I harvested a bunch of crabapples and want to make applesauce. They are really too small to peel and core so I would be steaming them (preferable to parboiling??) after washing and cutting in half. My food strainer worked great on the first batch although I need to steam them maybe another 30 min and stir them to get even steaming.

So question is, since I am not parboiling with sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, etc, can I add stuff after steaming and straining? Doesn't seem like the flavor would be as good. Am I really saving any of the vitamins by steaming since I am stripping the skins in the straining process. I don't have water added as the parboiling indicates you would (mixing the peeled, cored apples and mushing up with the boiling water.)

Suggestions?