Stirring Up Home Made Apple Butter

Aromatic and spicy, apple butter is simply a highly concentrated form of applesauce. 

In past centuries, making apple butter was a social occasion to get together and cook apples first into applesauce and then adding spices such as cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and sugar. The apple butter was then cooked in an old copper kettle over an open fire and stirred with a wooden paddle all day long until the sugar would caramelize and turn into a dark brown hue. Constant stirring was required to keep the butter from burning. 

The started the apple butter making tradition as early as 1765, by cooking and pureeing apples with cider and spices, according to the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink. All kinds of butters were made using pears, pumpkins, cherries and apricots.

With the abundance of apples now at farmers' markets and grocery stores, I investigated how to make apple butter without going through the trouble of starting a campfire and inviting lots of people over to stir it constantly. And to my surprise, it was amazingly easy.

I own many cookbooks but always seem to check Joy Of Cooking first because it has everything, including how to cook a squirrel. A recipe for apple butter was also there but I modified it so that I did not have to stir constantly by using my trusty crock pot. I amped the flavor up by adding pungent orange rind and additional spices.

Using the crock pot was perfect because it provided a low constant heat without burning the apple butter, and I didn't have to sit near a hot stove. I set the crock pot control to high and kept it on all day with the lid off so the moisture would evaporate. It filled my house with a wonderful apple spice aroma.

When finished, the apple butter produced was the best I have ever eaten. Try it on some homemade biscuits and see for yourself. 

Apple Butter Recipe

Adapted from Joy of Cooking

• 5 pounds of apples
• 2 cups water or cider
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 T cider vinegar
• Grated rind and juice of one orange

Wash and quarter apples. Add to large saucepan with water or cider. Cook until completely softened and put apples through a food mill. Add the rest of the ingredients to the applesauce and put into the crock pot on high. Cook for at least 8 hours, stirring once or twice. The butter is done when it becomes thick and dark brown. Cool and pour into clean canning jars. The butter has to be placed in the refrigerator and will hold for several months.