Saturday, September 8, 2018

Apple Butter – Everything Apple Sauce Wishes It Could Be

Sure this apple butter recipe takes many hours to cook, but the recipe is quite easy (after you slice 5 pounds of apples), and once done, you have what is basically a spreadable apple pie filling, only better. Buttered toast sold separately. And, that’s just the beginning of what you can do with this miraculous mixture.

It’s perfect used as a garnish for cheese plates, especially alongside some nice sharp cheddar, or spread on some cheesy biscuits, which I believe we posted a recipe for last year. Other approved uses include spreading between the layers of a spice cake, filling seasonably appropriate thumbprint cookies, or even as a condiment for pork chops. Sorry, apple sauce.

This is quite a simple procedure using a slow cooker as seen herein, but if you don’t have one you can certainly do it on top of the stove over low heat, as long as you use a nice thick-bottomed pot, and stir often. Another option would be to place the mixture in a large roasting pan, and cook it in a slow oven, stirring occasionally until dark and thick.

No matter what method used to cook this, your house will smell amazing, as in they wish they could make scented candles that smell even close to this good. So, for those reasons and more I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for about 4 cups of Apple Butter:
5 pounds Granny Smith, cored, sliced
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
splash of water, about 1/2 cup

64 comments:

Unknown said...

Can't wait to try this on an English muffin! Time to impress my parents :D

Unknown said...

It's hard to get an idea of how long is a long time. Are we talking 5 or 6 hours? A couple of days?

Unknown said...

How long can you store this for?

Unknown said...

How much water are you suppose to use

Unknown said...

Got the rest of the measurements for the spices, nothing on how much wAter but will just keep it between 1/4 -1/2 cup, as that should be good. Will stir and see if more is needed. Will also use filtered water, as my local water sometimes has a bleach taste to it. Thank you!

Unknown said...

This looks delicious!

I do have one question though. I wonder can this be turned into an apple custard pie by mixing the apple butter with eggs and cream and then baking in a pie crust?? Do you think this would be feasible or does your knowledge of working heavily with these ingredients say otherwise? The sound of an apple custard made from this just makes my mouth water so I wanted to know if it would be possible before trying it out eventually.

Unknown said...

Thank-you Chef John!! I am absolutely going to make this especially as I live about 10 minutes from Eastwood, a suburb of Sydney Australia, where the Granny Smith apple was discovered and then cultivated by Maria Anne "Granny" Smith in 1868. Lovely to see how far this variety has 'spread' Yes, that puns for you Chef John.

Every October, we still celebrate this wonderful apple with the Granny Smith Festival in Eastwood, complete with a street parade, local performers, rides, food and gift stalls and of course, Granny Smith apples.

And a hug to you too for all your wonderful videos. I'm a pretty good cook but I always learn something from you!

Unknown said...

Loved this recipe but I guess I'll wait until the Fall when I can can lots of apples cheap. Also loved the Tuscan Fish Stew! And lastly, thought you would like to know that Andrew Rea (over on Binging with Babish channel) has been mentioning you quite a bit lately and even taken up doing food puns. Who'd of thought you'd reach him all the way out in NYC. Cheers!

Unknown said...

How long will this keep for?

Unknown said...

Can this be done in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot?

Unknown said...

What do you consider a "splash" of water? Please advise. Thanks.

reub said...

I don't have a slow cooker and I'm too lazy to stand and stir for a few hours so I'm thinking of trying it with a hotel pan set over an immersion circulator bath to allow for evaporation. Any suggestions on temperature?

Unknown said...

I'm curious as to the final yield of apple butter. You start with 5 lbs of apples and end up with how much apple butter?

Unknown said...

Magnificent! Can I blend everything before heating to shorten cooking time?

Justin said...

How long will this last in the fridge? I was thinking about doing these for gifts over the holidays but it wouldn't be a good idea if they only last for a couple days.

blatantlyblue said...

no water?

Dennis said...

This looks delicious. Can you tell me the approximate shelf life (refridgerator)?

Unknown said...

Chef John,
I have cinnamon leaf oil that I use for "Adult" candy apples.
A commenter said her Grannie used oil of cinnamon.

