Apple Butter

[PhilNH5]

We have two semi-dwarf apple trees. I have no idea what type. This year one had no fruit and one was very productive.

In the first pick my wife is getting readt to pick.
Pic two is her picking.
The last pick shows most of the harvest. We only kept the containers. All of the tractor bucket plus another half bucket were to small to keep. I placed them in the woods for the deer. This morning I saw two deer munching at the pile.

 

[PhilNH5]

We process the apples into apple butter.

First I use a hand cranked peeler/slicer to peel them.

Then they get simmered all day on the wood cookstove.

Lastly I use a boiling water bath to can them.

 

[Bird]

We never had one of those peeling machines; just had to do the job with a paring knife. And we liked to freeze a few apples for pies, but I always did like the apple butter better than the apple sauce. You've got a pretty place there, inside and out.

 

[mjarrels]

A friend just gave me a quart last week so I'm good to go!

mark

 

[scott_vt]

Then they get simmered all day on the wood cookstove.

Good Afternoon Phil,
That is a beauty of a stove, reminds me of my grandmothers stove up on the farm ! Thanks for posting !

 

[PhilNH5]

Bird,
We used to peel by hand. And then after cooking, force the pulp through a screen sieve. Now I use the peeler/corer/slicer gizmo - Best $19.95 I ever spent. And I use a food mill attachment on my KitchenAid stand mixer to get rid of stray seeds, skin and stems. One of the reasons i love the KitchenAid.

Scott,
I love the wood cookstove. It is in the basement but becomes the center of the household when I fire it up. Saturday morning I cooked sausage omlets on top and baked apple muffins in the oven. Then the applebutter simmered all day.

Phil

 

[Bird]

Phil, I noticed originally that it looked my my KitchenAid stand mixer on yoru counter. I'm not sure what the "food mill attachment" is though. Naturally, we've got the coated c-dough hook (which I used today), the coated flat beater, and the wire whip. We also have the food grinder and the ice cream maker.

 

[PhilNH5]

Bird,
The food mill is an auger inside a conical perforated screen. You feed the fruit/veggies into a hopper. They get pushed along by the auger. The bad stuff (seeds, skins,etc ) get pushed out the far end. The good stuff - the pulp is forced through the screen and drips into you collection pan.
The whole system comes with a shield that directs the drippings to a single point so you don't make a mess.

Here is a pic from when we made spaghetti sauce earlier this fall. The pulp of the tomatoes will drip down into the pot with the handles. The bad stuff comes out the little hole in the end and we collect it in the round bowl for compost.

Phil

 

[Bird]

Phil, I guess they now call that a fruit & vegetable strainer and food grinder. And your kitchen looks like a better homes & garden photo; very nice.