Blueberry Butter

This recipe comes from a new-to-me cookbook, that I borrowed from a friend and decided was so good I just had to have my own copy!  The book is from Michigan, and is called Hollyhocks & Radishes: Mrs. Chard's Almanac Cookbook, which you may remember from the delicious Rhubarb Bundt Cake I posted a few weeks ago. There are so many recipes on my list to try.

I was planning on making this with a case of blueberries I bought, and even successfully found and purchased some mace, but my boys beat me to the fruit.  My friends in Oregon just harvested 163.4 pounds of blueberries, so I am publishing this for them.  I am sure it's fabulous.  Here's the book, you might as well go order your copy now!

Blueberry Butter
Yield:  8 pints
Prepare: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour

2 quarts fresh blueberries
8 large, green cooking apples
8 cups sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon mace

Wash and drain blueberries; peel, core and slice apples.  Combine in a Dutch oven or pot with remaining ingredients. 

Bring to a boil, stirring.  Lower heat and simmer 1 hour, stirring periodically, or until right consistency for spreading.

May be stored in the freezer or water-bath canned.  If the latter, process 10 minutes (or adjust for your altitude).

Strawberry Balsamic Freezer Jam

I found this recipe on the Ball website, http://freshpreserving.com/  It is attributed to Barbara H. of Park Hills, Missouri.  And it is fabulous!

I am adding it to my fruit preserving/harvest repertoire, as well as sharing it with you.


Enjoy!

Strawberry Balsamic Freezer Jam

Makes about 5 (8 oz) half pints

1 cup balsamic vinegar
4 cups crushed strawberries
1/2 cup honey
5 tablespoons Ball^® RealFruit^® Instant Pectin

Pour balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until reduced to 3/4 cup. Chill until cool.

Mix strawberries, honey and cooled balsamic vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add pectin. Stir 3 minutes.

Ladle jam into clean jars to fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.

Peach Vanilla Bean Butter

A friend of mine asked me if I wanted some peaches.  I did, so I met her and we hiked back to an old, neglected, almost abandoned but certainly untended orchard where huge organic peaches were literally falling off the trees.  We picked boxes and boxes of peaches, and ate almost a dozen peaches between us as we picked, then hauled the boxes back out to the cars on foot.  It was a very nice way to spend a few hours.

Then I drove almost an hour home, and tried to decide what to do with all the peaches!

The first recipe I decided on was Peach Butter from Smitten Kitchen.  I love that she used less sugar, and that it tastes more like peaches than anything else.  I doubled her recipe from the start.  The only problem was that it took FOREVER...way longer than the supposed "15 to 20 minutes + 30 to 40 minutes" stated in the recipe, and it seemed like there was a big risk of sticking/scorching no matter how I adjusted my burner.  After about 2 hours of simmering, with the peach butter still not being the right consistency, I got a slow cooker and emptied the peach mixture into it. 

The slow cooker worked great, as it always has for my pear butter, apple butter, etc.  It probably took another 12 hours, but I didn't have to watch and stir it, and it turned out really delicious.  After it was canned I decided to start from scratch and come up with my own recipe. I felt like there was way too much water added in the beginning of Deb's recipe, or maybe my organic peaches were just juicier?  I also happened to have some vanilla beans in the pantry, and I thought this would be a good way to use one. 

This recipe is inspired by the original (link above), but the technique and ingredients have been changed, so this is mine.  And it is delicious!  The vanilla bean adds a subtle depth to the peach butter that is just amazing. 

I was able to fit 12 pounds of peaches in my oval slow cooker; I don't remember which size it is.  You can adjust the recipe to fit your slow cooker.  The peaches will exude a ton of juice while you're cooking, and at some points honestly won't look very appetizing, but hang in there and you will get some of the most amazing tasting fruit spread you've ever had.

Peach Vanilla Bean Butter
Makes about 12-14 half pints

12 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and quartered
4 cups granulated sugar
Juice of two lemons
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pods reserved

To peel peaches:  Dip each into a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds, and then into a bowl of ice water for a minute. The peels should slide right off.  If not, put them back in the hot water, then ice water.  It helps if your peaches are perfectly ripe.

Halve your peaches and remove the pits, then cut each half into quarters.  Place peaches, sugar and lemon juice in a large slow cooker.  Stir in vanilla bean paste, and add split pods as well.  Cover and cook on low for about 10-12 hours.

Remove lid, and remove bean pods.  (**If you want a stronger vanilla flavor, leave pods in and don't blend until you've cooked without the lid for a few hours**)  Using an immersion blender, puree' peaches to a smooth consistency, right in the crock pot.  If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer peaches to a food processor or blender in batches to puree'.

With lid off, continue cooking for another 2 to 10 hours, until peach butter is of the consistency you prefer.  I like mine pretty thick, so mine ended up cooking a good 10 hours at this stage.

