Well since we went on our apple picking excursion and we still have more apples than I know what to do with them I thought I'd try something new.
I've always heard of apple butter...but I'd never seen it or tried it. I didn't even know what you used it for. But I mean come on...apples and butter! You can't go wrong!
But I found out soon enough that it's got no butter, just the name.
So I went online to my favorite website...Chickens in the Road and found a recipe.
So I thought I'd share it with you. I'm thinking of making more to sell at the next craft sale since nobody around here seems to make it. (That's how many apples I have left!)
Ok...First...
2 quarts apple pulp
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
With ingredients like this how can anyone go wrong?!
Start with 4 pounds of apples about 16 medium size. The recipe calls for a food mill which I don't have, but I did use my stick blender.
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| Cut up apples |
Peel and chop the apples. It says you can leave the peel on but I didn't dare too much since I didn't have a food mill. I left some, but not all.
It also doesn't say how to cook the apples, so I just simmered them on the stove and added a bit of water.
So bring the apples to a boil and cook till they are soft but not liquified.
At this time I pulverized them with the stick blender because
I had two different kinds of apples
and one cooked faster than the other.
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| After the stick blender and before I added the rest of the ingredients |
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| With the rest of the stuff added |
Now it's time to add the sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Again I used the stick blender to make sure all was well incorporated (fancy word meaning mixed together).
Then you have to cook until the mixture thickens and rounds on the spoon.
I have no idea what that meant! It said it can take a couple of hours to reach this stage. So I waited and waited and waited some more.
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| I'm assuming this is what they mean by rounding on the spoon |
It made a horrible mess everywhere on my stove and floor since it plops even on low heat.
Finally at what I figured what the "rounds on the spoon stage I figured it was ready.
Now you have to ladle it in hot, clean jars about a 1/2" from
the top and process it in a hot water bath for
10 minutes. And I'm not talking about your bathtub either.
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| Yummm!!To be used on toast! |
A single batch made 6 jars.
Even though it took a long time. I think it was worth it. Next time I'll just make a double or triple batch.
Hopefully I didn't miss any steps. If you've got any questions just email me.
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| My first batch of apple butter |
Have a Blessed Evening
Lisa
I made apple butter several years ago....and like you, was a bit disappointed that it didn't contain any BUTTER! But that's ok, I still liked it.
ReplyDeleteVery nice Lisa! I'll have to try that recipe.
ReplyDeletesounds so yummy! I am going to try that recipe!
ReplyDeleteWhen making apple butter you do not need to peel or core the apples, just cut them in quarters and throw them in a large pot with a little water or apple juice or apple cider and cook them down. There is something (pectin?) in the cores that helps make the apple butter thick. After apples are soft press them through a sieve. All the peel, core bits, stems, seeds, what have you are left behind and discarded. Take the pulp and put it in a big crock and add your ingredients and bake in a slow oven for 3 or 4 hours. Stir occasionally. It will darken and get very thick. I have made apple butter in a large crock pot and that worked well also.
ReplyDelete