Apple Butter For Canning Food

APPLE BUTTER RECIPE

Steps:

• Wash the Apples in cool water.
• Slice apples into quarters or smaller pieces if using very large apples.
• Add 3 cups of Water to a large sauce pot, place on Medium-High Heat, bring to a rolling boil.
• Add Apple Cider Vinegar.
• Add the sliced apples.
• Cover pot, reduce heat and let apples simmer for about 30 minutes or until soft.
• Firmer apples will need more cooking time. Stir apples as needed as they cook down.
• Use a spoon to remove apples from liquid, place apples in a food mill or sieve.
• Force the pulp through sieve and place in separate bowl below.
• Measure the amount of puree you now have as you place it back into the sauce pot.
• Add ½ cup Sugar to each cup of apple puree, adjusting amount as needed... starting with ½ cup as Brown Sugar and the remainder as White Sugar. You'll need 1/2 cup Sugar for each cup of puree.
• Stir sugar until it dissolves.
• Add Cinnamon
• Add Ground Cloves
• Add Ground Allspice
• Add Lemon, zest and juice only.
• Add Vanilla Extract
• Add pinch of Salt
• Stir well to incorporate all flavors.
• Place sauce pot over very low heat and let simmer for about 6 hours, stirring as needed to keep from burning. Mixture will thicken over time and splatter if not watched carefully.
• As it thickens, place a spoonful on a saucer that has been kept in the freezer.
• Swipe your finger through the butter to see if it will leave a trail or if it runs back together.
• When done, ladle into hot jars leaving ¼ inch headspace.
• Remove air bubbles, clean rim, apply lid, apply band, tighten finger tight.
• Process 10 minutes using the water bath method.

AMAZING APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine apples and apple juice in a stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a simmer until apples are soft and mushy, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Spoon apples into a food mill and process into puree while discarding the cores and peels remaining in the mill. Transfer process apples to a slow cooker.
• Cook on High with the lid off until the moisture evaporates and the volume reduces by about half, overnight to 24 hours.
• Stir sugar, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice through the apple puree.
• Continue cooking on High until mixture mounds on a chilled plate without any water separating from the edges, another 2 to 6 hours.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the apple butter into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.