After swinging by the UES to pick up our beloved Aunt Sheri on Saturday morning, our family headed out to Rockland County to meet some friends. We had a date to go apple-picking at The Orchards of Conklin, just a hop, skip, and a jump from the City.
The Delicious Daddio, my husband that is, did the major workload as he held up the big claw pole (unofficial name) and pulled down at least 30 of the 35 pounds of apples we took home with us. My daughter and her friends hunted for the few apples hidden on the lower branches while my son ran quality control, tasting to make sure that the apples from each tree were up to snuff. The children had an amazing time, and if you can squeeze it in over the next couple of weekends, we highly recommend a little jaunt out of New York City, or where ever you live, to pick apples and climb trees.
For the past month, we’ve been apple slacks, ignoring them almost entirely. In my inbox sat a whole slew of emails from family members and friends inquiring as to a good recipe for apple butter. Oh, yeah yeah, I’ll post about it tomorrow I kept replying…now, toward the end of the season, we’ve finally gotten our act together.
Here is my trio of apple butter recipes, ready to use up all the many many apples with which you’re currently co-habiting. This trio includes: Seckle Pear, Cardamom, and Original. The grown-up chef will be doing quite a lot here since it’s made on the stovetop, so make sure that you kick it while the rest of the family is doing the hunting and gathering. After the actual apple picking is done, please let your children help weigh out the apples and assemble and measure the ingredients with you before you turn on the stove.
Original Apple Butter
*5 lbs. apples, peeled cored and cut into large slices
*2 c. apple cider
*1 T. lemon juice
*a couple of two-inch strips of lemon zest from an organic lemon
*1 c. brown sugar
*1/2 c. sugar
*1/2 t. salt
*1 T. ground cinnamon
*1 t. nutmeg
*10 pieces of candied ginger
In a large, covered stock pot over medium-high heat, cook the apples with the cider for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook 2-4 hours, partially covered, stirring occasionally until the mixture moves past the apple sauce phase and into the butter phase. It should be thick enough to spread.
Spoon out the lemon zest and discard. Puree the butter till smooth. Follow canning instructions here.
Seckle Pear Apple Butter
*3 lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into large slices
*2 lb. seckle pears (or other delicious varieties)
*1 1/2 c. apple cider
*1 T. lemon juice
*a two-inch strip of lemon zest from an organic lemon
*1 c. brown sugar
*1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
*pinch of cloves
*a star anise
*a pinch of salt
Follow the instructions for the Original Apple Butter (above), making sure to also take out the star anise with the lemon zest. This time, instead of pureeing, just mash the mixture with the back of a spoon till there are small chunks but no gigantic pieces.
Cardamom Apple Butter
*5 lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large slices
*1 c. apple cider
*1 T. lemon juice
*1 T. ground cardamom
*1 t. ground cinnamon
*1/8 t. nutmeg
*1 c. brown sugar
*1/2 t. salt
Follow the directions for Original Apple Butter, except you’ll have no lemon zest to toss before pureeing.
****Do not reduce either the lemon juice or the sugar if you’re canning these.
****Please follow the instructions for canning provided in this link.
