Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Butter Food

SPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Prep apples as directed, combine in slow cooker with apple juice (or cider), brown sugar and spices, cook overnight and into the next day if you can, stirring occasionally - 18 hours or so is optimal. You want the mixture to reduce down significantly. Once the apples are to more or less applesauce consistency, apply an immersion blender to puree the mixture to a velvety texture or put it through a food mill. Once the liquid no longer separates quickly after it's stirred, it's ready to jar up and process. Pour into sterilized jars, process in hot water bath for 10-15 minutes.

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.

SLOW COOKER SPICED APPLE AND PEAR BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut the fruit into large chunks. Process the apples and pears in a food processor, working in batches, until finely grated. Transfer the fruit to the slow cooker.
• Sprinkle in the brown sugar, apple juice, molasses, allspice, cloves and salt, and add the cinnamon sticks. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours on high heat.
• Remove the lid and reserve the cinnamon sticks. Carefully return the fruit, in batches, to the food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the processed fruit back to the slow cooker along with the cinnamon sticks. Continue cooking on high until thick and spreadable, another 2 to 4 hours. Allow the mixture to cool before transferring to sealed airtight containers.
• Refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.

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.

REDUCED SUGAR SPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir chopped apples, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a slow cooker.
• Cook on Low until the apples are soft enough to mash easily with a fork, 8 to 10 hours.
• Puree apple mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Cook uncovered until some of the liquid reduces and the color is dark brown, about 1 hour.