Apple Butter in a Crock Pot

Apple Butter in the Crock Pot

Makes about 3 or 4 pints

Note on the quantities:  This is 1x the recipe.  I recommend doing at least 2x in a large crockpot, or more if you have more crockpots.  It takes a LONG time to make, and it's easier to process more at one time, than to plan to do another batch later on.

Ingredients:
5 ½ lbs apples (about 10 large) – peeled, cored & finely chopped (OR: 7 cups prepared homemade applesauce) – good to use a mixture of apple types

3 cups white sugar

2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground allspice

¼ tsp salt

1 cup fresh apple cider

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Note on the apples:

5 1/2 lbs apples is about 7 cups of applesauce.  See the websites below for more information

Directions:

• Place the apples in a slow cooker.   
• In a medium bowl, mix the sugar and spices.  Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
• Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.  It should be bubbling vigorously.
• Reduce the cooker heat to low.   
• With the lid set slightly ajar, continue cooking until apple butter is dark brown and thickened, usually about 7-10 hours longer.  You should be able to scoop a spoonful out and the apple butter stays on top without sliding out of the mound.
• Uncover, and continue cooking on low 1 hour. 
• If you used fresh apples, pass through a foodmill or strainer to remove lumps.  If you used homemade applesauce, use a whisk to increase smoothness.
• Spoon into sterile containers and refrigerate, freeze, or process in a canning method.

Applesauce & Apples Equivalents:
Need applesauce and apple equivalents?
Check here:
http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodequivalents/a/appleequiv.htm
http://www.straightriverfarm.com/apples.html

Yields:
1/2 peck of apples (5-6 lb.) makes 5 pints of applesauce
4 lbs fresh apples ~ 4-5 cups applesauce
5 1/5 lbs of fresh apples ~ 7 cups applesauce


Information about canning apples (all types of processes):
http://umaine.edu/publications/4035e/

.