I may try a small batch with the cinnamon leaf oil and the dry spices, adding them later in the cooking process so they don't cook out. What do you think?

What do you think about the sugar content level for not just better flavor, but better preservation of the final product?

I want the least possible sugar possible [%], but that may be subjective.

I have a meter to check sugar content that I use to make low sugar ice cream, as it won't freeze if it has too low of a sugar content.

The added sugar is dependent on the apples for the taste, but is it for better preservation too?

I'm experimenting with low natural sugar food products to avoid sugar substitutes for my own use and potential commercial applications.

Later I plan to test market low sugar food products, after I get a better Idea of how low the sugar % can be and still have good preservation.

This is more interesting than my day job of formulating solid rocket propellent in my Laboratory.
.

Unknown said...

Hi John,

If I make this in a Le Creuset dutch oven on low, but I don't have 10 or more hours available to make this. Is it okay to go halfway, store it either in the turned off oven or in the fridge and continue the next day?

Matt said...

Are 5 lbs of apples what you should buy or the weight with cores removed?

Winston said...

Got this going in the crock pot right now. You didn't say how much water in the blog but I guessed it looked like about half a cup?

Unknown said...

How much water?! You didn't say. :(

Unknown said...

Is it an issue if you 1) forget to add water 2) forget to reduce to low after 2 hours and c) its broken up and mushed itself sooner than expected?

Greg said...

Good Evening CJ,

I am excited to try this recipe and am wondering how long it will keep in the fridge?

Thanks,

Greg M - Ohio

Bruce said...

Dear Chef: How much cold water. Looks like about a cup. Cheers

Bruce said...

Hi Chef John: I just asked the question about the amount of water in the recipe for apple butter. Also, I don't have a slow cooker. Would a Le Creuset dutch oven work ok?

Unknown said...

If I make it on the stove, how often should I stir? Every 15 minutes? 30 minutes?

Unknown said...

How much water? It's not in the recipe, but it's in the video.

Unknown said...

Hey Chef John, I love the thought of this and will for sure give it a shot. I've had lemon butter before and it was to die for.

Out of interest, how long would this keep in the fridge for?

Unknown said...

The amount of the ‘splash of cold water’ is not noted in the ingredients list

Unknown said...

first off love your videos, I was just wondering how long could you keep this for.

Unknown said...

Looks delicious! How long will this keep for and should it be stored at room temperature or in the fridge? Thanks.

BadAssChef said...

John how much water did you add? It is not listed in the actual recipe.

Unknown said...

Made this recipe late yesterday. I added to much liquid so am having to let it cook longer. I should have left my crock pot on hi all night. The color and taste is very good. Am anxious to jar it.
Thanks so much, love your recipes
🤓

Unknown said...

Hi chef! I think I'm gonna try this in a roasting pan in the oven, what temperature would you recommend for a "slow" oven?

Unknown said...

I truly enjoy your videos. Your tips and recipes are fantastic. OK...now that the adulation is over, on to the question. What is the best way to store this? If I were to can it do I just need a hot water bath or do I need to pressure can it?

Unknown said...

Can't find the directions...just the recipe

Unknown said...

Fantastic recipe! Just curious though...could one use the immersion blender when the concoction is soupier rather than waiting until it's thick? Seems as though you could bypass the straining part if you were able to really give the pot a thorough blending prior to finishing the cooking. Thanks, Mark

Screamin said...

I’m starting day 2 in the slow cooker...how long should I expect?

Unknown said...

Hi Chef John, thank you for the recipe! I love Apple Butter, especially on pancakes! I have two questions for you. If I reduced the white sugar even more would it effect the consistency? Do you happen to have a recipe for Pumpkin Butter/would you make a video for it? Thank you again for the delicious recipes.

shekhawat Kitchen said...

very nice, very simple process. i will try, i like it. can we use brown sugar instead of white sugar?
Delicious Desserts to Try the Next Time You Are in Cochin

Princess Xena said...

Would you please list an approximate time for the different cooking stages in the slow cooker? Thanks

Ivor the Engine Driver said...

How long do you think this will keep in the fridge?

Unknown said...

You say water in the video but not in the ingredients. I'm figuring a 1/4 cup or so..just to get it started.

