In either of the following recipes Jean recommends the following apples: Cortland, Jonathan, McIntosh, York Imperial, Beacon, Rhode Island Greening or Rome Beauty. These recipes have been cut down from her original recipes as they were much larger.
Apple Butter
4 quarts sweet apple cider (Jean makes her own, but you can buy it grocery stores)
3 quarts pared and quartered cooking apples (about 4 pounds)
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Heat cider to boiling in 5-quart Dutch oven. Boil uncovered until cider measures 2 quarts, about 1 1/4 hours. Add apples. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until apples are soft and can be broken up with a spoon, about 1 hour. Press apples through sieve or food mill to smooth the apple butter.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; then reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until no liquid separates from pulp, about 2 hours. Heat to boiling. Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe rims of jars. Seal and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes. Makes about 3 1/2 pints.
Apple Jelly
Heat 4 pounds apples (about 18), cut into fourths, and 5 cups water in boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Strain but do not press pulp through strainer. Strain juice through 2 thicknesses of cheesecloth.
Mix three cups apple juice and 3 cups sugar in Dutch oven. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cook until candy or jelly thermometer registers 220 degrees; remove from heat. Quickly skim off the foam. Immediately pour jelly into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe rims of jars. Seal jars. Makes about 4 half-pints jelly
Jeans says:
When I do it-first we make the cider. Then I have kettles outside in a wood, cobblestone building that David’s Dad added on to one of the barns where it was Outlawed to have fires in the open (except barbeque). Usually my mother, David’s Mother , sometimes the grandmother’s and Martha get together. The apples come in the back of wagons. Most of them are from our apples, others are what we purchased from other farmers. I have kettles for cooking and for straining. Also I have a stove and sink where we can sterilize the jars. We start cooking in early morning and go on until dinner time. One of us breaks to make lunch . We take a lunch break and then get back cooking. We stop when it is time to go home and cook dinner. This goes on every day except Sunday for a week and a half or two weeks. We make over 1000 jars when we get done. At the bake sale people buy both the butter and the jelly. We give some to the sick or housebound. Also, we give them as gifts at Christmas-and of course many are for our houses. Most of them are sold though.
If we get around to building another house David would make this building separate from the barn. Neither his father or himself were firemen when that building was built. They didn’t think of what would happen if that building ever caught fire. It never has, but it would be better by itself.
Hope you enjoy the recipes. Jean
Proud of Lissa doing all that canning. Was the kit you got very expensive? I am afraid to try something like that.
Way to go Lissa, and im sure when you had sent me these pictures you had no idea i would post them on Amish Stories!. Richard
Good morning Marilyn, and i think i can answer that question for Lissa. Lehman's in Ohio is the place where she ordered her "canning starter kit" for about 59.95. You also get a book on how to "can" so overall i think its a really good starting point price wise to start canning. Richard
Fascinating blog! My other used to make apple butter. I've never braved it, but maybe one day.
Wow! What a nice job of posting Richard! and no I didn't think you would like this. I have had so much fun! I will put up some more corn today. I creamed some of that corn and It was Yummy! Thank you so much for the apple butter and jelly recipe Jean! I am on it, hehe. I had a person tell me that they live alone and it would be to much work just one person. I said you can always give some to family, friends, and Christmas presents. It would never go to waste. Alot healthier for you too! I am sure I will get better at it as I go along.( with Jean's recipe's ) hehe. Thank you so much! God Bless, Lissa
Hi Marilyn! I was nervous too! but if you follow the directions and measure exactly it will be fine. On one of my first batches of jam I accidently made Ice cream topping. hehe. My family used it for pancake syrup too. Now I make some like that because my family requests it. It's my special topping. ((0: So It will never go to waste. I even labeled it topping. hehe
I'm so glad you stopped by my blog so I could get to know yours!I to live near a Mennonite community and have become very good friends with our Mennonite neighbors who we often have supper's with.I will be following along!
WTG, Lissa! I have only made jams and jellies and butters. It is so wonderful to open a jar in the winter…it's like "bottled summer"!!! LOL!~Sara
This recipe looks fantastic. My Grandmother used to make apple butter and I sure miss it. Can hardly wait until next week when local apple orchards open for business so I can try it. Thanks for posting. I am new to your blog and I really like it. Have a great week.
Oh, my mother used to make apple butter. I loved it so much! But, alas, I have never made it.
i didn't know about that canning history. how fascinating. i watched my italian grandma and mom can eggplant. it was amazing after nine months. the apple butter recipe sounds amazing…
Way to go Lissa! Richard, you will NOT want to post anything of our recent toilet changeout. This started Friday and now the new toilet is in place and Mr. O, my husband, STILL needs to do work on it. He has to tighten the water thingie. We still have leaks. He should really stick to his day job. Which is a lawyer. Love your blog. It always makes me hungry. Yesterday I was watching Nate Berkus Show and there was a lady showing off her homemade Mallomar cookies. I WILL make those!!! Hugs from Alaska!
Well it looks like Lissa has become somewhat of a celebrity ,lol. I'm kidding of course and I'm enjoying featuring one of the Amish Stories readers in a post, and i hope to do more of it in the future. I may be a ham but I'm always willing to share some of the spot light, well just a flicker of light anyway,lol. Richard
Oh Man… Homemade applebutter. You are making me hungry
And welcome everyone who have dropped by after my last comment before i left this morning. For the recipe of the week which ill be posting next Monday, that one will be having a Bonanza theme. And I'm talking about the TV show that ran from 1959-1974, which puts most of us in its viewer demographics when it was broadcast. I'm mixing things up a little while still keeping it with a country feel, so i hope everyone enjoys what I'm trying to do. Richard
Homemade apple butter is the best!!
