Country Store Apple Butter - Weekend CrockPot Cooking

I haven't had Apple Butter in ages!  Now that Fall is officially here, our tastes change to cook and bake with all the warm spices of Autumn.  Here in Jersey, there is only one - just one Cracker Barrel Restaurant where you can get an Apple Butter fix any time of the day.  The restaurant is a few hours away, so I'm on my own here!

Apple Butter is very easy to make with the help of a CrockPot.  When it comes to filling your house with yummy scents and filling your tummy with warm, spicy, goodness, nothing beats homemade Apple Butter.

I thought I had thrown away my canning pot.  When I went up to the attic for Fall decorations, there it was - all dusty and lonely and forgotten.  I would have made this without the canning pot and just gave away most of it - but now I can keep it all to myself!!!! (I may give one or two away).

I searched several CrockPot Apple Butter recipes for the one that appealed to me most.  I was NOT about to peel 4 lbs. of apples, and I found a recipe that didn't require peeling or coring (much of the pectin is in the cores and flavor and vitamins in the peels) so I chose this method.

Apple Butter

• 4 lbs. of good cooking apples, about 16 (I used Gala and Fuji and two Granny Smith)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Prepare the fruit:  Cut the apples into eight pieces, without peeling or coring them.  Cut out any damaged parts.
Put them into a large pot, add the vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, reduced heat to simmer and cook until the apples are soft, about 20-30 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Ladle apple mixture in small batches into a food mill.

This was taking too long.  I decided to puree the apple mixture in the blender and then pass through the food mill.  This took much less time and much less effort.

Beautiful apple puree underneath.

Place apple puree into CrockPot.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Cook on HIGH setting, UNCOVERED for 5-6 hours; stirring every 20-30 minutes or so.  Cook until thick and smooth and the apple butter mounds up on your spoon.

Now, if you would like to can it (which I suggest) it's easy, you'll see.

1. Wash and dry jars and lids.
2. While you're filling your jars (to within 1/2" of top) with your warm apple butter you should have your water bath heating up.
3. Once the jars are filled, wipe the rims with a damp cloth and screw on the lid (don't over tighten).
4. Place jars in the water canning rack, lower into the canner, make sure they are covered with water by at least 1" and turn up the heat.
5. Once you reach a boil, boil for 15 minutes.
6. Carefully remove jars from the canner and sit on a dry towel.
7. Sit and listen.  Plink, Plink, Plink - the jars will seal as they cool on the towel.  Wipe jars clean and store or add your own special touches to give away as gifts.

Country recipe cards, labels and gift tags free to print at Country Clip Art.  Free labels for jams and jellies from Pick Your Own.

 

What else can you do with apple butter besides spreading on toast, homemade biscuits, waffles or pancakes?  Here are a few recipes that you might like:
Apple Butter Cake, Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie.

Source: patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com via Patti on Pinterest

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