Apple Butter and HOW TO Water Bath Can

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Apple Butter is a simple and delicious spread that is loved by everyone in my family! Cinnamon and a hint of clove and nutmeg give it the warm flavor without being overpowering and the forward flavor of apple is just too good. We have to divvy up the cans evenly throughout us all because everyone loves it so much. It’s truly the best apple butter that I’ve tasted.

Most Septembers my family and in laws make the trip to Maggie Valley, North Carolina to photograph the elk rut and putter around the surrounding towns. I highly recommend heading that way mid to late September to see wildlife and take it the quaint downtowns with great coffee and food!

My personal favorite thing to do is to visit Barber Orchards Fruit Stand and get a few bushels of apples! The apples in Alabama just do not compare to these in North Carolina, they’re large, crisp and super juicy! It’s truly my favorite outing of the trip! This past year I got a full bushel to make apple butter with (about 20 lbs) and next visit I’ll probably be purchasing two!

Special Items Needed for Apple Butter Recipe

• 7 Quart Stock Pot or Dutch Oven
• Wooden Spoon
• Apple Corer or Peeler (Can Cut by Hand with a Knife!)
• Immersion Blender or Food Mill

Items Needed for Canning Apple Butter

• Water Bath Canner or Extra Large Stock Pot
• Half Pint Glass Mason Jars
• New Canning Lids
• Canning Rings
• Canning Tongs
• Vinegar

Ingredients

• 8 lbs of Macintosh Apples
• Cinnamon
• Clove
• Nutmeg
• Apple Juice
• Brown Sugar
• Sugar

How to Make Apple Butter

Peel, core, and chop apples into thin slices. This allows for them to be a bit easier and quicker cook down.

Place all apples into a Dutch Oven or stock pot and add 2 cups of apple juice, this is to ensure your apples don’t burn or stick on the bottom with the initial cooking! Cover and allow to cook down on medium heat until apples are soft, stirring every couple of minutes.

Once apples are soft enough to be broken up with a spoon, blend with the immersion blender or food mill. You are basically making apple sauce, so this is the texture that you are aiming for! The only difference is apple butter is allowed to cook down to caramelize the sugars with lots of yummy and warm spices.

Place your apple sauce back on the stove, add your sugars and spices, and allow to cook down until you have a thick rich paste like consistency. This can take up to 4 to 5 hours, making sure to stir every few minutes.

Water Bath Canning Instructions

Wash and sterilize 12 half pint mason jars and NEW lids in your dishwasher or with hot soapy water.

Place water canner on stove and allow to heat until water is close to boiling.

While apple butter is still hot, add to warm mason jars leaving an inch of head space.

De-bubble apple sauce by using a wooden chopstick or butter knife. We want to make sure there are no air pockets throughout. Gently smacking the bottom on the jar on the counter with a dish towel is also another way to do this!

Clean jar rims with vinegar.

Add new lid to jar and tighten with canning lid.

Add jars to water bath canner and process (water at full boil) for 15 minutes.

Notes on Apple Butter

• For every pound of apples, you need 1/2 cup of sugar to make this canning safe.
• Reducing the liquid needed to one cup can shorten the amount of cooking time, but can affect the flavor slightly!
• Other liquids can be used as a substitute for the apple juice, such as orange juice or water.
• You can make it your own by adding in vanilla extract or even a touch of bourbon!
• Don’t like clove or nutmeg? You can leave this out, it’s still delicious!
• With the scrap peels and cores you can make Apple Scrap Vinegar, compost or feed to your chickens, they love it!

How to Enjoy

• On top of southern style biscuits
• Pancakes
• Stir into oatmeal or baked oatmeal
• Add to a smoothie
• Make Apple Butter Coffee Syrup