This weekend I participated in one of my favorite fall traditions, making apple butter.
We started at 5 am and canned our last jar at just past midnight that night. Our yield this year was 320 jars. In between is a day filled with everyone taking their turn on the paddle stirring. Telling stories. Relaxing around the warmth of the kettle. People laugh. You miss the ones that couldn’t make it this year and the ones that won’t participate ever again. The next generation learns the secret tips and recipes that makes every batch of apple butter just a little bit different than the last one.
It’s a wonderful coming together. It’s always a beautiful day of fellowship and community. A day to slow down and reflect on simple pleasures that make life ever so much sweeter.
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21 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.A thick slice of asiago italian, well toasted, deeply buttered, a happy layer of cream cheese, and a major gob of apple butter, with afternoon coffee.
JacarC
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
3
On the porch swing in a quilt on a cool crisp fall day while reading a book.
Um, can you send me some?
IAMGROOT
Level 7
Oct 23, 2018
2
Absolutely!! Id love to. Text me your address.
Very virginian. That's a lot of apple butter!!!
Bigwavedave
Level 8
Oct 23, 2018
2
I think it should last a while....
I wish I could have been THERE!!! I could almost smell the apple butter! How perfectly lovely! Thanks for the treat...
Freedompath
Level 9
Oct 24, 2018
2
How many years you been doing this?
How many pounds of apples?
How many people attending? Women? Men?
How many baked the chewables?
And so on.
JacarC
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
2
I couldn’t say how many years. Generations back. We used I believe 25-30 bussels of apples. I did not get to participate in the peeling the day prior so Im not sure exactly. But that is the usual amount for us. There were people coming and going all day and evening. People would stop in and hang out and talk and stir and bring food. Everyone helps. Men, Women and even the kids. There were about 25 of us all day but maybe as many as 75 participated. Those were the biscuits I made. Everyone brought some sort of snack or dish to share.
I honestly had to look it up. Sounds tasty, I’ll have to look for some.
Green_eyes
Level 8
Oct 23, 2018
1
those are nice traditions. my fall traditions are becoming seriously ill, refusing to close the windows and wearing short shorts.
g
genessa
Level 8
Oct 23, 2018
1
Its important to maintain family legacies.
@Christiep77 lol mine are just personal.
g
What a great tradition. Thanks for sharing.
jimdaughters
Level 5
Oct 25, 2018
1
I’ve never made apple butter but I am all in as a fan of and consumer of it !!!! Love it, love it, love it ???
Kodiamus
Level 7
Oct 25, 2018
1
I tried to respond to your message but it won’t letbme. Just wanted you to know I’m not ignoring you. ?
Sounds like a great community-building tradition. Rock on! ??
Flyingsaucesir
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
1
Of course another benefit is that you can start a batch of Applejack with your leftover apples. ?
Christiep77
Level 7
Oct 24, 2018
1
That is amazing! I wish to learn all things homesteading. I'm starting with the growing part as in super foods but want to do canning etc.
Artistlover
Level 6
Oct 24, 2018
1
I love apple butter but have never had the homemade variety.It must be delicious.
nonbelieverx
Level 6
Oct 24, 2018
1
Super yummy
Is that apple sauce?
Pete66
Level 6
Oct 25, 2018
0
It’s apple butter.
@Christiep77 looks like apple sauce to me!
@Pete66 little bit different.
@Christiep77 in what way?
@Pete66 apple butter is more concentrated. More water is removed because you cook it down longer. It starts to Caramelize and become very thick and almost like jam.
@Christiep77 ahhhh OK got it!
Okay, now you've created a problem for me. Every year I amke a batch of applesauce and in the past a few jars of apple butter. This year I just came into about 40 lb's of great apples (Goldstar I think). Now you have reminded me of turning some of that fruit into apple butter. I will have to take some time off from the site as it is a long process. What is your recipe?
JackPedigo
Level 9
Oct 24, 2018
0
We use sugar, cinnamon oil and Red Hots candies.
@Christiep77 Interesting the candies. I use cinnamon/Nutmeg, sugar and cloves.
Do you give it away or does your family consume that many hats in a year?
GwenC
Level 7
Oct 24, 2018
0
Both. We keep some and share some.
This is fascinating. Few questions. Why is the stirrer so long? Why outdoors? Does it present a bug problem in the product at all? I've never made apple butter, but I love it. It also looks like a fun tradition.
CommonHuman
Level 7
Oct 24, 2018
0
The stirring is constant snd before the apples soften and cook down itncan be hard to push them around. The longer stick makes it easier to maneuver and also keeps you some distance from the lot and fire. It’s cold enough here that bugs aren’t an issue this time of year.
Ahhh flashback.... My grandma used to do that (on a much lesser scale in her kitchen). I remember steering the burning hot mushy stuff and at boiling point every bursted bubble would send tiny pieces flying that sometimes would get me and it did hurt like hell. After everything was said and done, the final product was really awesome.
IamNobody
Level 8
Oct 24, 2018
0
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