Apple Preserving Day

The apples were starting to overtake my kitchen. And I was having apple dreams. So I decided to make Saturday apple preserving day. I divided apples into ones that would go into the fridge for eating. I froze five bags of apple pie filling. Then I made another round of sauce. Finally I was left with a random assortment of varieties and somewhat bruised apples. Perfect for making apple butter, so I read. I've never actually made apple butter before. I decided to go hard core old school and actually can the apple butter. So I started with a lot of reading.



I like the Ball Blue Book. As I have ventured into more canning and preserving this year this book has become my go to book for recipes and technique, including the recipe I ended up using for this batch of apple butter.

For the butter making, first recruit two eager helpers for the washing and the peeling.



Then prepare to be in the kitchen for the next three hours. One of the distinctions of fruit butters is that they are cooked slowly until they thicken enough to roll up on the spoon. I didn't realize how slowly until I was standing over the same pot for the second hour. I recommend recruiting another helper at this point.



I don't recommend having a boy with the flu calling you from the couch. If you do have a boy with the flu on the couch, I recommend turning on the Arkansas game so that he can be disappointed by them and not by your lack of attention.

Once you've stirred until your arms are about to fall off, you've sterilized all of your jars, you've waited an additional forty five minutes for the processing pot to boil, and your helpers have quit, you are ready to fill the jars. Now your work is done. It's incredibly satisfying. To put that much work into something and know that your family will enjoy it for the rest of the year is well worth it. And enjoy it we will. For my first time I think I did alright. It's a bit sweet but still pretty good. An afternoon well spent.