out all of our apple reviews.
Diane Miller
Smokehouse apples are GREAT for applesauce. Usually you should mix different varieties of apples to get a nice, balanced applesauce. Not with Smokehouse. It makes great applesauce all on its own! You can also find it at Highland Orchards in West Chester, Pa.