Apple Butter

Angela, my current short term housemate, mentioned making apple butter. We had slightly different experiences with it in the past.  Mine took a lot longer to cook than expected and her recipe had told her not to peel the apples-that the peels could be picked out afterwards.  So this past weekend we tried again.  I looked at many recipes and in the end took the basics from the national food preservation website, which actually said no cook times, but the plan was to use the slow cooker. It also had great information about how to tell if it is done.

We peeled and chopped the apples late Saturday afternoon and got them cooking. I got jumpy so there was some microwaving involved as well.  And without a strainer we were relaying on it cooking down to mush.

On Monday morning it was still not done, as the liquid was still able to separate, see instructions below.  So it cooked all of Monday.  On Monday night we forced it through my colander (I do not have a strainers, I wonder if a potato ricer would work... not that I have one of those either) and cooked it for about another hour on the stove and then canned it.

Here it is looking all innocent on the island.  Don't be fooled it takes a REALLY long time to cook. I am not even sure what I would do differently next time.  Which is why I probably won't try again for another three years. 

From the National Food Preservation Website

Apple Butter

Use Jonathan, Winesap, Stayman, Golden Delicious, Maclntosh, or other tasty apple varieties for good results.

• 8 lbs apples
• 2 cups apple cider
• 2 cups vinegar
• 2¼ cups white sugar
• 2¼ cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground cloves

Yield: About 8 to 9 pints

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure: Wash, remove stems, quarter and core fruit. Cook slowly in cider and vinegar until soft. Press fruit through a colander, food mill, or strainer. Cook fruit pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon. Another way to determine when the butter is cooked adequately is to spoon a small quantity onto a plate. When a rim of liquid does not separate around the edge of the butter, it is ready for canning. Fill hot into sterile half-pint or pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Quart jars need not be presterilized.

And here is the website that has more information on it:

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/apple_butter.html