Apple Butter

Directions

1. 1
   Wash, core and slice apples; do not peel. (I use a mixed variety of apples, Jonagold, Ida Red, Macintosh, Spy .... the variation in size of apples makes it hard to say how many apples you will need to make 16 cups of apple pulp.)
2. 2
   Cook apples in an 8-10 quart Dutch oven on the stove until apples are soft. Put cooked apples through a food mill, measure out 16 cups and then put apples in a roasting pan or back into the Dutch oven. Add sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg and combine.
3. 3
   Bake at 325 degrees (F) for 2 hours covered stirring every 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake for 1-3 hours longer. You want the apple butter to be thick and a dark mahogany color. Apples will reduce about a third of the way down.
4. 4
   Fill pint-sized jars or I have used 4-ounce jars also. I would plan on filling 8 jars if you are using the pint-sized jars; if you choose to use the 4-ounce jars you will need 16 or more. Depending how much you cook your apple butter down, this may be plus or minus a jar either way. Follow water bath instructions that come with canning jars.