Tell Me About Fruit Butters...

[TheBrumstead]

I'm really new to canning (have just done one small batch of blueberry jam). I know my mom used to get pumpkin and apple butters from the farm stand, but they'd always end up sitting in the cabinet, unused. Do you just put it on toast? How long do they keep? Trying to figure out if it'd be "worth it" to try making some.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
It's been a long time since I've made any apple butter. As I remember it took a long time, on the stove and I had to stay by it because it would scorch easily. It tastes wonderful.

Imp

 

[Happy Chooks]

Apple butter is easy to make in the crockpot. It's not as sweet as jam - not as much sugar in it.

I just did pear butter yesterday, but had trouble with it. It didn't want to reduce in the crockpot and I ended up having to put it in a pot on the stove.

 

[Niss]

I canned three jars a few weeks ago. I've never had it, aside from licking out the pan

, but I had picked up a bunch of windfall fruit, and thought it seemed like the thing to do. It was worth it to me: I cooked it a day and a half on the stove and it made the house smell great! The cost of sugar, spices, etc not being more than a good candle.

 

[2DogsFarm]

Fruit butters are somewhere between jelly & preserves - not clear like a jelly, but not chunky like a preserve either.
I actually leave some hunks of fruit in mine because I like it that way, but most recipes tell you to puree the mixture or put through a mill.

I found a recipe for Warp Speed pumpkin butter made in the microwave in about 10 minutes total.
You just nuke sugar (brown & white) with spices for about 5min on High, then stir in canned pumpkin (I used fresh I grew & froze last year) and cook on high for 5 minutes more.
No boiling jars, no stirring for hours and it tastes like pumpkin pie.

I've used the same method to make pear butter and Happy Chooks' Peach Melba jam.
You can store in the fridge or freezer.
Ball makes glass freezer jars.

Use fruit butter just like you'd use preserves - spread on toast, make a sandwich with peanut butter, glaze a roast or ???

 

[vfem]

They are sooooooooooo yummy if done right. Just use them on toast or like any other jam or spread would be used. I know I have crockpot recipes somewhere for the pear & apple butters. Sometimes I use them in my baking for more flavor rather then using veggie oils (like in banana or strawberry breads). I like to even warm mine up.

Best part, I make them in a crockpot so I'm not standing there stirring CONSTANTLY like the stove top made versions.

 

[breezy]

Apple butter on a hot biscuit fresh out of the oven....its Heavenly!

 

[nuchickontheblock]

I stir some fruit butters into plain yogurt - yummy for breakfast, or I have frozen slightly and it is a wonderful fruity frozen yogurt. I like the pumpkin the best!

 

[vfem]

I just made some vanilla pear butter... super yum. Hubby was scraping the inside of the crock pot to get the last little bit out the other night. Too funny!

 

[Zgoatlady]

My father in law said he remember it being done in the oven.