I’m finally getting around to writing up the recipe for my apple butter talked about in a recent post. If you happen to have my new book, there is a variation of this recipe in there, made with both pears and apples, honey, and left a little chunkier (pictured). This is for the rest of you, or anyone who has a glut of tart apples lying around and you don’t know what to do with them.  My apple butter is delicious on toast, scones, as a side dish to pork, on a sandwich, or eaten right out of the jar. Try it on buttermilk French toast as we used to serve it at the Cafe Kevah in Big Sur, CA.

For the 60 or so jars I made last week, I used apples from the Pisoni farm. No one there knows what the actual varietal is, but I’m guessing some kind of old world macintosh, or perhaps a cross with a gravenstein–they were both tart and sweet, with a reddish-yellow skin.  You can cook the apples with the skins on, giving the finished butter a hint of rosy color and added natural pectin, then run through a food mill or sieve to remove the peel before adding the sugar. I usually take to peeling and coring ahead of time, though for much larger batches the latter method may be more efficient.

Mark Pisoni, son of wine maverick Gary Pisoni and Pisoni Vineyard farm manager, told me that his wife makes her apple butter in a slow-cooker. I read that Thomas Keller of French Laundry does the same. Absent of one, as I am, just cook slowly in a heavy bottomed pot over the lowest flame and take to stirring every so often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. You’ll want to cook it for at least an hour, if not longer, to get that deep, caramel-like color and flavor.  A watched pot in this case is a good thing.

My Apple Butter

Makes 8 (1/2-pint) jars

6 pounds apples

2 1/2 cups apple cider

2 cinnamon sticks

3  (1/2-inch) strips of lemon peel,  plus the juice of 1 lemon

5-6 cups sugar

Pinch fresh ground nutmeg, or to taste

Pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste

Peel and core the apples. Cut into rough chunks and place in a large, heavy-bottomed pot with the apple cider (or water), cinnamon sticks and lemon peel. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat and occasionally stirring until the apples are soft and pulpy, about 45 minutes. You can add a little water, if needed, so that the apples don’t stick to the bottom, or to achieve the right texture.

If you don’t mind a chunkier apple butter, you can simply mash the apples with the back of a wooden spoon and proceed. Otherwise, push the apples through a sieve or food mill for a smoother butter; add the pulp back into the same pot. Remove the lemon peel. Add the sugar (more or less depending on the tartness of the apples and taste), lemon juice, and spices and slowly bring to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved.

Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Take care to use a long wooden spoon and wear gloves as any splatters will burn (I have proof of it on my hand right now). Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the butter is thick and syrupy, and is a golden straw-like color, about 45 minutes more, or longer if you like it thicker and more caramelized.  Watch it closely at this point, as it can easily scorch the bottom of the pot and ruin your hard work. If this does happen, turn off the heat immediately, and quickly pour the butter into a new pot, leaving the scorched areas in the former pot.

Ladle the finished apple butter into hot, sterilized jars, cover with lids, and let stand overnight.