Apple Butter Recipes

ALL-DAY APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
• Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
• Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
• Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
• Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Combine the apples, apple cider, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves. Puree the mixture in a blender in batches until smooth (or use an immersion blender).
• Return the mixture to the pot and bake, uncovered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened and deep amber, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours (the timing will depend on the kind of apples you use). Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
• Try it on: Pancakes, waffles, yogurt, oatmeal, grilled cheese, PB&J, biscuits, cornbread or pork chops

CHEF JOHN'S APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place apple pieces into a large slow cooker. Add white sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vinegar. Add a splash of water and mix well.
• Cover and cook on High until apples are starting to soften and release liquid, 1 to 2 hours. Reduce heat to Low and cook, uncovered, until all the apple flesh is dissolved, 5 to 6 hours. Stir occasionally.
• Puree using an immersion blender until smooth. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until darkened and thick, about 4 hours more. Pass apple butter through a strainer if desired. Seal in a glass container and refrigerate until cool.

APPLE BUTTER RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine Honeycrisp apples, Granny Smith apples, and apple cider in a large stainless steel or enamel-coated saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until mixture reduces by about half, about 20 minutes.
• Stir sugar and lemon juice into the apple mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking at a simmer until the mixture is very thick, about 25 minutes.
• 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.

APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until apples are very tender.
• Mash apples with potato masher or large fork.
• Cook uncovered on low heat setting 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is very thick. Cool about 2 hours.
• Spoon apple butter into container. Cover and store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine apples, vinegar, allspice berries (if using), cinnamon sticks (if using), ginger (if using), star anise pod (if using) and 4 cups water in a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely softened and the liquid has reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes. (Some pieces of apple might float at first; they will sink and become submerged as they soften.) Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Leaving behind allspice berries, cinnamon sticks and star anise pod, pass the apples through a food mill. (Alternatively, working in batches, ladle apples into a strainer or colander, and using a ladle, wooden spoon or spatula, press apples to pass pulp through, leaving behind seeds and skin.)
• To finish on the stovetop: Place apple pulp in the same large, heavy-bottomed pot, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep golden brown (somewhere between honey and molasses), 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Around the 1 1/2-hour mark, things will start to bubble rather violently. Stirring constantly will help, but expect, and be careful of, a few splatters.) To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 8 to 10 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.
• To finish in the oven: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place apple pulp in a 9-inch by 13-inch (3-quart) baking dish, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Place in oven and let cook, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep, golden brown color (somewhere between honey and molasses), 3 to 3 1/2 hours. To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 20 to 30 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.

EASY APPLE BUTTER RECIPE FOR CANNING

Steps:

• Core, peel and quarter your apples
• Place apples and water into a large pot and simmer until soft.
• Puree apple mixture with a food mill or immersion blender.
• Add sugar and spices and cook at a gentle boil over medium heat (stirring frequently) until it is thick enough to mound on a spoon.
• Ladle hot apple butter into sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe the rim and tighten on the lids.
• Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and let the jars stand for 5 minutes. Remove jars and let cool 12-24 hours.

APPLE BUTTER RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice and core apples. You can peel them if you want but I don't. Cut them into small chunks (smaller pieces cook faster).
• Place apples in the bottom of a 7qt slow cooker. Top with both sugars and cinnamon then toss to combine.
• Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours, stirring after 2 hours. Cook until the apples look translucent, this took about 4 hours in my slow cooker.
• Use a hand blender to blend the apples and their liquid into a smooth sauce. If you don't have a hand blender you can do this in a regular blender, but work in batches being careful not to overfill the blender with hot apples and leave the lid cracked when you run it so it doesn't explode.
• Once your apples are blended, place them back in the slow cooker (if you've removed them to blend). Continue cooking on high with the lid cracked for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the mixture reduces to your desired thickness.
• Stir in salt and vanilla then let cool and place in jars or freezer containers. At this point you can can the mixture if you wish or use the cooled apple butter in other recipes or on toast. Without canning apple butter will last about 2 weeks if stored in the refrigerator.