Deb of Smitten Kitchen says:
"There are several methods to test for doneness: You can drizzle a ribbon of sauce across the surface; when that ribbon holds its shape before dissolve into the pot, it is done. Some people use cold or frozen plates; dollop a spoonful in the middle of one and if no water forms a ring around it in a couple minutes, it is done. Others use a spoon; if the butter remains rounded on a spoon for two minutes, it is done. You can also check the pot itself; the butter is usually done when a wooden spoon leaves a clear train when scraped across the bottom."

When the peach butter is done, wash and prep your jars, lids and rings.  Ladle peach butter into half pint jars, wipe rims and put lids on, then submerge in a pot of boiling water.  Process as directed for jams at your altitude.  I am at about 7,000 feet, so I processed my peach butter for about 25 minutes.

Pear Butter

This recipe came about after I discovered how much I LOVE homemade Apple Butter. And since I have sooooo many pears from our trees in town. I decided I could make the Pear Butter using the same technique, just varying the spices. It is so simple. Not quick, but simple. The Pear Butter is inspired by the Apple Butter recipe from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook.

I will let you know how it turns out, of course, it still has at least 12 hours in the slow cooker today. It smells delicious in the house, once again.

The pear butter turned out great! Smooth and delicious. And so easy.

Pear Butter
Makes about 10 cups in a six-quart slow cooker.

Does anyone make pear butter? I don't know. But this is an easy recipe in the slow cooker, with very little hands-on time until you're ready to can the butter. Be sure to use unpeeled pears, since the pectin in the skins will help make the butter nice and thick. The yield will vary, depending on how thick you like your butter.

Setting and Cook Time: LOW for 12 to 20 hours; cooker is uncovered at 10 to 12 hours

5 pounds pears, unpeeled, cored, and cut up, or enough pears to fill your cooker
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt

1. Coat the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Fill with the pears, almost to the top; the exact amount is not critical. As you load in the pears, sprinkle with the sugar in layers. Cover and let stand at room temperature all day; the pears will exude some of their own juice and collapse slightly. Pears are very juicy.

2. Add the spices and salt and toss the pears with a large wooden spoon. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight.

3. In the morning, remove the lid and let the pear butter cook an additional 2 to 8 hours on low to reach the desired thickness.

4. Prepare your canning jars and lids during the last hour or so of cooking. Wash your jars and place them in a pot of very hot water, over the tops of the jars, but do not boil. Place your flat lids in a saucepan and cover with boiling water, then let sit off the heat. Have your clean screw rings ready, along with your towel, tongs, damp dish cloth, etc. (see here for canning hints)

5. Keep the slow cooker on low so the pear butter remains hot. Use a handheld immersion blender right in the crock and puree' the butter until it is as smooth as you'd like. Ladle the hot pear butter into hot glass jars, wipe rims, place hot flat lids on top and secure with screw rings. As jars are filled, place them on a clean towel, upside down. When all the jars are filled, let sit upside down for 10 minutes, then turn all jars right side up. Let cool on the counter for about 24 hours, then check for seals. In the meantime you should hear little pops as the jars are sealing.

UPDATE: I used to use the inversion method for canning jams and fruit butters, but I have since been made aware that this no longer considered a reliable canning method.  Prepare a pot of boiling water, and as jars are filled place them in the pot, making sure the water covers the lids by at least an inch.  Process (boil) for the recommended time for jams at your altitude--I am at 7,000 feet, so that means about 25 minutes for my jars.  Remove jars from pot and set them gently on a towel.  Let them sit, undisturbed for 24 hours, then test for seals. 

After 24 hours, press lightly on the middle of the lids, if a lid bounces back, it has not sealed and should be refrigerated. Store unsealed jars, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Or transfer to small plastic storage containers and freeze for up to 3 months.

Canned pear butter should be good for at least one year.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Apple Butter

After H-Bomb, Grandpa, Jean-Claude and I picked TONS of apples from the trees at our house in town, I was tasked with finding something to do with them. I thought of apple jam (but not jelly), but haven't tried it yet. I may do an experiment in the next few days, since we have so many apples.

And then I thought of apple butter. Really, I thought of how much my dad loves apple butter. I honestly don't even know if I like it, I haven't had it since I was a kid. But I found a recipe, so I am making some. A whole bunch, actually.


This recipe comes from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, and it sounded like something I could do. We have one of those old-fashioned kind of apple peeler/corer/slicer things that clamps onto the edge of your counter, and if we still had the piece of rubber that goes underneath it, it would clamp down tight and be quick and easy. We've apparently lost the rubber piece, so it slides around just a bit, but it really still does make quick work of peeling apples, especially these little ones we have. This is how it works:


Place the apple securely on the three prongs, making sure to line up the core in the center.


And start turning the crank, which will rotate the apple toward the peeler...


