I never liked the apple butter that you can buy from a store so I didn’t eat it until I started canning my own 3 years ago. In September and October I can approximately 40 pints of Apple Butter. I give them out at Christmas and birthdays and even get special requests from family and friends at other times during the year. Apple butter on toast for breakfast. That’s good eatin’.
While I do change-up and make my own recipes, I don’t really change the canning recipes due to food safety concerns. This great recipe comes from “So Easy to Preserve” 5th edition by the Cooperative Extension, University of Georgia.
Makes 9 to 10 half pints or 4 to 5 pints.
- 8 pounds of Apples (I use Granny Smith and Gala for a more tart taste)
- 2 cups Apple Cider
- 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 cups White Sugar (original recipe calls for 2 1/4 cup)
- 2 cups packed Dark Brown Sugar (original calls for 2 1/4 cup)
- 2 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cloves
Wash, peel and core apples. Dice large. Cook slowly in cider and vinegar until soft. Working in batches press apples through a food mill, colander or strainer. I have very little waste from the pressing process and that makes for a nice thick apple butter.
Cook the apple pulp with sugar and spices, stirring frequently until thickened. This usually takes me approximately 20 to 30 minutes. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful from pot and hold away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon.
Sterilize canning jars in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Place lids in warm but not hot or boiling water. Ladle hot apple butter into half-pint or pint jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Clean the rims with a wet paper towel and adjust lids. Debris on the rim could cause the lid not to seal properly. Tightened the screw on part of lid only to finger tip tight. Process in a boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from water and place on dish towels to sit undisturbed for at 12 hours. As the jars cool, you will hear the POP of the lids being pulled down and sealing. After 12 hours if a jar doesn’t seal properly, use a different lid process again. You can also place in fridge and use immediately.
reddirtcooking 
We love apple butter, the only thing I do different. Is wash and core my apples (using an apple corer), then I put them on low in my crockpots, let it cook all night on low, then in the morning I run everything through a food mill, I use no vinegar or cider, the rest is basically the same. By using the crockpot, I can walk away and don’t have to worry about it sticking. This fall will be my fourth year and I have had to make more and more every year.
Offgrid, Thank you for your comment! I like your suggestions. And I will try the crockpot. My recipe is a little labor instensive while yours does cut down on the “standing in front of teh stove” time. I just bought a corer about a month. I think that will help on the prep time. Isn’t funny how we get more each year? But I enjoy it and i think you do too.