A few months early but, how do you make your apple butter?

[chicken_china_mom]

I first discovered apple butter when I was pregnant with my 1st DD. I was about 2 weeks away from delivery and my mother and I were invited to a pumpkin patch in Central Illinois. It was a wonderful afternoon and the farm was selling all sorts of preserves as well as the pumpkins and other stuff. Well, my mom saw that they were selling apple butter, so she bought a jar because she remembered it from her childhood and missed it. So back at home she had me try it, and I LOVED it! The only thing that bothered me about it was that it had a certain taste to it that I can only describe as being the taste of unnecessary preservatives being added in, and they left an aftertaste that I didn't care for, but otherwise I loved the stuff. But it got me thinking, could I make it myself? So I found a relatively simple recipe, but I didn't get to try it til a few years later. Had a second baby right away, baby had a disability, time wasn't there for canning. You know how that goes. But I never forgot about the apple butter. Finally, I got to make some. I bought sweet apples, made a huge batch (something like 20 jars at least!), and gave most of it away as Christmas gifts that year. My family and friends LOVED it, and they were immediately back for more, lol. I, however, tend to be quite critical of myself, and I wasn't so crazy about that batch. It was too sweet for my taste. So the following year I changed the recipe up. Instead of using just the sweet apples, I tossed in some Granny Smith and Golden Delicious. WOW, what a difference! It had a bite to it that I absolutely LOVE!!! And so now I make it with a combination of Gala, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious, though this year I think I want to eliminate the Gala and replace it with Honey Crisp as it's easier to find where I live now. Gala was easier to find where I used to live. I have a friend that loves it so much that he downs about 3 jars in a season, and STILL asks for more, lol. I skipped making it the last two years for multiple reasons (a move, lack of money, etc.), but I plan to make it this year, along with some pumpkin butter. I love pumpkin so much but have never attempted to make pumpkin butter yet. I want to make enough so that I have it all year long. This month I'll be making mulberry preserves, and next month I'll be making wild black raspberry jam and preserves. Mmmm....yum!

 

[Hillsvale]

more importantly how do you make YOUR apple butter!... you can't post all that and not tell us!!

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Lol, true, true, let me dig out my recipe. I tweaked the recipe I originally had to add apple cidar vinegar instead of straight vinegar. Let me find it!

 

[klf73]

I did this one a while back and dh loved it
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=21566

 

[anbhean]

I'll have to look up my recipe... all I can remember off the top of my head is it took FOREVER. But it was good! Sadly I can't tell you the kind of apples I used unless "the kind that came from the tree in front of my husband's work" translates to anyone else but me! Haha! Some kind of medium sized green apple though.

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Ok, here is the recipe the original way it was written:


6 lbs tart apples cored and quartered

5 cups vinegar

1 cup cider vinegar

4 cups sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground allspice


Mix, boil, pour in jars. I'm sure anyone that knows how to can knows how to mix the ingredients and cook. My nerve damage is acting up, I can't type well today, hand won't cooperate, lol. Now here is the basics for how I prepare mine:

6lbs really tart apples

6 cups apple cidar vinegar

4 to 5 cups of sugar. I tend to go by taste

2 tsp cinnamon, sometimes a bit more

1/2 to 1 tsp cloves. Again, I like the bite, so I add more as needed

1/2 to 1 tsp allspice. Same reason as with cloves

I go by taste. I like my apple butter to be sweet, but spicy as well. I don't like it where it is sugary sweet and tastes more like a candy topping. I like it where when you eat it you taste the apples, cloves and cinnamon. My family and friends prefer my version to that which they can purchase in the stores. They say they can taste the apple in mine, but not so much in the stores. If I can gather enough wild black raspberries I might grace certain family members with a jar or two of that as well. But seeing as how I have a kid that could eat a jar a day by herself, there might not be enough left over after all that canning, lol!

Anyone make kolackes? Use some apple butter instead of the typical preserves. It's AWESOME! My daughter tried it a few years ago and everyone loved them. I make raspberry kolackes, as they are my favorite, but now we make apple ones too!

 

[chicken_china_mom]

Quote:
If the skin was bright green you were most likely using Granny Smith. One of my favorites!