Apple Butter / Sauce

Preparation: Soak and wash apples in lemon water. I do not use pesticides on my apples so please guarantee your apples are cleaned properly. Quarter and remove core, leaving peels intact. Boil apples with enough water to cover apples.

Once apples are cooked, use a food mill medium blade removing the unusable apple from mill frequently. Mill again with the fine blade. Hint - If you wish an even finer texture, you can use to cheesecloth after the fine mill. Do not discard the water from the boiling include it in the apple mixture. Your remaining apple should be almost the constancy of store purchased applesauce before adding ingredients.

7 quarts cooked and prepared apple

6 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp all spice

3 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves

3 cups brown sugar

5 cups white sugar

1 1/2 c. cider

(Careful add 1/2 cup cider at a time adjusting recipe to taste. Some apples are sour, some sweet.)

Cook in turkey roaster at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours. Apple should be desired consistency and brown in color as it cooks. This part of the cooking process is very forgiving. You can reduce heat, add water or even refrigerate the mixture and heat again the next day. If you wish you can cook it for 5 or more hours. Stir frequently keeping the apple butter at a high simmer.

Ladle into clean, hot jars securing with new lids and place in water bath. Water bath must cover jar lids. Boil in water bath for 15 min before removing to cool. Jar should seal and pressing on center of lid should not produce a "pop". Always refrigerate applesauce after opening.