Apples on Sale? Sounds like a good time for Apple Butter!

I'll admit it, I've developed a real love of canning.

To take the raw ingredients, make something wonder, and preserve it without a lot of chemicals and sugars is a wonderful feeling.  I'm always on the lookout for a good deal on produce and when I find it the mind instantly starts looking for things to do with it!

As you may have read on last Friday's blog, I scored a good deal on celery Thursday and dehydrated two bundles of it.  I also got some big, gorgeous apples for $0.99 per pound, which is a good price for us, especially this time of year.

So Sunday morning I broke out the peeler/slicer/corer.  I'd bought this little gadget last fall for my first small batch of apple butter and to make some homemade applesauce.  If you don't have one of these and do any type of apple processing, you are just missing out.  They are really very inexpensive and make life so much easier. 

The Victorio Apple and Potato peeler. 

Here's how I make Apple Butter:
(And you're going to need a large crockpot)

1. Peel, core and slice your apples.  If you don't have a peeler/slicer, you'll get the best results if you cut thinly or into small pieces.

2. Put the apples in the crockpot.  No need for water or lemon juice as the apples will brown anyway during cooking.  Fill the crockpot to the brim and really pack them in.  You'll be surprised at how much they cook down.

3. In a bowl, mix 1-2 cups of sugar (to taste, I use the lesser amount on sweet apples and the larger amount on more sour apples), 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 tsp of ground cloves, and 1/4 tsp of salt.  (I've also made this by omitting the cinnamon and cloves and substituting in an equal amount of apple pie spice.)

4.  Pour your mixture over the apples.  You don't have to stir it in, but if you've packed your crockpot really, really full like I do, you may have to take a spoon and work the mix in between the apples so that you can get your lid on!

5.  Cover and cook approximately 10-18 hours, stirring every couple of hours.  Eventually it will cook down enough to stir with a whisk instead of a spoon.  You want it to cook down good and long, and as it cooks it will develop a nice brown color.  It's going to make your house smell wonderful too!

6.  Let it cook to your desired consistency.  The last hour you can leave the lid off if you want your apple butter to be really really thick.

7.  Scoop your apple butter into pint or half-pint jars and water bath can for 10 minutes, following standard canning practices.

For this batch I ended up with 10 half-pints, usually a combination of Gala, Jazz and Red Delicious apples.  Any apples will work, and every combination with give you a slightly different flavor.  This batch is much sweeter than the batch I made in the fall which consisted of Granny Smith and Galas.

Happy canning!