So last week was apple day at the Nest and I finally decided
on making apple butter. I make my apple butter in the crockpot for several
reasons. It never burns and it is such sweet torture to smell it cooking all
day.
The first step is the apples. If you happen to have an apple
tree in your backyard, wonderful. The only problem will be in figuring out how
many pounds you have picked. Here is a chart and the link to help with that
small problem.
1 pound of
apples equals:
2 large apples OR
3 medium apples OR
2 3/4 cups of cored &
sliced/chopped apples OR
1 1/3 cup of applesauce
http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodequivalents/a/appleequiv.htm
If you do not have access to an apple tree, a good solution
might be a local orchard. The apples are fresh picked, there are usually many
varieties to pick and choose from and the apples are measured out by the pound
for you.
Once the apples have been picked/bought, they need to be
peeled, cored and chopped and thrown in the pot. Just add the sugar and spice
and turn the crockpot on low.
Crockpot Apple Butter
3# apples
2 cups sugar
12 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch cloves or nutmeg
Simmer in the crockpot for 8-10 hours.
As soon as the apples are soft enough, I give them a spin in
the blender and return them to the crockpot because I like a nice smooth apple
butter. If you happen to like your apple butter a little more on the chunky
side, you can use a potato masher while they are in the crockpot and mash them
to the consistency you like. The apple butter should be cooked down to about
half of what you started with. A wooden spoon should stand by itself in the
middle of the whole hot yummy mess.
When the apple butter is done, put it into hot sterile jars
and process in a canning bath for 25 minutes.