And through the corer/slicer. I forgot to take a picture of the end result, but basically you slide off the spiraled apple slices below, and the core remains on the three prongs. Remove the core, discard, and start again.



You are just left with a bowl of peels and cores, and a bowl of apples, neatly and uniformly sliced.


It does virtually everything for you, so all I was left to do was to quarter the sliced apples and discard any worm holey pieces. These are organic apples, after all.


Unfortunately, after Sawed Off and I ran a million apples through our peeler (the old-fashioned kind) and I already took the majority of the peels outside to feed to the goats in the morning, I read the following sentence in the recipe: "Be sure to use unpeeled apples, since the pectin in the skins will help make the butter nice and thick." Oops.


Luckily, Sawed Off had been eating and also hoarding apple peels, mostly from the ends that the peeler misses, in a small bowl that hadn't yet been discarded. It was the cutest thing, "You have 'nother peel for meeeeee?" I grabbed most of those, shoving them in the already-packed slow cooker and sprinkled them with about 1/4 cup more sugar. I don't think it's an exact recipe, so hopefully it will turn out.

I do want to try to put this in jars. My theory is that I can jar it up like jam, while it's still hot, and use the inversion method to seal the jars. This will involve blending it while it's still hot, or perhaps I could cool, blend, then reheat? I have no idea. But I will let you know what happens tomorrow. This is a multi-day process.

Will the apple butter be a success?
Will it be a failure?
Will my dad want to eat it?

STAY TUNED!!!!

Also, because we turn our generator off at night, I am doing this recipe the opposite of the way they suggest: I am letting the apples sit overnight, then turning the slow cooker on during the day, when it is possible to turn it on. Get it? It's the only way I can do these things. Oh how I wish I could try those overnight slow-cooked oatmeal recipes...someday, perhaps.


****It is now the next day. I added the spices and stirred the apples, and turned on the slow cooker at 7:AM. Four hours later, my house smells like apple pie...it is heavenly. Six to eight hours to go, then I will uncover the slow cooker and cook some more. I may be leaving the generator on later than 10:PM this evening...****

****Update #2, the late-night post: I finished cooking the apple butter, leaving it uncovered for about three hours. I couldn't wait; I borrowed my mother-in-law's immersion blender and it was perfect for the task. I blended the apple butter before I had finished the last cooking part. It really didn't need much longer than three hours.

While I was waiting, I made a batch of apple jam (first taste = delicious!) and then I ladled the hot apple butter into hot jars and put the lids on, turned them upside down and ladled some more. After all the jars were filled and overturned, I set my timer for 10 minutes, then turned them right-side up.
UPDATE: I used to use the inversion method for canning jams and fruit butters, but I have since been made aware that this no longer considered a reliable canning method.  Prepare a pot of boiling water, and as jars are filled place them in the pot, making sure the water covers the lids by at least an inch.  Process (boil) for the recommended time for jams at your altitude--I am at 7,000 feet, so that means about 25 minutes for my jars.  Remove jars from pot and set them gently on a towel.  Let them sit, undisturbed for 24 hours, then test for seals.   
 

I ended up with 10 half-pint (8 ounce) jars of apple butter, and enough for a couple healthy samples! It tastes complex and decadent, but it was soooo easy, really.

I have a whole bunch more apples. And now I know what to do with them! I'll let you know in the morning if my jars have sealed (I just heard one loud pop, so one down, nine to go!) Man, I hope they all seal. There's no way our little family can eat 10 jars of apple butter that quickly!


Oh yeah, and I am certain my dad will LOVE this.****


Apple Butter
Makes 5 to 8 cups (I ended up with just over 10 cups)

Everyone loves old-fashioned apple butter. In the oven or on the stove top, apple butter needs a watchful eye. And it is a messy process as well. Not so with slow cooker apple butter, one of the best uses of your 4- to 6-quart cooker. Be sure to use unpeeled apples, since the pectin in the skins will help make the butter nice and thick. The yield will vary, depending on how thick you like your butter.

Cooker: large round (I'm using large oval. I'm a rebel. You already knew that.)
Setting and Cook Time: LOW for 12 to 20 hours; cooker is uncovered at 10 to 12 hours

5 pounds tart cooking apples, unpeeled, cored, and cut up, or enough apples to fill your cooker
2 cups sugar
1 cup apple juice or cider (optional; see step 1)
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of salt

1. Coat the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Fill with the apples, almost to the top; the exact amount is not critical (whew!). As you load in the apples, sprinkle with the sugar in layers. Cover and let stand at room temperature all day; the apples will exude some of their own juice and collapse slightly. If you want to skip this step, just add the apple juice.

2. Add the spices and salt and toss the apples with a large wooden spoon. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight.

3. In the morning, remove the lid and let the apple butter cook an additional 2 to 8 hours on low to reach the desired thickness. (I may have to leave the generator on a bit longer tomorrow for this step...)

