1:16 pm - 60 degrees outside - cloudy, overcast...
Last weekend I picked up a 30 pound box of Gravenstien apples at a local farm - these apples make great applesauce, pies, cobblers, crisps, and so on - they are great for baking.
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| The last 12 lbs of apples are going to be canned as apple pie mixes! |
So far I have already used 10 pounds to make applesauce, another 8 pounds to make this absolutely delicious Caramel Apple Butter, and I'm going to use the last 12 pounds to can apple pie mixes. But first, I wanted to share the recipe for this amazing Caramel Apple Butter.
CARAMEL APPLE BUTTER
INGREDIENTS:
15-16 medium sized apples (about 8 pounds—yielding 16 cups of peeled, diced apples)
1 cup brown sugar
1.5 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp vanilla extract
30 unwrapped caramels (most of an 11 oz bag)
(NOTE: this recipe filled about 11 half-pint jars)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare your jars and lids by washing in warm, soapy water and rinsing thoroughly. Place jar rack into water bath canner, set jars in the canner, add water, and boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize. Warm your lids in a small pot over low heat. Keep jars and lids warm until ready to use.
2. Peel and dice the apples (you should have about 16 cups of apples), and place into large crockpot.
3. Mix in the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Cover with lid.
4. Cook on high for 6 hours. Occasionally stirring apple mix.
5. Blend the apples until smooth. You can use an immersion blender, potato masher, chinois and pestle, hand mixer, or food processor.
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| I like to use this chinois and pestle set. Very easy to use and I love the resulting texture. |
6. Return apple mixture to crock pot. Stir in vanilla extract, and caramels. Replace lid, but put it on crooked so air can vent. Continue cooking on high for 1-2 more hours until mixture starts to thicken (it will get even thicker when it cools). Occasionally stirring apple mixture, making sure the caramels are melting and getting mixed in.
7. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter. Use your jar lifter to remove warm jars from canner, drain, and line up on the towel. Use your canning ladle and funnel and add caramel apple butter to warm jars leaving 1/2inch headspace. Wipe the rims. Use your magnetic lid lifter to lift lids out of the warm water, center lid on the jar, and screw on band until it is fingertip tight.
8. At this point you can store the caramel apple butter in fridge for up to 2 weeks, freezer for up to 6 months, or continue for canning.
9. Using jar lifter, place jars carefully into canner leaving space in between them. Once jars are all in canner, adjust the water level so it is at least one inch above the jar tops. Add more boiling water if needed so the water level is at least one inch above the jar tops. When adding water, use the hot water from the small pot your lids were in. Pour the water around the jars and not directly onto them.
10. Cover the canner and bring to boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, continue boiling pints for 20 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft. (add 5 minutes processing time for altitudes between 1001-3000 ft.).
11. When processing time is complete, turn off heat and allow the canner to cool down and settle for about 10 minutes. Spread a kitchen towel on the counter; remove the cover by tilting lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face. Use a jar lifter to lift jars carefully from canner and place on the towel. Allow the jars to cool for 12 to 24hours. You should hear the satisfactory “ping” of the jar lids sealing.
12. After 12 to 24hours, check to be sure jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center of the lid. The lid should not pop up. If the lid flexes up and down, it did not seal. Refrigerate jar and use up within a few days.
- Enjoy!
