More Canning - Apple Butter!!!

It's fall, new crop apples have arrived, and that means apple butter!!!  Apple butter is super easy to make.  The hardest part is peeling, coring, and slicing the apples, but it's worth the time and effort to have your own apple butter to put on your toast, dinner rolls, or fried biscuits.  (Apple butter was MADE for fried biscuits!)  If you want to try your hand at making preserves, apple butter is a good place to start - it doesn't require the exactitude of making jelly or jam, but still delivers the same satisfaction of self-sufficiency, plus you get to learn a new skill!  How awesome is THAT?

Here's the recipe I use.  It must be pretty good; when she was tiny, my oldest granddaughter used to eat it with a spoon like applesauce!

Apple Butter (about 6 12-oz jars)

6 c apple cider
6 lb apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1 1/2 c sugar
1T cinnamon
1 t ground allspice
1/4 t ground cloves

In a large pot, bring cider to a boil.  Add apples, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally about 45 minutes.  Add sugar and spices, stir until well blended.  Cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick and smooth, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

OR...

In the evening, place the apples and cider in a large (6 1/2-quart) slow cooker, and cook them on low overnight with the lid ajar.  In the morning, stir to break up the apples, add sugar and spices and stir until well blended.  Continue cooking on low with the lid ajar, stirring occasionally, until thick and smooth like applesauce.  Because slow cookers vary, I can't give you a specific timeframe.  My latest batch in the slow cooker took a total of 15 hours; however, I used 10 pounds of apples instead of 6 and adjusted the other ingredients (except the apple cider - I only had 7 cups).  You need to check the apples about once an hour to see how they are progressing!

I like my apple butter a little chunky, but you can use an immersion/stick blender to make it smoother, more like "store-bought."

TO CAN:  Ladle into clean jars, adjust the lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.  Remove from the boiling water bath and let cool overnight before removing the rings.  (I know this is an abbreviated version of the process, but full instructions are available here).  

OR...

Ladle into freezer containers, let cool, and freeze.