Wish to retailer your home made apple butter long-term however don’t have freezer area? Learn to can apple butter and revel in this fall favourite all 12 months lengthy.
Undoubtedly my hottest recipe this time of 12 months is my gradual cooker apple butter. And there’s actually no query why! It’s extremely simple and completely scrumptious.
One of the vital frequent questions I get in regards to the recipe is: Can I can this apple butter?
I didn’t develop up with a grandmother who canned meals, so I by no means messed round a lot with it. It all the time appeared actually intimidating to me. However I referred to as up my pal Megan and requested her to show me what I wanted to know to can my apple butter.
I don’t assume I’ll grow to be a grasp canner, nevertheless it’s good to know the way to protect one among my favourite fall meals with out taking on a bunch of area in my freezer.
So let’s discuss via the fundamentals on the way to can apple butter!
WHY CAN APPLE BUTTER?
Up to now, I’ve all the time simply saved my home made apple butter within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks or in my freezer for as much as 3 months.
After all, there are some downsides to this. For one, it takes up area within the freezer, and never everybody has additional freezer area to spare.
It is also nice for 3 months, however after that you just danger freezer burn and that isn’t nice. So regardless that it may possibly get you thru the winter, you may not have apple butter come spring or summer season.
When you’ll be able to your apple butter, you’ll be able to merely retailer it within the pantry and it’s good for as much as 18 months!
My pal Rebecca has some canning fundamentals suggestions that share the way to know when your canned meals has gone unhealthy. Meals in Jars can also be a terrific useful resource for newbie canners.
Canned apple butter additionally makes a extremely nice reward for household and mates or as a Thanksgiving hostess reward. And since it’s preserved, you don’t have to fret about telling them to maintain it within the fridge or freezer.
HOW TO CAN APPLE BUTTER
For those who’ve by no means canned your individual meals earlier than, I do know that it appears intimidating. However I promise that it’s not as scary because it appears.
We’ll be doing water-bath canning for this recipe. It’s rather a lot much less scary than stress canning and requires fewer particular instruments.
Actually, when you attempt it out, you would possibly even wish to be taught the way to make pickles and different meals to can, too!
What you’ll want
Clearly you’ll need a batch of home made apple butter. As a result of apples are naturally fairly acidic, the excellent news is you don’t have to make any adjustments to my apple butter recipe earlier than canning.
You possibly can even use my Prompt Pot apple butter recipe for those who like.
As for the instruments, you’ll need:
- A big stockpot or canning pot, large enough so there’s a minimum of 3 inches of area between the tops of your jars and the highest of the pot.
- 4 pint jars or 8 half-pint jars with brand-new lids and rings.
- Tongs for dunking the jars within the sizzling water.
- A ladle and wide-mouth (canning) funnel for filling the jars.
- A chopstick or kitchen dowel to take away any air bubbles.
- A jar lifter for decreasing the stuffed jars into the water.
Within the recipe card under, I’ve linked to a set that features every thing you’ll need other than the jars and lids, which you’ll decide up at nearly any grocery retailer or ironmongery shop.
It’s also possible to get a lot of the different instruments at kitchen or {hardware} shops, however I just like the comfort of getting every thing you want in a single order.
Canning the apple butter
Earlier than you begin, make sure that your jars and tools are very clear. Use sizzling, soapy water or run every thing via the dishwasher.
You additionally need your apple butter to be freshly made and nonetheless sizzling once you add it to the jars. So have every thing able to go when the apple butter is finished.
Fill the stockpot or canning pot with water. There must be sufficient water within the pot to cowl the stuffed jars by a minimum of 1 inch.
Cowl the pot and set it to boil.
Lay a clear kitchen towel out on the countertop and set your jars, lids, and rings out on the towel.
Use the tongs (or jar lifter) to dunk the jars into the new water. Empty them out again into the pot and set them on the towel once more. This warms the jars and helps stop the glass from cracking after we add the new apple butter.
Use the ladle and funnel so as to add the new apple butter into the jars. Depart ¼-inch of area on the high of the jars, then use a chopstick to softly take away any trapped air bubbles.
Use a moist paper towel to wipe the edges clear, then place on the lids. Screw the rings on to fightertip tight. You don’t need the rings to maneuver freely, however they need to be simply unscrewed.
Use your jar lifter to rigorously decrease the jars into the boiling water.
Return the water to a boil and canopy the pot. If utilizing pint jars, boil the jars for quarter-hour. For those who’re utilizing half-pint jars, boil them for 10 minutes.
After the boiling time is over, flip off the warmth and let the jars sit within the water for five minutes. Use the jar lifter to rigorously elevate the jars from the pot and place them on the towel.
Now let the jars relaxation, undisturbed, for twenty-four hours. It’s seemingly you might hear a pinging noise because the jars seal, so don’t freak out for those who do.
As soon as the jars have rested for twenty-four hours, examine the seals. Label the jars and retailer them within the pantry for as much as 18 months.
Any jars that didn’t seal correctly can nonetheless be loved however they have to be saved within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks.
USES
On the lookout for methods to make use of your canned apple butter?
Attempt it on a slice of toasted english muffin bread or on a heat, buttered buttermilk drop biscuit.
However breakfast isn’t the one technique to get pleasure from it! It’s nice in savory functions, too. Swap out the cranberry sauce for apple butter in cranberry brie bites for a easy and scrumptious Thanksgiving appetizer.
Or use it to make a tremendous apple butter BBQ hen sandwich!
And don’t neglect about charcuterie boards. A small bowl of it alongside your favourite cheeses, meats, and crackers is an unimaginable addition.
There are such a lot of scrumptious causes to discover ways to can apple butter!
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Place the apples in a gradual cooker. In a medium bowl, mix sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves and salt. Pour the combination over the apples and blend nicely.
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Prepare dinner in gradual cooker on low for about 10 hours, stirring often, till the combination is thickened and darkish brown.
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Uncover, stir in vanilla and proceed cooking uncovered on low for about 2 hours.
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Use an immersion blender to puree the apple butter till easy.
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Fill a big stockpot or canning pot with water. It must be sufficient in order that your stuffed jars will probably be lined by a minimum of 1 inch. Cowl and set to boil.
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Set 4 pint jars or 8 half-pint jars, lids, and rings on a towel-lined countertop.
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Utilizing a pair of tongs, dunk the jars into the new water and empty, then set on the towel once more. That is to heat the jars to forestall cracking when the new apple butter is added.
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Ladle the new apple butter into the jars, leaving ¼ inch of area on the high of the jars.
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Use a chopstick or kitchen dowel to softly take away any trapped air bubbles.
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Wipe rims of the jars clear with a moist paper towel.
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Place the lids, then screw on the rings to fingertip tight – it shouldn’t be capable of transfer freely, however may be simply unscrewed.
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Utilizing a jar lifter, rigorously decrease the jars into the boiling water bathtub.
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Return the water to a boil, cowl, and boil jars for quarter-hour for pint jars, or 10 minutes for half-pint jars.
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Flip off the warmth and let the jars sit for five minutes. Then use the jar lifter to rigorously take away the jars and place on the towel-lined countertop.
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Let the jars relaxation, undisturbed, for twenty-four hours. You would possibly hear a pinging noise because the jars seal.
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After the jars have rested, examine for seals, label, and retailer within the pantry for as much as 18 months.
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Any unsealed or opened jars of apple butter have to be saved within the fridge.
Makes slightly below 4 pints.
Serving: 2tablespoons | Energy: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 0.1g | Fats: 0.1g | Saturated Fats: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fats: 0.005g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg
