Well, maybe i can take you mind off grapes for a min. and ask you how you make your apple butter. I think we have made enough apple sauce to last us a while...but we still have a ton of apples...i'm beginning to think the same about apples :)
Apples! Apples! Oh don't get me started on apples, I still have a bazzilion pounds of those to do.
Ah, but I will be happy to share my recipes.
Apple Butter
4 lbs of good cooking apples 1 cup apple cider vinegar 2 cups water Sugar (about 4 cups, see cooking instructions) Salt 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon allspice Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Preparing the Fruit Cut the apples into quarters, do not peelor core them (you'll find much of the pectin is in the cores and flavor in the peels), cut out any damaged parts.
First Stage of Cooking Place the apples into large pot, add vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until apples are soft, this will take about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Second Stage of Cooking Cook uncovered in a large, wide, heavy pot on medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust idoes not form at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth {when a bit is spooned onto a cold plate and allowed to cool it is butterish in texture} (this can take 1 to 2 hours).
I am eagerly anticipating and at the same time dreading the onslaught of the TOMATOES. Every year they come like a wave to take over my life for a couple of weeks. but BOY are they good! Good luck with your canning everyone!
Phelan, I am interested in pressure cookers...and a little nervous about making the commitment to buy one as I have never used one. Any recomendations?
I am waiting for the onslaught of tomatoes myself.
I don't have any recomendations, as I don't know what mine is. It doesn't say. Remember that you can cook in a canner but not can in a cooker. So when you are looking for your pressure canner, make sure it says, canner. If you buy one used, take it to your local extension office, they will test it to make sure that your weights are correct. Most of them will do this for free.
Good luck, and it's not so scary once you have done it a few times.
haha, I know what you mean. I have boxes and buckets of fruit sitting around my kitchen waiting to be processed. Tonight Lemon butter, lillipilli jelly and maybe pasta sauce with the tomatoes leftover from making sauce.
I cheat bad, I stock up on pectin by the case, then when grape juice is one sale for 99 cents a bottle, I make grape jelly. I don't like grapes either and find any way out of it I can.
9 comments:
Well, maybe i can take you mind off grapes for a min. and ask you how you make your apple butter. I think we have made enough apple sauce to last us a while...but we still have a ton of apples...i'm beginning to think the same about apples :)
Apples! Apples! Oh don't get me started on apples, I still have a bazzilion pounds of those to do.
Ah, but I will be happy to share my recipes.
Apple Butter
4 lbs of good cooking apples
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
Sugar (about 4 cups, see cooking instructions)
Salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Preparing the Fruit
Cut the apples into quarters, do not peelor core them (you'll find much of the pectin is in the cores and flavor in the peels), cut out any damaged parts.
First Stage of Cooking
Place the apples into large pot, add vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until apples are soft, this will take about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Measure out the purée and add the sugar and spices
Ladle apple mixture into a chinois sieve (or foodmill) and using a pestle force pulp from the chinois into a large bowl. Measure out the resulting puree. Add 1/2 cup sugar for every 1 cup of pulp. Stir to dissolve. Add a dash of salt, the cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, lemon rind and juice. adjust seasoning to taste.
Second Stage of Cooking
Cook uncovered in a large, wide, heavy pot on medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust idoes not form at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth {when a bit is spooned onto a cold plate and allowed to cool it is butterish in texture} (this can take 1 to 2 hours).
Makes a little more than 3 pint jars.
This recipe first appeared on my blog, here
You can find more things to do with apples, here
Good luck!
I am eagerly anticipating and at the same time dreading the onslaught of the TOMATOES. Every year they come like a wave to take over my life for a couple of weeks. but BOY are they good! Good luck with your canning everyone!
Phelan, I am interested in pressure cookers...and a little nervous about making the commitment to buy one as I have never used one. Any recomendations?
I am waiting for the onslaught of tomatoes myself.
I don't have any recomendations, as I don't know what mine is. It doesn't say. Remember that you can cook in a canner but not can in a cooker. So when you are looking for your pressure canner, make sure it says, canner. If you buy one used, take it to your local extension office, they will test it to make sure that your weights are correct. Most of them will do this for free.
Good luck, and it's not so scary once you have done it a few times.
I wish I had grapes to make jam and jelly with. I dream of your lifestyle. I have not made jam/jelly in 10 years.
haha, I know what you mean. I have boxes and buckets of fruit sitting around my kitchen waiting to be processed. Tonight Lemon butter, lillipilli jelly and maybe pasta sauce with the tomatoes leftover from making sauce.
Ah, but in the end... it's SO worth it... :)
Sassy mama bear, I would send you some if I could. Honestly, I do love my life, I just don't always realize it during harvest season.
Han_ysic, lillipilli jelly? Oh, please share.
Anita, it is.
I cheat bad, I stock up on pectin by the case, then when grape juice is one sale for 99 cents a bottle, I make grape jelly. I don't like grapes either and find any way out of it I can.
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