[AT] t-giving dinner

[Gerald Johnson]

Actually while the stirring is going on, I am running my grist mill, shingle
mill, cider press, and corn sheller to entertain the visitors...but the two
days before the advertised day, I do get to watch them make it.   We start
with Golden Delicious apples peeled and cut into small slices.  About 8 a.m.
we put about 15 gallons of the apples in a 20 gallon copper kettle, add a
little water (or cider if I have any to spare) and start stirring.  This
stirring (along with fishing out an occasional chip of peel and a yellow
jacket or two)  continues for about 6 hours and then we start pouring in
sugar....usually about 12-15 pounds to a kettle.  The amount of sugar needed
varies with the type of apple.  Over the years we have found Golden
Delicious to require the least amount of sugar.  About 30 minutes later we
add red food coloring and cinnamon flavoring.  Some folks just add "red
hots" candy which both colors and flavors.  We stir this in until we have an
even color and flavor.  Next we start watching for the boiling butter to
start making "craters" on the top as it boils.  When it does this, it is
time to star "jarring it up".  We form an assembly line and fill pint jars
until the pot is empty.  We will do three 20 gallon kettles and three 30
gallon kettles in the 3 day period.   We also offer a "sugar free" type that
is made the same way but without the added sugar.  It is just a little more
tart than the other but still good.

One favorite use by old timers here was to make apple butter "stack cakes"
where they made thin cakes similar to a pancake.  The would then put a cake
covered with a layer of apple butter, another layer of cake, another layer
of apple butter, etc. until finished....usually about 10 layers of each.
My wife still makes them occasionally.  They are much in demand and take a
long time to make.

Now you know about all I do about making apple butter.

Gerald


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wayne Snelling" <wsnelling at southplainscollege.edu>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 5:12 PM
Subject: Re: [AT] t-giving dinner


> Gerald: How about a recipe for us country boys and our toys?
>
> Wayne
>
> Gerald Johnson wrote:
>
> >Each year at our church Heritage Day we make apple butter in copper
kettles
> >over an open fire.  First time we did it 11 years ago we made about 60
> >pints.  This year we made 635 pints!  That takes a mighty big biscuit!
> >Folks stand around and help stir for hours to get a chance to buy it when
it
> >comes off.  It sells as fast as we can put it in jars.
> >
> >Gerald
> >Western, NC
> >----- Original Message ----- 
> >From: "Danny Tabor" <dannytabor2000 at yahoo.com>
> >To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>