The Best Way To Keep Apple Slices From Browning Is Also The Simplest — No Lemons Required

Prepping fruit ahead of time comes with lots of advantages. You'll minimize kitchen time down the line and have snackable bites all ready to go — all from a single slicing effort. Yet, specifically with apple slices, there's an unfortunate downside: The fruit starts browning. Once the flesh is sliced open, enzymes found in apple cells transform, generating browning compounds as they're exposed to oxygen. Not only visually unappealing, such a reaction leads to wrinkling and differences in smell and taste.

Thankfully, there are strategies to mitigate the issue, with a lemon water bath an especially popular option. The concept's backed by a twofold rationale: Water limits exposure to air, while the lemon's acid further limits oxidation. It's sound reasoning, but in practice, the move comes with downsides. Not only do the citrus flavors infuse through the fruit, but the apple still transforms disappointingly brown — even more so than if simply left soaking in water alone.

However, if you're looking for the best alternative, then turn to readily available salt. The mineral yields a far improved water bath result, creating crispy white bites that last. Plus, there's no fear of unpalatable salty apple bites, as the flavor washes away with fresh water. It's a fuss-free yet definitely superior technique — making it a responsible go-to.

Thankfully, assembling the apple salt water bath is easy-peasy. Simply get your soaking bowl ready, then mix in around a teaspoon of the mineral for every two cups of water. Let the slices absorb the saline mixture for a short five to 10 minutes. The apples will float, so don't forget to flip, or add a gentle weight on top. Then once the time's up, discard the water and run the fruit under the kitchen faucet.

By way of the short soak time, the apples don't infuse with seasoning, and the flavor's basically all washed off. If you're really sensitive to salty flavors, use the fruit in savory applications, like a panko-breaded goat cheese and crisp apple salad or an apple and celery salad with toasted hazelnuts. And you can also readily reserve these slices for later baking use, like in an easy apple pie. However, they're also perfectly fit for snacking — most people won't even notice the difference. You can lay out these photogenic apple slices on a charcuterie board or even bag them up for lunch the next day, completely stress-free. The technique's simple but effective, giving fruit prep a whole new edge.