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Farm Kitchen:  fruit butters  |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 01 2005 : 12:52:50 PM
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I was wondering about fruit butters like apple butter and peach butter. I probably like butters almost better than jams. But I don't have a clue about making them. I could go online and search for a recipe but thought I'd try you gals first since you always have a helpful hint.We're coming up on blackberry time when my house is spilling blackberries out of it's ears. My husband just loves blackberries and I'm always looking for different ways to put them up. We have frozen them and juiced them (the juice is so yummy) This bring me to fruit butters, Can I make blackberry butter? And how ya make fruit butter anyway?
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com/artisan
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showmemom
True Blue Farmgirl
166 Posts
karen
carthage
mo
USA
166 Posts |
Posted - Aug 01 2005 : 5:30:55 PM
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all i've done is apple butter although i'm going to try pumpkin butter this year in the fall.
we always make a big day of it. my mom swears by "drops" or seconds; wash, quarter and put in a big pan on the stove; cover with water or cider/apple juice; bring to a boil and cook until the apples are soft.
cool a little. i don't know what this next thing is called properly; its metal, sits on its own stand and is funnel shaped. i have a wooden pestle type implement that once you put the apples in the colander/metal thing, you use the wooden pestle to mash the apples against the side; what comes out is really applesauce.
when you're done with that part, put your apple puree back in your pan, season it to tast with brown sugar, white sugar, cinammon and any other spices you like. bring to a boil and then turn it way, way down and let it simmer until as thick as you like it (better make some toast or better yet, some biscuits to "test" your butter on!).
put in hot, clean jars and process in boiling water bath.
like i said, we usually make a big day of this. it turns into kind of a girl day and then we make chili that night and invite the menfolk.
i've never used a recipe before but really like the old Farm Journal cookbooks. they have one just for canning if you can find it.
talk to you soon.
karen
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
Victor Hugo |
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CelticCoyote
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
Heather
Illinois
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 05:51:04 AM
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Woohoo, I found it! :D Okay, a bit of apple butter background... I was born in southern Indiana, near Nashville (little bitty town south of Bloomington), which is the home of Nashville House Restaurant, purveyors of fried biscuits, baked apple butter, and All Things Cast Iron.  It's kind of like Cracker Barrel, but waaaay better (and was around long before the whole mass-produced Cracker Barrel thing started, too). Anyway, the apple butter they sell there is made the old-fashioned way, and baked for ages, and that gives it the most awesome flavor! My mom spent years trying to copy the recipe (because of course, they sure weren't giving it out). She finally did, and her apple butter was the world's best for many years, imo. Until recently... I'd been wanting to make apple butter for a while, as there's a lovely orchard near us with fabulous apples (and cider donuts to die for!), so I went looking online for a recipe (she wasn't around when the bug bit me, so I couldn't hit her up for hers, lol). What I found turned out as good as, if not BETTER than my mom's apple butter! And the best thing is, it's waaaay easier, too! Okay, so now that you know that our whole family is warped as heck about apple butter (even my sons insist on apple butter on their pbj's instead of regular jelly)...
Killer Good Darn Easy Apple Butter
5-6lbs fresh apples (I like to use a blend...Cortlands are my favorites, though)
2 1/2-4cups white sugar, depending on personal preference(sometimes I try a little brown in place of some of the sugar, just to be different)
2t cinnamon (okay, so I add a bit more...I'm a cinnamon-aholic!)
1/2t ground cloves
1/2t salt
Do a real crappy job of peeling the apples (I don't want *all* the peel in there, but some is good!), chop them into chunks, & grate 'em in the food processor. Before I got my much-adored Cuisinart, I hand-chopped them quite small. Dump 'em into the biggest crockpot you have. My 6 quart oval one is just about perfect. Add everything else & mix it up really well. Slap the lid on & set it to high for an hour or so. After an hour, set it to low, and let it cook for 9-11 hours or so. This is a really good recipe to start shortly before bedtime, especially if you plan on canning the apple butter. That way, you can wake up, have some breakfast, and then get canning, and you're not up over a hot stove half the darn night. Take the lid off & check the apple butter...the apples should be nice & shmooshy, so I generally hit it with my stick blender for a few seconds to turn it to a butter consistency. DARN convenient, that stick blender. Oh, and I forgot to mention, it's no big deal to take the lid off periodically through the cooking time, to taste & see if it needs more sugar or spices or whatever. Sometimes I add allspice or other such things, too. Don't leave the lid off for more than a minute or so, or you'll need to lengthen the cook time a little. So anyway, once you've stirred/blendered it up to the right consistency, ladle it into your jars & can it up. Be forewarned, however...this smells INCREDIBLE, so be prepared to suffer while it's cooking. I'm telling ya, this apple butter is fantastic, and the recipe is EXTREMELY forgiving, so you can alter it in just about any way imaginable & still come out with a wonderful finished product. I made several batches a couple years ago, & gave small jars as Christmas gifts. 