Your very correct Candida, and my favorite is to have apple butter without the added sugar, but with the spices (cinnamon). I used to bake bread using my bread maker a lot, and then id spread some apple butter on a warm slice of country white bread. I must admit that i don't make my own apple butter, but i do buy it from a local Mennonite family that makes it using their own apples that they grow in Lancaster county. Richard
I love Lancaster and Amish world…. and I'm glad to find your blog…may I ask you if it's possible to became a follower?? thamìnks even for recipe, ciao Flavia from Italy
It should be possible Ciao as i have a growing amount who are. I know some folks use that Google follower widget for their blogs. What i do to be honest is place the blogs that i really enjoy going on in my favorites on my computer. And i know some folks have what seems like hundreds on their followers list, i don't because if i did that i would never hardly get to every blog on my list. So i have to make some tough choices when adding someone. I did find 2 really great blogs just today that I've just added, so don't get me wrong in that when i find something unique i will add it. I've discovered so many blogs with great writing and images in my travels, so it just blows me away how much talented folks are out there!. Richard
Don't worry …anyway if you go down my italian recipe..you find English version, with mistakes, because my English is not perfect…. have a nice day, ciao and hugs, Flavia
Great Elifla i was just on your great web site again, and now I've added you to my favorites. What better place to get Italian recipes than from someone who lives in Italy!. Richard
Thank you very much for your visit, Richard. I loved reading the history of canning. I've just gotten into preserving food myself this past year and so far have only made jams and jellies. I would love to try making apple butter. It was a favorite of mine as a child.
Anytime Savoring and i enjoyed checking your web site out, i will be back to it. Richard
I didn't realize cans had been around so long.Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Your welcome Gail and thank you for your visit. Im signing off folks so i hope everyone has a relaxing evening. Please chat among yourself and enjoy. Richard
GOOD EVENING RICHARD!Thank you so much for your kind comment on my post again! And as I look more at your blog, I am so grateful for the DIVERSE world we can encounter as we reach out to each other and learn about interests that are so far away from us in the physical sense, but are so close to us through this wonderful CONNECTION through blogging. YUMMY RECIPES HERE and they are so perfect for the COLD weather coming soon…I am in MINNESOTA so -30 winters are usual…..BRING UP THE HEAT!!!Fondly, Anita
Can't wait for the Bonanza theme! LiL Joe was always my favorite. Or maybe Haus,he had the biggest heart. Anyway, goodnight and hope you all had a great day! I know I did. Lissa
wonderful blog – a real inspiration (and delicious looking food!)
Thanks for stopping by again Anita, and like I've said on your blog "you have a very elegant and classy site. And i especially think most of the lady readers on Amish Stories would enjoy seeing what you have done with it!. Richard
Im trying to mix things around Lissa with the recipes of the week, so im going back to some of the TV shows that we loved as children. Bonanza will be the first of a few that ill be doing!. Welcome jambaloney to Amish Stories and your welcome back again. Richard
Great Idea Richard! Keep-em coming !(0:Hi Marylin! Just opened a jar of the corn. I was so good! Hope you try and we can trade Ideals (0:
Thanks Lissa and that Bonanza post is now completed and ready for next Wednesdays post. Also Jeans post for next Tuesday is complete and will have another homemade recipe from Jean. And folks its a good one and will be perfect for a cool fall day!. Richard
Hi Lissa,I am still chicken to try that. Years ago a friend of mine and I made strawberry jam and orange jam. We had jars after jars of it. When I moved south I took it to my parents and they ate it. To this day I won't eat strawberry or orange jam. That was back in 1975. Ever since then I have a fear of trying to can items. I've been at Jean's and seen her canning but she says it's easy. Of course she has done of many years. Marilyn
I know what you mean Marilyn! Start small and work your way up. When you get more confidence you'll want to can anything that don't move LOL. JKThat's how I started. God Bless Lissa
Thanks, Lissa, I need your encouragement. I will have to see where to get that kit you have. I have a real small kitchen and small place to store so I have to make them small. Would be nice Christmas Gifts, but I'm not going that far. LOL
I know of some folks who make their own wine and give them as gifts, so making a small gift basket for someone would make a great gift i think. Much better than something store bought, but then again im old school anyway!. Richard
I never would have imagined that Napolean was responsible for the invention of canning! Learned something new today!
Jean has told me one time that when it gets closer to Christmas she makes up baskets with apple butter, jams, jellies, and maybe a one of her homemade loafs of bread and sells them. She also makes some up to give away as Christmas gifts.
Hi Debora and to be honest i learned things about canning while looking up information for this post, because i knew really nothing about it. And I'm finding myself picking up bits of info that i normally wouldn't be looking up, but because of some of the post that i do i must do a little research. So its a win win situation for me really. And Marilyn i have thought about having a contest on this blog and giving away one of Jeans gift baskets, but because its food that would be traveling in some dicey waters in a legal and liability kind of way for me. So its a shame really but that's the world we now live in. Richard
And Lissa instead of starting small, i usually start big first until everything goes to heck in a hand bag,lol. Then I'm forced to go small. Richard
I'm not going to bring up anything until after David's grandmothers funeral, but maybe Jean can come up with something. I make no promises, but see what she says. Something that is not food.
Yea Richard!I figured you were that kind of a guy! LOL Jk……..~ Lissa
Ok Lissa i owe you one,lol. Richard