Apple Butter

Ingredients

8 lbs of apples

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cups water

brown sugar (up to 4 cups)

½ tsp. salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

 Equipment Needed

1 wide 12-quart stock pot  (Stainless steel with a heavy bottom is best )

A food mill

Instructions 

Cut the apples into quarters---no need to peel or core them, but cut out any parts that are badly bruised, bird marked, or damaged by pests.  (Red peels, by the way, give the apple butter a lovely color).

Put apples into the pot, then add the vinegar and water.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the apples are soft, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir with a heavy spoon until you have a thick, lumpy purée--allow cool slightly.

Ladle the purée into a food mill in small batches and process.   Stir in salt, cinnamon and allspice.  Add 2 cups of sugar and stir to dissolve.    Taste---add more sugar in small amounts as needed.   Too much sugar and you lose the taste of the apples, too little and the apple cider becomes the dominant flavor.

Return pot to the stove and cook uncovered on medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.  Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir, so the sugar doesn’t form a crust and burn.  Cook until the apple butter is thick and smooth (about 4 to 6 hours).   If you spoon some onto a chilled white plate, there should be no liquid run-off.

Breadhead Backstory

My Grandma Tootsie lived with my family as I was growing up, and we had a couple of apple trees in the backyard. In the fall she would make chunky applesauce, which I would refuse to eat because it wasn’t smooth like the stuff in the jar. What I wouldn’t give to have a mason jar of her chunky applesauce today! Our abbey has an apple orchard, and sometimes a LOT of apples come into the kitchen at once. In honor of my grandma I make applesauce, both smooth and chunky, and several pints of apple butter. There is nothing better with fresh homemade biscuits.