Making Apple Butter - Pictorial

We have 2 apple trees of indeterminate variety. They set fruit very sporadically. This year one of them did.

I use a picking basket for the higher fruit.


My daughter culls the "drops" for good fruit.


A five gallon bucket will be enough for the apple butter.


I quarter the apples. I leave the skin on as that is where the pectin is.


The quartered apples get cooked until soft and mushy.



I run the apple mush through a fruit mill. This removes the skin. The mill gets attached to my stand mixer. The cooked mush is in the tall pot to the far right. The good strained fruit lands in the pot in the center. The skins are collected in the bowl on the left and dumped in the compost bin.


Add some spices and put on the stove to cook.


I cooked this down over 2 days. It turns dark brown and gets nice and thick. I added 5 cups of sugar to sweeten to taste.


Then I use a boiling water bath to preserve the apple butter.
This shows the apple butter, a pot of lids and bands to sterilize, the canning water bath and a tea kettle of extra hot water. I am using a jar grabber to pick up the jar and put in the water bath.


The canning pot holds 5 jars.



When all was said and done I got 9 pints from that 5 gallon bucket of apples.


It is yummy.

Phil

Looks terrific and delicious Phil. Enjoy!

Interesting! I have never made apple butter specifically because of the long boil down.

I really enjoyed this post, Phil. Enjoy that apple butter.

Hey Phil, Nice! Two weeks ago I canned 14 Qts of apple sauce and 9 pints of apple butter. canning is some work, but, worth it. As you know, the more you do it, you get a routine going and it move along nicely.

love me some apple butter!

]

It is yummy.

Phil

Prove it- I will PM you my address Great thread and does look tasty!

Nice try Kevin! I give you an A for effort!

Did you ever manage to try the "Eat Your Veggies" chips? I opened a bag last night and added some fine ground (mortar and pestle) granulated garlic to the bag; maybe a 1/2 teaspoon at most. Then shook the heck out of it to mix thoroughly. Delicious, but I love garlic. It wasn't too strong, just right. They're addictive.

Nice try Kevin! I give you an A for effort!

Did you ever manage to try the "Eat Your Veggies" chips? I opened a bag last night and added some fine ground (mortar and pestle) granulated garlic to the bag; maybe a 1/2 teaspoon at most. Then shook the heck out of it to mix thoroughly. Delicious, but I love garlic. It wasn't too strong, just right. They're addictive.

It's funny that you ask as I JUST got back from another local Whole Foods location and none of the ones I have tried carry stock. Nor the local market that is listed as a retail partner. I am on the hunt but have not found as of yet. I am a little hesitant to order online but will try Central Market as a last ditch effort and if not, will bite the bullet and pick some up from Amazon.

Sounds delicious with the garlic!

Try nutritional yeast sprinkled on popcorn, it gives a nutty, cheesy flavor to the banged grains. It's different for sure. I usually go the butter and salt route.  I tried it and it didn't kill me.

Banged grains… I get that from my Nana from Ireland.