Meats and Sausages
Apple Butter with Spices
Apple butter is made with apples, cider and aromatic spices. Many recipes include vinegar. Making apple butter and apple sauce is similar, however, butter is much thicker.
- 1.3 kg (2.86 lb) apples
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) apple cider
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 85 g sugar (3 oz)
- 1/2 g (1/4 tsp) cinnamon
- 1/2 g (1/4 tsp) allspice
- 1/4 g (1/8 tsp) nutmeg
- 1/4 g (1/8 tsp) ground cloves
- 1/2 pint jars
Apple butter.
Core removal tool.
Diced apples.
1. Remove stems, quarter and core apples. Cut apples into smaller pieces. You can peel the apples or leave the skin on. The skin will be removed during straining step.
2. Place diced apples and apple cider in pot. Cook slowly on a low heat for about one hour, until apples are soft.
Straining apple pulp.
3. Strain through a strainer. Discard skins if present.
Cooking apple pulp.
4. Cook apple pulp with sugar, stirring frequently.
5. Add spices at the final stage of cooking.
6. Meanwhile, sterilize canning jars.
7. Test for doneness:
- place a small quantity of the butter on a plate. When a rim of the liquid does not separate around the edge of the butter, it is done OR
- remove a spoonful of the hot butter from the pan and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon.
8. Fill hot butter into jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids.
9. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.
