Slow Cooker Apple Butter Food

APPLE BUTTER FOR THE SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and cloves in a slow cooker.
• Cook on High until the apples are tender enough to easily mash with a fork, 4 to 6 hours.
• Puree apple mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack 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 for 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.

SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER {NO SUGAR ADDED}

Steps:

• Core and roughly chop the apples. (You can leave the peel on.)
• Place apples in slow cooker and add spices and water.
• Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours.
• Use an immersion blender - or transfer apple mixture to a blender - and blend until smooth.
• Reset slow cooker to high and continue cooking for two more hours. Leave the lid partially open to allow some moisture to escape (this helps thicken the mixture). Stir every 30-45 minutes to ensure the apple butter doesn't burn on the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Let cool and store apple butter in the refrigerator.

SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well.
• Cook in slow cooker on low for about 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
• Uncover, stir in vanilla and continue cooking uncovered on low for about 2 hours.
• Use an immersion blender to puree the apple butter until smooth.
• Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks or freeze.
• Serve on breads, muffins, pork chops or just eat it with a spoon.

SLOW-COOKER APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Peel, core and slice apples. In food processor, grate apples (in batches, if needed). Place in slow cooker. Stir in brown sugar, salt and cinnamon stick.
• Cover; cook on High heat setting 4 hours.
• Remove and reserve cinnamon stick. In food processor, puree apple mixture (in batches, if needed) until smooth. Return to slow cooker with cinnamon stick.
• Cook uncovered on High heat setting 4 hours longer, stirring occasionally.
• Remove and discard cinnamon stick. Cool completely. Transfer butter to jars; seal tightly. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER RECIPE

Steps:

• Peel, core and cut the apples into small chips. Put all the ingredients into a slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low overnight, about 8 to 10 hours. Remove the cover, stir and taste. Add more spices or sugar, if desired. Continue cooking for a few more hours, uncovered, until some of the liquid is reduced and the butter has cooked down a bit. Pour into sterilized jars and refrigerate.
• Serve over hot biscuits, toast, scones, or just eat it out of the jar if no one is looking!

THE VERY BEST SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER RECIPE

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in the bottom of a slow cooker or crock pot and stir to combine. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
• Transfer the apple mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
• Transfer the apple butter to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

SLOW COOKER SPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the apples and cider in a 5 qt Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot along with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and boil, stirring occasionally, until the apples have broken down, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the pot from heat and use an immersion blender to carefully puree the apples in the pot (this step can be done one day ahead, simply cover and chill the puree overnight before proceeding).
• Use a measuring cup to measure the amount of puree you have as you transfer the apple puree, cup by cup, into a 6-qt slow cooker. For each cup of puree that you have, add one tablespoon of white sugar and one tablespoon of brown sugar. Stir the sugar and the spices into the puree. Place the lid slightly ajar on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, stirring every 2 hours, until the puree is dark and thick enough to where a spoonful mounds up on a plate and liquid seeps out around the mound.
• During the last 30 minutes of slow-cooking, fill your large canning pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once the desired thickness is reached, place the slow cooker on HIGH to bring the apple butter to a boil while you prepare for water bath canning.
• Sterilize canning jars by placing them in a boiling water bath (I do this in my canning pot) for ten minutes. Keep them warm in the water until ready to use. Place the lids in a heatproof bowl and ladle a few spoonfuls of boiling water on top. Keep them warm in the bowl until ready to use. For more information on hot water bath canning, see this article.
• Using a jar lifter, carefully remove the jars from the hot water canning bath and place them upright on a towel. Remove the lids from the bowl of water and pat them dry.
• Ladle the hot apple butter into the sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace at the top. Remove air bubbles with an offset spatula as needed. Use a damp paper towel or cloth to wipe the rims of the jars clean. Place the lid on top, followed by the jar ring, and adjust the ring until it is finger-tight (do not force it).
• Return the jars to the water bath, being sure that each is covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a boil and boil for a full 10 minutes. Use the jar lifter to carefully remove the jars from the water and transfer them to a towel. Do not disturb the jars for 12 hours.
• After one hour of resting, make sure the jar lids have sealed by pressing down on the center of the lid. If the center can be pressed down, the lid has not sealed and the contents of the jar should be refrigerated immediately for use within 1-2 weeks.
• Label the sealed jars and store in a dark, cool, dry place for up to 1 year.

