Friday, October 18, 2013

Apple Time in the Mid~West


APPLE BUTTER
 


In the Mid~West, central Illinois, it has been a very good year for the apples. I really wanted to put some apple butter on the shelf, and try my hand at canning apple pie filling. With the unavailability of "Clearjel" on store shelves, that may not happen. I haven't given up. My hubby purchased apple at a local farmers market, WOW, the price of apples. With that, The hubby and his ability to make things happen, was visiting his twin brother, they have apple trees, but only the apples at the top were ready, but his neighbor has apple trees, all kinds of apple trees.
Beautiful Granny's, Jonathon's, Golden's, more apple than I could work at once, good thing they keep.
So far I've worked 17 pints of apple butter and a few quarts of applesauce, some red~hot applesauce.

I used a couple of slow cooker's, about 15 hours of patience, and an emulsifier,
                                                                                                                 (a single hand mixer.)

Apple Butter 
 
1: 7 quart & 1: 5 quart crock pot.

Clean enough apples to fill both crock pots.

APPLES ~ Washed, peeled, cored, sliced, (as you would for pies)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cloves

2 cups brown sugar and 1 cup white granulated sugar

Use a large bowl, at least 5 quart bowl, fill with apples, add sugar and spices.
Combine, place in 7 quart crock pot and start on low.

Use the same the same amount of spice as above for the 5 quart,
only use,
1 cup of white & brown sugars.
Combine in the bowl as for the 7~quart.
Place the apples in the 5 quart crock pot on low.

I do not use any liquid in my apples, just make sure you stir them before you walk off an leave them, they'll produce liquid on their own.

Peeled ALOT of apples, they cook down and add them before you go to bed.

I let mine cook overnight. If you use the HIGH setting on the crock pot you'll be up in the middle of the night, making sure the apples are stirred away from the bottom.

DO not burn the butter.

Lowlowlowlow. lol

When the apples have cooked, add the smaller crock pot to the larger crock pot to fill it, when the apples are smashable (is that a word?) anyway, when they have cooked to a workable softness, use the emulsifier, to make it a puree, by placing the apples in a large pan on the stove, to keep it hot for canning.

Keep apple butter hot by placing a a low fire under pan after to have pureed the apples for canning.

I suggest these sites if you are NOT familiar with home canning process.

Ball Canning PDF

Ball~ How to can your own.

frugal up state


Ok folks, that's how I do it. Keep in mind, thing may not always be as convenient as they are today.

Jesus is coming back.

Besides, what did you have on the shelf to eat, the last time your power went out?

God Bless and Keep Thee.

til next time.

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