I'm a huge fan of apple butter - not from the store - but homemade apple butter. I used to make it in the oven - stirring it often to keep it from burning - and having the oven on at least all day. Then along came crock pots. Now apple butter is simple.
Peel the rest of the apples with the handy-dandy apple peeler/corer. My mom gave me this peeler/corer in the 70s. It is very similar to the original model, mostly because it works so well that no changes were needed.
The apples come off in spiral slices - ready for the crock pot. I use organic apples and they turn a little brown before I get the crock pot filled.
Put all the sliced and peeled apples in the crock pot with 1/2 can of frozen apple juice - do not dilute it. Twelve pounds of apples filled the crock pot so full I couldn't get the lid on tight
After two hours the lid fit better
Cook all day on high - stir now and then - and I added 5 more pounds of apples, once there was room in the crock pot, after the first apples had cooked down a bit
When the apples are mostly mush (you can help them along by mashing with the potato masher) add in the sugar and spices. This really is according to taste - I start with 2 cups of raw sugar, 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon and 4 Tablespoons of cloves. I love the taste of cloves so usually end up adding a couple more Tablespoons of cloves - it all depends on how you want it to taste.
Cook overnight on low - then in the morning turn it up to high until it boils. This is how much it cooked down - 17 pounds of apples filled the crock pot about 3/4 full of apple butter
Can with your favorite method - and then I let it sit for a week if I can bear to wait, before opening. Sometimes I have to eat it right away if I'm out of apple butter from the last batch. (I already opened one jar before I took this photo). Home made bread, toasted, with apple butter and a cup of hot tea - now that is heaven!!!
One really nice thing about making apple butter is that you don't have to wait for apples to come into season - in NW Washington we can often find locally grown apples at year round farm stands - as well as the grocery stores.
Ooh, that looks good! And it's a perfect ZIZO opportunity, too!
ReplyDeleteOh, that looks good, JoAnn! I have never made apple butter...they usually end up in a pie as that is my husband's favorite dessert!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
Bet it makes a nice hostess gift too!
ReplyDeleteOh, JoAnn, do you know I can actually smell that batch of apple butter! You are so ambitious.I bet it is so good with your toast and tea..Happy Wednesday..Judy
ReplyDeleteA trip back to my childhood days! I haven't thought of apple butter in years and suddenly I can even smell it looking at your post!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine the smell would be mouthwatering!
ReplyDeleteI am going to try this... it's been years since I have had apple butter. I can almost smell it from here!
ReplyDeletemy mouth is watering at the thought of apple and spices on toast
ReplyDeleteApple butter is a new one to me. I think I may have to try it but the frozen apple juice? Is that concentrated juice? I don't think we have anything like that over here.
ReplyDeleteI used to make apple butter - haven't done that in years. Thanks for the memories :)
ReplyDeleteYou have perfect timing! I bought two bags of apples yesterday (I used five of the apples to make a pug ugly bundt cake) I can use the rest to make apple butter - YUM!! the only thing I will have to buy is some frozen apple juice. This will be my first attempt at apple butter. I'll let you know how it comes out.... Candy
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how wonderful the aroma was in your home when you were making this. I bet it's delicious. I never was much of a fan of boughten apple butter.
ReplyDeleteYour house must smell amazing! I always liked making apple butter and applesauce in the Fall. Maybe I'll try some applesauce without sugar. It sounds good right now! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteI make this without sugar...and I haven't added more apples as it cooks down. That sounds like a great idea, not to mention it sounds delicious!
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And I bet the house smells absolutely wonderful for a couple of days!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have an apple corer/peeler and I love to use it!
ReplyDeleteI've never made apple butter. Your recipe is helpful, but I just can't imagine peeling that many pounds of apples. Although when you dip into the finished butter it is so worth the work! Yum!
Looks delicious! Years ago my Dad would buy a quart of apple butter at the summer fair. They made it on the grounds. It always smelled so good cooking.
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