EASIEST SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Estimate which slow cooker the drawerful of apples in the fridge will fit into. Note1: Wrinkled apples are not necessarily "bad". Granny Smiths can look nearly new but be mealy and browning under the skin (toss them), while Braeburn and especially Gala apples may look terrible, but the flesh is still unblemished and evenly colored. Cut out any bad spots, and often an apple browning on one side is fine on the other half. Use the other half. A slow cooker will hold this at 180F or higher for the first couple of hours, then at least 140 for a long time after that. After you cook, mill/sieve, season, cook and reduce by a third, there isnt much original apple shape left. Don't be obsessive. :-). Note 2: The flavor is in the peel, the pectin is in the core and the sugar is in the flesh. Don't peel or core the apples, just wash them, remove the stems and loose seeds, then cut out the "flower" parts opposite the stems, there tends to be powdery dirt and mold there.
• re note 2: Wash the apples, quartering most of them. Pick out any loose seeds. Toss the quarters in the slow cooker. Quarter and add the others if it looks like they will fit, otherwise set them aside.
• Set the cooker on high for at least an hour or two.
• Quarter and add any apples that did not fit, forcing them below the surface. Cook on high an additional hour or two. Skip this step if there were no extras.
• Place a food mill over a large bowl and ladle a portion of apples into it. Crank them through using downward force on the crank, reversing now and then to clear the screen. Pick out the seeds as you go. Repeat until all apples have been milled. You can use a sieve, but it will take a while. Discard the flakes of skin, seeds and stringy bits. Clean the mill IMMEDIATELY, the pulp is acidic and will stain the plating and rust any exposed steel.
• Blend the "applesauce" smooth with the stick blender if it makes you feel good. Clean the blender too.
• Dump them back into the slow cooker. Add: 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/8 - 1/4 tsp (scant) cloves, 1/2- 3/4 tsp cinnamon. Stir and taste. Cook on low for 8 - 12 hours. This should taste good with balanced flavors, but not strong. The seasoning will be concentrated as it cooks and you can adjust later. Note on sugar: Most recipes use double to triple the spices, then add somewhere between 1/2 cup to a full cup of sugar PER PINT of pulp. I suspect a lot of this sugar is to to preserve the butter in pre-refrigeration days and to counter the bitter undertaste of the spices. I tend to use less spice and little if any added sugar. You can always add more later.
• Taste and adjust seasoning, remove lid and cook another 2-4 hours. Keep a close watch and stir the thickened/solids at the edges into the rest. The pulp will darken from an over-cinnamoned applesauce color to chocolate or dark chocolate brown.
• Blend smooth with stick blender or that ice-crushing powered daiquiri pitcher on the counter.
• Chill and eat. Great on crepes, good on toast and I'm told even on steak.

CROCKPOT APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the apples in a slow cooker. Top with sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and mix well.
• Cover and cook high 5 hours, or low 10 hours, stirring once halfway, until the apples are tender and dark brown.
• Uncover and puree with an immersion blender.
• Cook on high uncovered 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
• Spoon into jars or containers, cover and refrigerate.

SLOW-COOKER APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut apples into 1-inch cubes; place apple cubes and 1 ½ cups of the sugar in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours.
• Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and remaining 1 ½ cups sugar. Cover; cook on LOW until apples are very soft, 4 hours.
• Place half of apple mixture in a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Pulse until smooth or to desired texture; repeat with remaining apple mixture. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place apples and vinegar into a large slow cooker, and place lid on top. Set on High, and cook for 8 hours, then turn to Low, and continue cooking 10 hours more.
• After 18 hours, stir in white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and allspice, and cook 4 hours more.