Crock Pot Apple Butter

***UPDATE: See this post about our new eating habits. (7/10/11) I now use Sucanat in place of the sugar.

Every fall, at the end of the apple season, I buy at least a bushel of apples…..usually more. I eat and bake with a lot of apples. Usually my downstairs refrigerator (yes, I have two) is full of apples during the winter. I knew I wanted to make some apple butter for Christmas gifts, so I was saving some of my bounty for that. Then, someone asked me if I had a good recipe for apple butter, so I decided to do a tutorial and show you how easy it is to make your own. I’m not usually a big fan of apple butter – I think the spices are too strong. So, when I make my own I can adjust that flavor. This is more like spicy apple sauce for us, and the taste is just right. You can adjust the spices to your liking. It’s like Burger King, your way, right away. Oh, and this recipe is for a crock pot! So, you fix it and forget it…..I like giving you all easy recipes. It makes your life just a tad easier. Let’s do it!

You’re going to need apples (duh), sugar, salt, cinnamon and cloves. I used York apples for this batch. This is a ½ peck, which weighed right at 5 pounds. I needed 5 ½ pounds, so I threw in a couple other miscellaneous apples that were residing in the fruit drawer. You can really use whatever apples you want for this. Some are sweeter, so you’ll adjust your sugar amount for that. Then some are really sour, so you’ll need more sugar. Also, some apples are softer so they cook down faster. These were fairly firm apples, so they took the entire time to cook down. Like I already said with the spices, I’ll tell you how much I used and you can adjust them according to your taste. If you get to the end and it doesn’t taste like you want it, don’t wig out – just add more sugar or more spice. If it’s too spicy, don’t wig out either……just give it to the family member who drives you nutso. Problem solved!

We have to peel and chop all the apples…..this is going to take a little bit of time unless you have one of those doohickeys that does it for you. I don’t have space for that – my blender and food processor take up that area. They need to be fairly small, but not itty bitty. Just remember that the bigger your pieces are, the longer they’ll take to cook down. Around this time, Annie started trying to crawl up my leg. “Ple, ple, ple.” So, I was basically feeding her apple the entire time. I guess that’s what I get for eating apples my entire pregnancy. Glad it wasn’t pizza and beer.

When you’re done with the chopping, put the apples into your crock pot. I used a 5 quart size. Usually you only want your crock pot 2/3 to ¾ full. This is over that, but these are really going to cook down so I wasn’t concerned…..but you really don’t want to use something smaller than 5 quarts. If you don’t have a crock pot, borrow one. Tell them you’ll bring them some apple butter back – that will give you better results.

Grab a medium-sized bowl and add your sugar, salt and spices. Stir them around a bit to mix them up.

Pour this sugar mixture over your apples. It looks like a ton…….you’re going to think “Holy Moly! Is she trying to send me to the dentist?!” But you need the sugar for it to be good. Speaking of the dentist – my grandmother wanted me to fix a candy tray for her to take to her dentist office because they had been so nice to her this year. I told her she should have been sending them a basket of toothpaste instead of candy.

Stir the apples around so they can get all coated with sugar. Now you’ll be able to see that it really wasn’t too much sugar. If you’re using sour apples, you’ll have a little more leftover sugar but no worries…..it will cook down and mix together quite nicely.

Put the lid on and turn it on high. You’re going to leave it for one hour on high. Your house will start to smell divine!

Turn the heat down to low and leave it for 9 hours. Yes, 9 hours. I told you this was a fix it and forget it. Literally, go away and forget it. Actually, no……don’t forget it. You need to stir it occasionally.

Here we are about half way through. See how they’re starting to turn a nice brown color? It’s still not the right color for apple butter, or the right consistency, but we’re getting there! Yum! Don’t stick your finger in there, it’s hot and you might pull back a nub.

For most crock pot recipes, you never take the lid off. If you do, it sets you back about 20 minutes. This recipe isn’t like that though. You need to stir every hour or two……or be like me and stir a lot just so you can smell it. I really can’t leave the lid on. It drives me nuts. I have to see it. Glad mine has a clear lid.  We’re really getting there in this picture. Almost done!

Here we are at the end of 9 hours. See how the color is dark brown and just right? Delicious! We’re still a little chunky though. Don’t worry! We’ll remedy that right now!

Grab your whisk and go to town whisking those apples. I mean, really get to it! They’ll star to break down even more and you’ll get the consistency you’re wanting.

Here is the texture I’m looking for! See how it’s nice and smooth? If you can’t get this texture yet, put the lid back on and cook for another hour. Eventually you’ll be able to get it smooth.

I took mine out and immediately put it in jars and let them seal. Here is a more in depth explanation of that. If you don’t want to do that, just put it in containers and stick it in the fridge. It will keep for a pretty long time. This was for Christmas gifts, so I didn’t want to worry with refrigeration.