For this one, we had a few of the early season jars of apple sauce that didn’t quite work out right and had turned a bit at the top. We’d water bathed them (learned, it’s needed) to break the cycle which was fine, but I figured we’d just pull them, scoop the top and make apple butter out of the rest.
Apple Butter
- 9 quarts of Applesauce
- 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon of allspice
- 4 cups sugar
[note] Since I was working with already sweetened apple sauce, didn’t need much sugar.. Best advice is to sweeten to taste. ;)
Fill the crock pot to within an inch of full with applesauce, adding your spices and 2 cups of sugar. Save the other 2 cups for later if needed.
Set the crock pot on low or medium heat and cover it loosely, allowing moisture to escape. Leave it to cook for 6-12 hours, stirring only when you feel like taking a peek.
As it thickens and cooks down you will need to top it off.. Take a look at it in the morning when you wake up and add more apple sauce, 2 or 3 quarts. Allow to cook further, 4-6 hours or so, stirring now and then.
Once it LOOKS right, it should be ready to go. Apple butter has that nice, deep color to it. Give it a taste and add sugar until it’s as sweet as you like. We keep ours low on sugar, unlike store bought.
After everything is stirred well, ladle into pint canning jars. You’ll need a spoon on hand to move the apple butter around in the jars so that large air pockets are removed. I also shake the jar a bit once it’s filled to within a 1/4 inch of the top.. side-to-side mind you, not up-and-down, though it’s so thick I don’t think it would go anywhere.. ;)
Seal your jars and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Well, that’s all the recipes I have on hand right now.. If we try anything else that is to die for, I will surely share it with you all.
My fave of all of the recipes I posted today has to be the red tomato relish.
-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b
5 comments so far
jroot
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3211 posts in 784 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 672 days ago
I’v never had apple butter, but I’ve heard it is wonderful. Thanks.
-- jroot
GrandmaT
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5305 posts in 1032 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 672 days ago
It is a wonderful thing … apple butter. Had my first taste a couple of years ago and am hooked.
Thanks for the recipe Scott .. in fact all the recipes you are sharing!!! :-)
-- "A beautiful garden is a work of heart" -- Royal Oak, MI - Zone 5
mmh
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209 posts in 682 days
hardiness zone 7a
posted 671 days ago
We get a bottle of locally made apple butter every year from a realtor who advertises on it. It’s very rich and tasty. You can add it to baking recipes like muffins or just eat it as a condiment with roast pork or roasted chicken. YUM! Come on over and we’ll have a feast!
-- A weed is a plant that is growing where it was not purposefully placed by human hands.
MsDebbieP
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8134 posts in 1154 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 670 days ago
my goodness you are busy..!!!
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan
Scott Hildenbrand
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1658 posts in 925 days
hardiness zone 6b
posted 670 days ago
Not really… You just put it in a crock pot and visit it, maybe 10 times during the two day span?
Great stuff if you’re burned out on making apple sauce.. Though you still have to make the apple sauce…
hmmmm… Why do I do this stuff again?
-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b