Slow-Cooker Apple Butter - Seasonal Recipe

Slow-Cooker Apple Butter

🌍 Seasonal, Autumn Difficulty: ●●●○○

Apple butter originated in Europe as a method of extending the apple harvest through winter; German settlers brought it to Pennsylvania in the 18th century, where community "apple butter bees" became a celebrated autumn tradition.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (1.5kg (3.3 lbs)) apples (a mix of tart and sweet — Granny Smith and Honeycrisp work well), peeled, cored, roughly chopped
• 150g (¾ cup) brown sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Combining — Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Stir well.
2. Cooking — Cook on LOW 8–10 hours, stirring occasionally, until apples have completely broken down and darkened to a deep amber.
3. Removing — Remove lid and cook on HIGH for final 1–2 hours, stirring frequently, to cook off excess liquid and thicken to a spreadable consistency.
4. Blending — Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness.
5. Ladling — Ladle into sterilised jars. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks, or process in a water bath canner for shelf-stable storage (see Preservation Guide).

Tags: ) apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground cloves · Source: Brittani's Almanac