Apple Butter

[Bethanial]

NUTS! I'd take as many as you'd let me have, Ms. Bee! Thanks for the help and advice

 

[TanksHill]

I want apples!!!

 

[houdi]

So I decided to make this Apple Butter tonight, ESPECIALLY after I got 18 pounds of Red Rome Apples from work for only $8!!! (I got such a good deal because they were ringing in the register wrong!) and they are all organic!

I got my grandpa's crank apple peeler/corer/slicer so I used that for the apples and I pulsed the apples to small chunks, it was SUPER EASY!

So I made it and canned it all. I have never really made or even eaten Apple Butter, but all I know is that it tastes good! Since it is slightly chunky, I'm thinking that I am going to use it more as a topping for Vanilla Ice Cream instead!!! Thanks for the recipe!

 

[Bethanial]

Another Apple Butter question - I've gathered from my reading in the forum that it appears to be the sugar content that keeps our jams/jellies/and butters from going bad for 14 years ;-)

However, I've got some diabetic friends I'd like to make the Apple Butter for, and they are perfectly happy with (store bought) no-sugar-added-the-way-God-intended applesauce. Translation: no sweeteners whatsoever except for the natural sugars in the apples. Would the Apple Butter keep okay (water bath canning) without adding any additional sweetener? Thoughts? Help?

I still plan to follow my recipe of apples and apple cider (no sugar added) and cinnamon, just wondering if it's okay to not add the sugar....

 

[patandchickens]

Would the Apple Butter keep okay (water bath canning) without adding any additional sweetener? Thoughts? Help?

It should waterbath-can quite safely, for the same reason that you can safely can water-pack apples... it is the *acidity* of the fruit that prevents botulism organisms from growing, moreso than the sugar. (Obviously sugar is *also* a good preservative, but in this case the acidity is sufficient alone). And of course the waterbath processing kills all other potential pathogens in there. So it will store fine once processed (at least for a reasonable time frame, like a year or so -- I do not know if it would deteriorate faster in long storage than a sugared product, but it might well do so)

It will not necessarily keep as well in the fridge once the jars are *opened*, though. Same as low- or no-sugar-added jams, made with 'no sugar needed' type pectins, do not keep well once opened. THEN is when the sugar content really matters as a preservative -- once you open the jar and let various mold and bacteria propagules get into the food. THis is not a problem as such, as long as the gift recipient knows they should go ahead and use the stuff up promptly.

GOod luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I don't use a recipe when I made apple butter. I just make applesauce (unsweetened) and add cinnamon and some sugar (just enough to make it slightly sweet) and cook cook cook. It always comes out very good!

 

[Bethanial]

Thanks! I'll just give it a try in some 1/2 pint jars - that shouldn't take too long to make disappear ;-)

 

[Bethanial]

Okay, so I didn't want to leave my apple butter simmering away all last night on the stove, and the crock pot was otherwise occupied. Apple butter cooled and refrigerated. Well, using the upside-down spoon test, it's ready.

So, HELP! Can I cold-pack it, put the jars in my totally not heated up steam canner, and bring everything up to temp at once? If so, do I need to increase the process time? Or should I just get the apple butter back up to warm, and proceed as normal?

 

[Javamama]

You should probably warm the apple butter up before packing it.

 

[Bethanial]

Thanks!