Apple Butter

This is my favorite apple butter recipe of all. It is from the book Preserving the Harvest. I have blogged about it before at this link.

Ingredients
10 large tart apples
2 cups apple cider
3-5 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground all-spice
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Process

1. Wash, core & quarter apples.
2. Combine apples and cider in oven safe pot on top of stove.
3. Cook slowly in cider until tender.













4. Blend in batches in the blender.


















5. Return mixture to pot.
6. Add sugar and spices and stir to combine. Place in oven.














7. Cook in 350°F oven, stirring often. Test for desired thickness by spooning mixture onto a cold plate. If no liquid oozes around edges, it is thick enough.
8. Ladle into jars. Process 10 minutes or freeze.

Marion's Apple Butter

This recipe is from Preserving the Harvest by Carol Costenbader. I made it last night using the oven method. I also used the smallest amount of sugar and it worked fine! Next time I will try it in my slow cooker - just need to decide on high vs. low.
This is YUMMY!!!

Ingredients
10 large tart apples (about 5 lbs)
2 cups apple cider
3-5 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground all-spice
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1. Process
2. Wash, core & quarter apples.
   
3. Combine apples and cider in oven safe pot on top of stove.
   
4. Cook slowly in cider until tender.
   
5. Blend in a food processor or run through a food mill.
   
6. Return apples to pot.
   
7. Add sugar and spices and stir to combine.
   
8. 
9. Cook in 350°F oven or slow cooker 6-8 hours, stirring often. Test for desired thickness by spooning mixture onto a cold plate. If no liquid oozes around edges, it is thick enough. Ladle into jars. Process 10 minutes or freeze.

Boys Apple Butter

I named this recipe this afternoon when the middle school boys helped me make it after school. One helped cut and core the apples, the other helped me peel them. They were both responsible for running the food mill too. We had fun and they learned a lot. I fully support teaching boys to be more domestic in the kitchen!
Feel free to 1/2 this recipe if you would like.

Ingredients
32 apples - peeled, cored and quartered
4 cups water
8 cups sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon clove powder


Process

1. Wash, peel, core and quarter apples.
2. Place in stock pot with water and bring to a boil.
   
3. Boil until apples are soft but not liquid.
   
4. Run apples through the food mill and return to the pot.
5. Add the sugar and spices and heat, stirring frequently as mixture thickens.
   
6. Cook until thick enough to round up on a spoon.
   
7. Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space and remove air bubbles.
   
8. Adjust caps and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Spiced Maple Apple Butter

Ingredients
16 to 20 apples
2 cups water
3 to 4 cups sugar
1 cup pure maple syrup (or more along the way if you like the taste)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice (or more)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

Process

1. Core and chop apples (no need to peel).
2. Put in 9 quart pan and bring to a boil.
3. Stir several times and continue until it looks like all apples are mushy.
   
4. Remove from heat.
5. Run through food mill.
   
6. Return to pot and add remaining ingredients.
   
7. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
   
8. Reduce heat to medium or medium low and cook stirring frequently.
   
9. You want the mixture to reduce and congeal reaching a stiff sauce consistency. It will become quite molten so watch out for splattering.
   
10. When finished, ladle hot butter into hot jars and arrange lids.
    
11. Process in a hot water canner by bringing to a boil and keeping at a boil for 10 minutes.
    

Enjoy! The perfect breakfast toast spread this time of year! I love the addition of syrup.