Slow Cooker Apple Butter (and Canning Procedure)

By zircon50

The recipe yields 3 pints of apple butter, so you can cut down the recipe if you need. The difference between apple butter and apple sauce is caramelization, so you the mixture needs to be cooked for a while. Liana Krissoff recommends using a slow cooker, which is by far the easiest method.

Ingredients

• 6 pounds of apple, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 cups of either apple cider or water
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Preparation

Step 1

First, put the apple chunks and the water/cider into a stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes. The apples should break down quickly, and the peels will separate.

Then strain the mixture to remove the peels and give it a smooth texture. I used a nylon straining bag, but you can also use a fine sieve or strainer. If you want, you can also puree the mixture using an immersion blender to make sure it has a silky texture.

Next, put the puree into a slow cooker. Add the sugar and spices. Set the slow cooker on low, and the let the mixture cook for 9 to 12 hours. Don’t put the lid fully on the pot; you want some liquid to evaporate. Stir every now and then. When it’s done, the mixture will be a dark brown, and it will taste like, well, apple butter.

CANNING PROCEDURE:
Now you need to prep for canning. Fill your canning pot with water, enough to cover the tops of the jars by an inch when they are submerged. Put your clean jars in the water (make sure you have enough jars to hold all your apple butter). Bring to a boil. Keep the lids in a bowl, to the side. When the water is boiling, ladle a little bit into the bowl to sanitize the lids. Pull the jars out with a jar lifter, pour the water back into the pot, and place them on the counter.

Boil the apple butter again (you may need to transfer it back to the stove from the slow cooker). Ladle the hot apple butter into the jars. You need to leave only about a 1/2 inch of airspace at the top. Wipe off any apple butter that got on the rim of the jar. Then place a lid on top, and screw on a ring just until it starts to tighten. If you overtighten the lid, or if you don’t fill the jars enough, then they won’t seal properly!

Once all the jars are full, put them back in the boiling water. Make sure there’s about an inch of water on top of the jars. Boil them for 10 minutes (err on the long side, a few more minutes won’t hurt). Remove the jars, and set them on the counter. Don’t disturb them for at least an hour. As they cool, you may hear the lids pop. After an hour, check the lids by pushing on the center. If you can pop the jar lid up and down, then it didn’t seal. Put that jar in the refrigerator and start using the apple butter. The sealed jars can sit out overnight to cool, and they will be stable in your pantry for the next few months!