I've also got a killer peach butter recipe somewhere, but it does take an hour & a half of non-stop stirring, so it's for a *very* dedicated butter enthusiast. If you're interested, I can dig it up for you. This recipe is one of my husband's favorites...he loves it so much that he's willing to hang out in the kitchen & stir it for me! (It helps that he's a drummer, and has arms that almost can't tire out. ) Peach butter over fresh biscuits is an absolute delicacy...dh likes it on pancakes & waffles, too.
Great, now I'm getting hungry!  |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 07:16:10 AM
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Sqrl--Look in the across the fence section in "Recipes We'd Love to Share", page 2. Last October I posted a crockpot applebutter recipe that you let cook overnight and it's done in the morning. It is really easy and delicious! Enjoy!( This recipe was a collaboration of my maternal grandparents when they got their crock pot. They were both New Englanders from apple country but they were also quite an adventurous pair and always willing to work smart and try new things.
Like their marriage (55 yrs), this too was a great success!)
with a happy heart |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 08:37:04 AM
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Thanks Bramble, I'll check it out. Heather, do I really keep it on high for a whole hour? It doesn't burn? Just want to make sure I read it correctly.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com/artisan
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CelticCoyote
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
Heather
Illinois
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 1:53:28 PM
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Yep, a whole hour. It's pretty difficult to burn stuff in the crockpot...at least when there's that much liquid in it, anyway. (The juice from the apples, I mean.)
Don't say I didn't warn you about the smell... |
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 2:08:27 PM
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Heather, are you a Brown County Gal???? I graduated from Indiana Univesity!
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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CelticCoyote
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
Heather
Illinois
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 3:17:51 PM
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Heck yeah!! How cool! My folks went to IU, too! Um, they probably went long before your time, though, lol. We've lived in IL for a little over twenty years, but I still remember how GORGEOUS Brown County is. Dh & I passed through on our honeymoon, and he really likes the area now too...and, we're thinking of heading there on vacation sometime this year (camping with small children...what fun!).
Gosh, this world just keeps getting smaller & smaller! :D How cool!! |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 3:31:19 PM
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Oh Heather I didn't realize it was a crockpot. I was thinking on the stove.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com/artisan
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CelticCoyote
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
Heather
Illinois
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 3:38:12 PM
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Lol! Ohhh, I am SO fond of my crockpot! I want to give it a name, but haven't decided on one yet. It keeps the kitchen cool while the apple butter is cooking, and you never have to worry about it boiling over or anything.
Geez, now y'all have me anxious for apple season to start! |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2005 : 4:39:33 PM
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I'm not a person who has ever canned so please tell me what you need to do to can this apple butter.
Kay - Living in Beautiful Washington State
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."
--Eleanor Roosevelt |
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FarmGirlsConnect
Farmgirl at Heart
5 Posts
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - Aug 06 2005 : 12:42:56 PM
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Thank you CelticCoyote! Your recipe sounds good. Yes, I would love to heard about the Peach Butter. The most fabulous Apple Butter I ever had I got from the Amish.
--What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not been discovered--Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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sqrl
True Blue Farmgirl
605 Posts
Melissa
Northern California
USA
605 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 09:10:47 AM
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I grew up in Philly which is where all the Amish come to sell their goods. And the Amish make the best apple butter, it's a specialty of theirs.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com/artisan
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Kim
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Kim
Pflugerville
Texas
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 10:00:33 AM
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Heather,
When did your folks go to IU? I graduated in '84
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
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Nicol
True Blue Farmgirl
200 Posts
Nicol
200 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 11:51:37 AM
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| I am definately going to try that crockpot apple butter recipe! Yummy! |
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MBurns
True Blue Farmgirl
1809 Posts
Marlene
Swisher
IA
USA
1809 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 1:02:28 PM
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| I would like to try the crockpot apple butter. Is it on this website? |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 1:14:15 PM
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My crockpot is named Mable.
Jenny in Utah
The best things in life arn't things |
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CelticCoyote
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
Heather
Illinois
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 4:22:30 PM
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Marlene, the crockpot apple butter recipe is higher up on this page...I posted it. :)
Aunt Jenny, I LOVE it!!! :D |
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Fabulous Farm Femmes
True Blue Farmgirl
792 Posts
Diane
Lakebay, Tacoma
WA
792 Posts |
Posted - Aug 08 2005 : 10:54:46 PM
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| Hey, that's my Nana's name.....you better use it with respect !!! |
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CelticCoyote
True Blue Farmgirl
111 Posts
Heather
Illinois
USA
111 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2005 : 05:56:36 AM
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| LOL!! |
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2005 : 10:29:55 AM
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Soon as I have a kitchen I want to try the apple butter recipe, Heather! It sounds sooo good!
My folks are from Illinois - Red Bud/Waterloo area. |
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Farm Kitchen: fruit butters |
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fruit butters
