Apple Butter

My family loves apple butter.  We love it on toasts or biscuits and I have many recipes that use apple butter as an ingredient.  When I first started making apple butter it was a long, laborious process.  The apples had to be peeled and cut, assembled with spices then slow-cooked on the stove for many hours, taking care that the mixture didn't get scorched. Then I "found" this apple butter recipe that is done in the crock pot and an apple peeler. My life was transformed! This is the only way I  make it now! It is so easy and so very yummy. Every year I make 2-3 batches, for us and for gifts. When my son was married four years ago I made 120 jars as wedding favors!

In my opinion, if you are going to be doing any volume of apple peeling you should have this apple peeler/corer tool. (It works great for apple pies!) My husband, who isn't very adept in the kitchen, assists me with making apple butter by working this little apparatus.  He works the peeler, I chop. (When we give apple butter away as gifts he takes credit for his assistance in the making of it!) In about 20 minutes we had a batch of apples in the crock pot.

Once the apples are chopped I add them to the sugar/spice mixture in a big bowl (my crock pot is on the small side so I find this a less messy process than mixing it all in the crock pot!) The mixture cooks for an hour on high, then it's turned down to low (and I go to bed!).

I usually make apple butter in the evening, letting it cook all night long. Waking up to a house that smells of cinnamon goodness is a great way to start a day!

When the apple butter is done you will have a chunky mixture.  I use an immersion blender to blend it to a smooth state.  If you don't have an immersion blender you can put the mixture, in batches, in a blender or food processor.  Be careful with the hot mixture in those appliances, however, as they can explode on you! A whisk and arm power work too!

The best part of making apple butter? Some warm apple butter on a piece of toast! So yummy!

APPLE BUTTER (CROCK POT)

 

6 pounds apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

3 cups sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon salt

Place the apples in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl mix the sugar, spices and salt.  Pour the mixture over the apples in the bowl and mix well.  Add mixture to slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.

Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and quite brown.  Stir with a whisk or immersion blender to increase smoothness. (I usually let mine cook all night and I put in jars in the morning).

Spoon the mixture into sterile containers and process for jam preservation.  Alternatively, may freeze. Makes seven 8-ounce jars.