 | | Directions |
- Prepare approximately 5 quarts of homemade apple sauce. The applesauce can be purchased from a store but the recipe is best when the applesauce is homemade.
- Pour the applesauce into a slow cooker, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace.
- Add the sugar and spices. Add more or less sugar according to your taste. Stir the sugar and spices into the applesauce until they are evenly distributed.
- Place the cover on the slow cooker so it is slightly ajar so will steam escape, allowing the apple butter to thicken. Turn the slow cooker on high.
- After an hour stir the apple butter, replace the cover slightly ajar, and turn the heat down to low. To speed up the cooking process, you can leave the slow cooker on high but if the apple butter begins to burn around the edges, turn it back down to low.
- The apple butter will need to cook for at least 6 to 10 hours. Test for doneness after 6 hours. Spoon a mound of apple butter on a small plate. The apple butter should stay mounded without any accumulations of liquid around the edges of the mound.
- When the apple butter is done, it is ready for canning. It can be placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks or frozen for extended storage if you do not want to can it.
CANNING THE APPLE BUTTER:
- Check jars for chips and cracks; wash and rinse thoroughly. Fill each with hot water and place in a boiling-water-bath canner that is at least half full of water.
- The jars should be covered with at least 1 inch of water. If not, add more water.
- Bring water to a boil and allow the jars to boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave jars in the hot water until ready to fill.
- Place the lids in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over medium-high heat. Once lids have come to a simmer, turn heat off. Leave saucepan with lids on the burner and allow lids to remain in the hot water until ready to use.
- Fill the jars with the hot apple butter. Leave 1/2 inch headspace.
- Wipe the top rim and the screw threads on the neck of the jars with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove any spillage.
- Place lid on the jar and then place the screw ring on it. Tighten the screw ring but do not over tighten.
- Fill the boiling-water-bath canner half full of clean water. Heat water to 180°F. This heating process could be done while packing the jars.
- Place the empty rack into the heated water and then using the jar lifter, carefully lift the filled jars and place them in the rack.
- The water level should be at least one inch over the top of the jars. If not, add boiling water.
- Using high heat, bring the water to a full boil. After the water has come to a rapid boil, place the cover on the canner and reduce the heat enough to keep the water at a gentle continuous boil. Set timer 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the cover.
- When processing is complete, use the jar lifter to carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a towel.
- Leave at least 1 inch between the jars to allow for air circulation while cooling.
- Allow jars to cool for 12 to 24 hours before handling.
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Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 6 or more hours
Container: Canner and 4 pint jars
|  | | Ingredients | | - | | 5 quarts applesauce |
| - | | 2 cups sugar |
| - | | 1 tablespoon cinnamon |
| - | | 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves |
| - | | 1/4 teaspoon allspice |
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