Stewed Cider Apple Butter

Ingredients

• Cider made from sound apples
• Good apples, pared and cut
• Orange peel (optional)
• Cinnamon (optional)
• Cloves (optional)
• Sugar (optional)

Method

1. 1 Clean a large kettle and fill it early in the morning with fresh cider made from sound apples.
2. 2 Boil the cider until it has reduced by half, which should take until about 3:00 PM.
3. 3 Place pared and cut apples in a clean tub and pour the boiling cider over them.
4. 4 Scour the kettle, return the apples and cider to the kettle, and boil briskly until the apples sink to the bottom.
5. 5 Slacken the fire and stew the mixture like preserves until 10:00 PM, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
6. 6 Season with orange peel, cinnamon, or cloves just before finishing; add sugar an hour before if desired.
7. 7 Store the finished apple butter in stone jars.