Apple Butter

Ingredients

• 6 pounds mixed sweet and tart apples, unpeeled, uncored, chopped
• 6 cups apple cider
• 1 cup raw or granulated sugar
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Directions

• 1.

  Bring apples, cider, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to a boil in a large wide pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and apples are very soft, 1–1½ hours.

• 2.

  Discard cinnamon stick. Pass apple mixture through the fine disk of a food mill, or strain through a coarse-mesh sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula. Discard peel, seeds, and cloves.

• 3.

  Preheat oven to 350°. Transfer apple mixture to a 13x9" baking pan and bake, stirring every 30 minutes, until reduced by half and very thick and dark amber, 1½–2 hours. Stir in vinegar; let cool in pan.

• 4.

  Apple butter can be made 1 month ahead; transfer to an airtight container and chill, or freeze up to 3 months.