This weekend we made apple butter out at Ted and Linda's. We haven't done this in about 9 years, but it was so much fun, hopefully it won't be another 9 years before we do it again. Here's the process:
You start out with apples, these are Johnathans, and yes the type of apple does matter. You want something that's tart and that makes a good pie, so forget those Golden or Red Delicious that you have in your crisper. We used about 2 bushels, which I found out is about 84 lbs for this small batch of apple butter.
Check out that peeler - it's about 100 years old but it can still outrun those newfangled ones as we found out 9 years ago when we pitted them head to head.
The night before is spent washing apples, peeling apples, quartering apples, coring apples and washing apples again. The peels are kept to make the butter that pretty brown color.
The night before is spent washing apples, peeling apples, quartering apples, coring apples and washing apples again. The peels are kept to make the butter that pretty brown color.
Bring your sharp paring knife - you're going to need it! 
Washing the apples again in the big enamel basin.
Down to the final batch - Ted told us all to savor the moment. 
Ken gives the apples a stir while the rest of us look on.The next morning the apples, sugar and spices go into the big copper kettle. There aren't any pictures of that process because we were still home asleep, the lazybones that we are. We showed up in time to eat yummy pastries and watch the butter cook up.
Nora is part of the fire brigadeWhen it is deemed time (there is tasting and the stirrers can feel it thickening up) then the harried process of getting it canned up begins.
Luckily Grammy is there to set things up. The long table is pulled out and we get into our stations: dipping, filling, wiping, sealing (adding the lid and adding the ring) then the jars go into the basin and onto the other long table in the garage to wait for their lids to ping and set up overnight. No Touching the Jars!
In the heat of butter!
The last of the apple butter! 
clean up outside
and insideNow it's time to relax, roast some hotdogs for lunch, and...
gather acorns for winter?????
gather acorns for winter?????
2 comments:
I'm afraid that when I see big copper kettles I feel my southern roots in ways that make me fear the revenuers. I hope UT has the still hidden down in the holler. ;)
Well, that side of the family has never been big drinkers. My grandfather did make some wine once, but it was not well received. Now, Dad's side is another story.
Your post has brought to my attention again that I haven't had enough hard cider this fall. Must remedy that. Schlafly had a wonderful blackberry cider last month, I wonder if it's still there and I wonder if it would be excessive to get a growler full...
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