4. Turn off the cooker and let cool to room temperature in the crock. Transfer to a blender or food processor, or use a handheld immersion blender right in the crock and puree' the butter until completely smooth. Scrape with a rubber spatula into spring-top glass jars (or use screw tops with new lids). Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Or transfer to small plastic storage containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Pear Jam

Pears were falling off our tree in town last week, so the boys and I harvested a big box full. We also had several pears from an old tree in one of the fields at the ranch, so I needed to do something. It probably goes without saying that several Pear Pies are on my list of things to make, but I also decided to make Pear Jam. I haven't made Pear Jam in quite a few years, possibly since just before or after our first son was born, and I've been missing it. It is delicious, and worth every ounce of effort. If you think about it, it isn't much effort at all, given that you'll get over 6 jars of jam (or more!) to enjoy for months to come.


Go ahead and try it. I'll show you how it's done. This is a recipe for Cooked Jam, although they have changed the directions for canning it. I will tell you the way to do it. I just think it is NOT necessary to process the jars in boiling water, I'm not sure why they've changed the directions when the old way works great. I'll tell you the old way. If you're not comfortable with the way I tell you, then feel free to follow the directions on the insert from your very own box of Sure*Jell or other fruit pectin. I'm just here to show you how easy it really is, and to encourage you to try something new!

Also, please don't be tempted to "double" this recipe. My father-in-law tries to double his peach jam almost every year, and every year, despite me telling him that doubling is most likely the issue, he reports it doesn't work, it doesn't set properly. So please just don't do it. Just do it one batch at a time, and it will turn out fine.

Here are Sure*Jell's "Important Tips for Success"

• Use firm ripe fruit for best flavor and set.
• Buy new, flat jar lids for a good seal. (I admit, I have re-used lids before)
• Always use clean jars. Thoroughly wash jars or containers before starting.
• Use only the Sure*Jell pectin product specified in the recipes to insure a proper set. (In other words, if you're not using Sure*Jell, do NOT use this recipe)
• Measure ingredients exactly. Spoon sugar into dry (metal or plastic) measuring cups. Scrape excess sugar from top of cup with a straight-edged knife. Use liquid (glass) measuring cups with a pour spout to measure prepared fruit. Use amount of sugar specified in each recipe. ALTERING RECIPES or INGREDIENTS could cause a set failure.

Gather these Tools you will need before you get started:

• Tongs that can go in hot water
• Half-pint jars, flat lids and screw tops (You can use a different size if you prefer. Half-pint jars hold approximately 1 cup of jam each)
  
• A large pot for jars
• A saucepan for flat lids
• A ladle (metal preferred, but plastic works)
• A funnel (if your jar openings are smaller--I like the wide-mouth jars so I don't need a funnel)
• A wooden spoon
• A clean dishcloth, wet with warm water and wrung out well
• A clean, dry towel, for setting the hot jars on
• A 6- to 8-quart saucepan for mixin' jam
  

Pear Jam
makes about 6 cups (I always end up with a bit more)

4 cups finely chopped pears (You'll need about 3 pounds of pears)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I just use ReaLemon)
1 box Sure*Jell
5 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter



1. Bring a big pot of water to simmer. You will use this to keep your jars (about 7 small ones) warm, so be sure it's big enough to hold at least 5 or so.

2. Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Place the jars into the large pot of water (heat and simmer, but don't boil). Put flat lids in a saucepan--if you alternate your lids, top up, bottom up, and stagger their placement around the pan, they will be less likely to stick together. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

3. Peel, pit and finely chop pears. I just keep chopping until I end up with 4 cups of pears. If using a food processor, pulse to chop. Do NOT puree.

4. Measure exact amount of prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. Stir in lemon juice.

5. Measure exact amount of sugar into separate bowl. (REDUCING SUGAR OR USING SUGAR SUBSTITUTES WILL RESULT IN SET FAILURES).

6. Stir 1 box Sure*Jell pectin into fruit in saucepot. Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to reduce foaming, if desired.

7. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

8. Stir in sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam.

9. Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. I use tongs to remove a couple jars from the hot water at a time, and place them on the towel to fill. (if all your jars didn't fit in the pot, take a second to place the remaining jars in the pot of hot water as you take some out--they'll get plenty hot by the time you get to them) Wipe jar rims and threads with damp dishcloth. With tongs, remove a flat jar lid and place it on the jar, then top with screw band. Flip each jar upside down after the lids are on.

10. After all jars have been filled and lidded and turned upside down, set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minute, turn all jars right-side-up. At this point, some of them will seal and you will hear little "pops" as they do so. Some of the jars may take longer to seal. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.

11. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Label and date your jars. Store unopened jams in cool, dry, dark place up to 1 year. Refrigerate opened jams up to 3 weeks.