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Cooking apple
butter in the photo above, an outdoor demonstration is
held each year after the fall apple harvest season at a
commercial apple ranch in Yucaipa, California. Rileys at
Los Rios Rancho holds an annual
Apple
Butter Festival on Thanksgiving weekend.
So you love apple
butter? Do you know that you can make it yourself, if
you are so inclined? After purchasing a few expensive
jars of apple butter in a gourmet shop, you may want to
try cooking some...but maybe you don't know how. At an
annual event, Apple Butter Festival, you can learn how
to make it yourself, thanks to live demonstrations.
Apple growing in
America before European settlement was minimal, but New
England settlers imported and cultivated the comfort
foods from their homeland...apples, honey and a variety
of grape vines for wine, to name a few. Over 7,000
apple varieties exist and in California ranches and
farms such as Rileys at Rancho Los Rios guests can pick
their own apples during the growing season, with up to
20 varieties available. In November when the apples are
usually finished for the growing season, a special event
at Rileys celebrates the use of apples from the farm.
Timed with Thanksgiving, an event that honors the early
American settlers, the Apple Butter Festival teaches
youth and adults how to make apple butter, offers
samples, and includes an incredible hoedown
representative of farm communities' celebrations in a
big barn with a small band and dancing.
Apple consumption benefits cardiovascular, respiratory,
digestive, and immune system health with antioxidant
polyphenols, quercetin, and pectin, a soluble fiber with
gentle yet highly effective cleansing properties.
There are
countless recipes for making apple butter. Some of the
simpler recipes utilize apple sauce that you can
purchase, then cook into the dark, smooth sauce. In
fact, apple butter is concentrated apple sauce to the
point where the sugar in the apples caramelizes. When
that process begins, apples and the apple sauce content
turns deep brown and takes on a thicker, smoother
consistency, thus the name "butter". Apple butter
contains no butter, however. Usually seasoned with
cinnamon and cloves, apple butter can be spread on
buttered toast, used as a side dish, an ingredient in
baked goods, or as a condiment.
What you need to
make apple butter includes 4 1/2 lbs. apples, peeled and
cut into chunks (the sweeter, the better so you can
forget the sugar), sugar if you can't get the sweet
apples, apple cider for cooking and cinnamon.
(we used Granny Smith apples)
4 c. sugar
1/3 c. apple cider
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Peel and cut up 3 quarts of apples or about 5 pounds of
apples. In a crockpot, pour the apple cider onto the
apples. If you plan to use sugar, also include it.
Add the cinnamon and stir to combine.
Cover and cook on high for about 3 hours. Turn the heat
down to low, and cook for 8 to 10 hours. The
apples should be very soft and there will be a
substantial amount of juice. Next, place apples and
juices in a blender or food processor. Don't fill more
than half. Process apples until smooth, allowing for
steam to escape while processing. Continue blending
until all apples have been processed, placing the smooth
mix in a bowl. Return the mixture to the crockpot. Cook
uncovered on high until the apple butter is thick. This
process takes approx. 1 to 3 hours. After it cools,
containerize and refrigerate it for delicious dining.
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