Making Molasses in the Hills of West Virginia

It is that time of year. 

The time of year to make molasses.

A few weeks ago we went to the annual Liberty Lions Club Molasses Making.

 Below is a pictorial slide show of each step in the process.

 

 

Above is the last step. The finished molasses is piped out of the bottom of the big pot into quart or pint canning jars and put on the shelves to purchase.

It is a time-consuming process, but well worth the effort put into it.

They also made apple butter in a big copper kettle.

I have fond memories of making apple butter in 

Grandma's yard when I was young.

The molasses tasted delicious (they let you taste test a spoonful of it). We bought two quart jars of molasses, but didn't buy any apple butter. I make my own apple butter in a big pot on my stove.

It was a fun and learning experience.

What to do with Apples

We have apple trees in our yard. There's lots to do with apples in the summer.
You can pick them off the ground and take a bite out of them, you can fry them (yum!), you can make apple pie jam, you can just let them be and let the deer eat them or you can make apple butter.

I made stove top apple butter today. And let me tell you, next year my husband is going to spray the trees, because if you don't you will end up having to cut out more of the apple than you can keep. My apples have been falling off the trees every day and I go and pick up the best ones and take in the house. Here's a bunch with bruises, bad spots and all. They were pretty small this year, I think it was because the trees were loaded.



After about 2 1/2 hours of peeling, slicing and cutting out bad parts, I ended up with a big bowl full. As I peel the apples, I toss them in 4 quarts of water with 2T of salt mixed in the water so they won't turn brown. I'd been debating on whether or not to make apple butter out of them this year, I dreaded it because the apples were all bruised and messed up inside, but I did it. If you have nice big apples, this is a lot easier and quicker. If you want it to be even quicker, just buy unsweetened apple sauce and use it instead. That's what I do sometimes. Buy enough to equal 8 cups of applesauce.


I put them in a big pan and cooked them until they were soft. I added a little water (about 1/2 cup or so). Usually after cooking them, I put them in a blender and blend until smooth. Today I did something different, I mashed them with a potato masher and then used a hand mixer. It's a lot chunkier this way, but I think it will be fine.


Measure out 8 cups of the applesauce mixture. Add 5 1/2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup of cinnamon red hots and 1/3 cup of vinegar.


Stir together and boil for 20 minutes.


Don't forget to add and stir in a drop of cinnamon oil after it is finished boiling.


Put into sterilized jars and listen for the ping when they seal. Aren't they pretty?



It's supposed to make 5 pints, and it usually does. But, this time I had leftovers that I put into a bowl and put in the fridge. So, if you want to be on the safe side you could sterilize an extra jar to have on hand in case you need it.

So that's it! I'm finally through canning, jelly making and freezing for the summer! No more! It's time to rest!

Apple Butter and a Dear Friend

Long, long ago in a large kettle far away simmered the best apple butter in the entire universe.

Everyone came, everyone stirred, everyone sampled and everyone took home fresh homemade jars of apple butter.

I do not like store bought apple butter. It does not look like and it does not taste like the kind that simmered in the big kettle in Grandma's yard.

Lucky for me, a dear friend and neighbor who is not with us anymore, gave me a recipe for stove top apple butter.

The beautiful red color far outshines the dull brown color of the store bought variety.


Don't you agree?

She gave me the recipe one day while I visited her.

If you're making it from fresh apples, peel and slice apples and add them to a large cooking pot till it is full. Add small amount of water and cook until tender.

Remove apples from pot and mix in a blender until a smooth consistency.
You should now have 8 cups of applesauce.

STOVE TOP APPLE BUTTER

8 cups of applesauce
5 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of cinnamon drops
1/3 cup vinegar

Stir together the above ingredients and put on stove and bring to boil.
When boiling, stir constantly for 20 minutes.
Add 1 drop of cinnamon oil (like you use for hard rock candy)

Put in 5 sterilized pint jars.
Make sure the jars seal.

It is soooo good! If you don't have apples, buy the unsweetened applesauce and use it.
It's quicker and it cuts out the chore of peeling, slicing, and cooking of the apples. This is what I do if I run out of canned apple butter in the winter or spring.

Sweet rusty West Virginia yellow delicious apples. You can't beat them for taste.


We didn't have very many of these delicious apples, so you better believe I'm going to be buying applesauce this year to make my Stove Top Apple Butter.

I like to eat apple butter plain and on a biscuit. Some people think I'm crazy, but I also like to eat apple butter on sausage patties and with pinto beans. Mmmm Mmmm.

How do you eat your apple butter?