Apple butter
4-5 lbs. Fresh baking apples
1 c. Apple cider vinegar
2 c. water
White sugar
brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. clove
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1-2 tbsp. lemon juice
Cut apples into quarters and remove seeds. I like to leave the cores in and the peels on to enhance flavor and add the natural pectin from the cores.
place apples, apple cider vinegar, and water in pot or crock-pot and cover. Bring to a boil for about 20 minutes or until apples are tender.
Ladle apple mixture, juice and all into food mill and process. (this step gives the apple butter is smooth buttery texture, if you do not have a food mill you can use a food processor but peel, core, and chop apples before boiling.)
after all the apple has been put through the food mill transfer it back to the pot or to a crock pot and add sugar salt, lemon juice and spices. I add 1/2 a cup of sugar for every cup of pured apples, this amount can be reduced if you are using a sweeter apple or want a tart apple butter. cook apple stirring frequently butter for several hours or until the butter has a dark brown color and thick consistency.
when the apple butter is finished you can ladle it into clean sanitized jars and refrigerate for 3-4 weeks or process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes and store for up to 3 years on the shelf. Enjoy!
And here's the best part...
Because I finally have a following (all 4 of you) I decided to say thanks by giving away a jar of this delicious jam and a few other goodies. All you have to do post a comment to enter and really seeing as you have A 25% chance of winning, you might be enjoying apple butter with out all the labor.unless of course my bribing pays off and I get a few more of you following my bloggie antics...
mmmm...warm cinnamon scented peace
I have Grandma Karp's Squeezo machine and use it to make my applesauce and tomato sauces. It is one of my most prized possessions as well. Was this her's also? Your apple butter looks so yummy and gets me excited for fall :)
ReplyDeleteyes Tina this was Grandma Karp's food mill. When you look at the wooden pestle you can see how it has been stained over the years from processing grapes and berries I guess. The down side to apple butter is that you eat nothing but for the next few days :)
ReplyDeleteAwww, I bet it would make her very happy to have the two of us using her tools and carrying on her traditions. She used to have the most awesome pantry shelves filled with her canned food! I only wish I could have learned her recipes and tricks... but my dad has been a very good teacher, too! :)
ReplyDeletePlease enter me in your contest, dear daughter! Daddy gets your peach jam, friends get your hand-made jewelery, and I want something just for me! hehe
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, Merri. It's the last thing I check at night before turning off my computer so I can fall asleep with your great ideas in my old head!
I'm always checkin in on your blog too Mer. You have great recipes and have set up your site beautifully. I'm thinking, even if I don't win, maybe swapping some Huckleberry Hooch for some butter..lol..just kidding , your getting some from santa anyway!
ReplyDeleteYum yum yum! Winning this would be awesome because my husband is obsessed with apple butter and hasn't found any he likes since he moved away from his home state of Ohio. Whether I win or not, though, I will be trying this recipe for sure! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete