Apple Butter

So, when I was a kid, one of my favorite things was my Mamaw's apple butter.  I know a lot of people have memories of a deliciously spiced, sweet fruit spread on a home made biscuit or roll.  I wanted to make some of my own after my Mamaw passed away, so I went in search of recipes.  This is the one I have made several times, and I love it!  I hope it warms your family's heart as well as it does mine!


Some things to know before you get started:

*Making apple butter takes time, don't try to rush it or you will not have a good finished product.

*Apple butter is supposed to be thick, and spreadable.  It should sit on a piece of bread like it does in the above picture.

*You can start with fresh apples, or you can cheat.  No one will ever know unless you tell them.

*Apple butter can be frozen, or it can be put into jars.  If you want to jar it and have it around, you need to process it in a hot water bath, which means you need a pot deep enough to cover the filled jars with at least 1 inch of water over top of them.

*If you don't like this recipe, do some searches, and find a recipe you do like.  My Mamaw used RedHot Candies to make hers, I haven't found a recipe I like using them, but I do like this one.

*Apple butter recipes tend to make a BIG batch, be prepared with the proper storage containers to hold it all.

Now, on to the apple butter!

You will need:

3 Qts unsweetened apple sauce

2 lbs granulated sugar
1 lb brown sugar
3/4 C apple cider, or apple juice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
3/4 tsp ground cloves
3 tsp cinnamon

Now, you can make your own applesauce by cooking down apples, or you can use regular, store-bought unsweetened apple sauce.  I use store bought apple sauce.

You need to combine the apple sauce, apple juice, and the sugars into a large pot, a large roasting pan, or a large capacity crock pot.

If you are making your apple butter in the oven, bake it, uncovered, for about 3 hours at 325 degrees.  If you are making it on the stove, bring the ingredients to a slow boil, being careful not to burn it, and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover with a splash guard only.  You can also make this in a large crock pot.  If you choose to use your crock pot, prop the lid on a pair of bamboo skewers or long handled spoons or knives.  This is very important no matter which method you use to make it.  You want the steam to escape.  The whole point is to cook off the extra moisture (and to caramelize the natural sugars in the apples).  Stir your apple butter frequently to prevent burning, and to prevent a skin from forming on the top of it.  If using a crock pot, you can set the heat to the high setting, just be careful to scrape the sides every 15 minutes or so to keep it from burning.

This is what a splatter guard looks like.  They are great for frying things stove top, as well.








After your apple butter has considerably reduced in volume and thickened, it will have also turned a rich brown color.  If you are cooking it in the oven, this will be about 3 hours in.  At this point, you need to add in the spices, and cook for about an hour longer.





Here are two simple tests to check for doneness:  remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon. Another way to determine when the butter is cooked adequately is to spoon a small quantity onto a plate. When a rim of liquid does not separate around the edge of the butter, it is ready for canning.



To preserve your apple butter, ladle in to hot, sterile half-pint jars (or pints, what ever size you prefer), leaving 1/4 inch head space. Use a clean paper towel to keep the rim of the jar clean.   Apply the lids, and bands, turning the bands to finger tight, and process in a hot water bath for 5-15 minutes, depending upon your altitude.  Here in Knoxville, we are under 1,000 feet, so it is 5 minutes, though I usually leave mine in for 10 minutes.  It won't hurt it and it's worth it to me to be sure that it is processed properly.

Once your jars are processed, remove the hot jars carefully, and sit on a clean, dry towel to cool.  Once the jars are out of the water bath, you will hear a periodic popping sound, this is the jars sealing.  After several hours, the jars will be cool and you can feel the top of the jar to see if it sealed.  If it the lid has been sucked down, it's sealed.  Just press gently in the center of the lid with your finger.  If it pops up and down with a light popping sound, it is not sealed.  If you put the jar in the fridge right away, you can still eat it, but it MUST be refrigerated!

Don't forget to label and date your jars :)  You can also spruce them up with ribbons and pretty colors of celophane and give them away for Christmas presents if your family will let you part with any of it!