Apple Butter II

Cookbook Category: Jelly and Preserves Recipes

8 or 9 medium apples (Golden Delicious, Empire, McIntosh, Paulared)
1 teaspoon water
1 pound brown sugar
1 orange

Core the apples and cut into quarters. Place in a Dutch oven with the teaspoon of water. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until apples are soft. Turn apples about halfway through the cooking time.

Grate the orange and put the orange zest into a measuring cup. Juice the orange into the measuring cup. You should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup juice.

Put the cooked apples through a food mill. Return the apple pulp to the saucepan and stir in the brown sugar and reserved apple juice/zest.

Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick (about 1-12; hours), or pour mixture into a large baking dish and bake, uncovered, in a 350°F oven, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour; reduce heat to 250°F and bake for another 2 to 3 hours until mixture is thick.

Remove from heat and ladle into 2 hot, sterilized pint jars, attach sterilized and screw rims. Process jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Makes 2 pints.