Unknown said...

Hey Chef John. Were you able to do the whole process in one day? Is it something I can start in the morning and finish by dinner if I'm using a slow cooker?

Scott said...

Water quantity?

Unknown said...

How long does it stay in the fridge? I'm considering making this and giving it as a gift. Thanks!

Unknown said...

How much will this make? Also, do you know how long it will keep in the fridge?

Lady Elfriede said...

How long is this good for in jars and stuff when you do finish with the product? Do you also need to do the canning process for your jars for this?

Lady Elfriede said...

How long does your apple butter keep for? Also, is it required to do the canning process for your jars and containers before storing them?

fabio.soto said...

Please do not post my last post about of using the lid on the crock pot since the video clearly says uncovered. :)

Alexander0232 said...

All mighty John, can you help me with the ideal oven temperature?

Dantwan said...

We bought a bunch of apples and they ended up being way too soft and really unpleasant to eat (I'm sure we've all had that unfortunate scenario). They were perfect for this recipe, really easy to cut up, and melted down quickly. This is a GREAT way to get rid of apples that aren't quite good enough to eat. Just like he says in the video - it's like being able to spread apple pie on anything.

Thank you for the recipe! It will be our go-to fix for bad apples.

njmomof5 said...

Love all your videos, Chef John! In the video, you mentioned water but I don't see the amount listed on the blog post recipe. Was it about 1/4 cup?

fabio.soto said...

I made half the recipe and ended with 2 lbs of Apple butter. It is delicious,rich with a wonderful texture. I did not strain it. Is it better to refrigerate? Thank you chef John.

fabio.soto said...

I started at 6:00 pm and finished at 6:00 am, but I had the crock pot lid for 4 hours before watching the video and switching to "UNCOVERED" I stirred the pot every hour and a dark brown layer forms that melts back in, but you need to set a timer as a reminder.

For the illusive "splash of water" I used half a cup for half the recipe which yielded 2 lbs of butter. It tastes amazing and have half to my girlfriend. I'm her hero and chef John is my hero. LOL

Apple butter is crazy expensive in California if you can find it. I'm the best Apple butter making in the world. LOL

Unknown said...

Tried this recipe in first attempt at apple butter and had great success. Then tried apple-rhubarb butter, which I like even better.

Just wondering if you have a recipe for a 'savory' squash butter? Seems there are lots of recipes for a sweet version, but not a savory version.
Thanks for any input.

Unknown said...

Those asking about water, I would use Hard Cider. The alcohol will keep the scorching temperature down. Even better flavor and alcohol is a shot of spiced dark rum (Like Kraken). My question is did anyone ever use Saffron for apple butter? How much would you use for this amount? I'm thinking a pinch.

Ushdadude said...

Can this be done sous vide?

Susan Fox said...

So I made some of this apple butter this weekend, (15 pounds of apples, more or less) with one minor variation. I used cinnamon whiskey for the splash of water. Nothing else changed one iota. I used the ordinary spices, as well. I never had the other, but thiis apple butter ROCKS! am a jewelry crafter and I have put a wrap bracelet around the top of a sealed jelly jar, slapped on a bow and call it Bling with Good Taste. It’s going to the Hospital Gift Shop. Recipe credit on the label :) Thanks for the inspiration and the instruction.

DAS4554 said...

How long can this be stored for?

Unknown said...

second time making this! Great! oh and the recipe does say 1/2 cup water but there is so much room add your own touch like lemon zest or ginger! JUST don't deviate from the cook slow for a long time to infuse the flavors. I can mine!

fab.amber said...

It’s nearly-summer, 2019, and I’ve just made your Apple butter recipe.

I am aghast with delicious.

Thank you for making it yield two whole pints. Don’t think we could stand it if we didn’t feel like we had plenty left.

Till suddenly we didn’t.

So back to the store for more apples? Maybe...looking now for a ginger beer recipe and technique...
Amber, Sonoma Coy ty,
Fan.

Gsweb8 said...

Oh man I just sampled some of this after the blending phase… Still four more hours to go. It is crazy good. I didn’t have any allspice so I used your famous secret weapon… Chinese five spice! Outstanding.