Made Nov 9, 2024
Note: We like the depth bourbon adds versus just using water.
Hot Tamales are NOT a replacement of the Red Hots. They are gelatin based, so they turn into a sludge when heated that does not mix into the butter well. If you can't find Red Hots, you're better off adding cinnamon and some additional sugar.
One pound of apples seems to make roughly 1 cup of apple butter, so plan canning jars accordingly.
Ingredients:
6 pounds Apples (around 24 small apples)
3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1½ cups Bourbon (we use Bullet) or water
5.5oz Red Hots
1 cup White Sugar
½ cup Brown Sugar
1½ tablespoons Molasses
½ tablespoon Ground Nutmeg
½ tablespoon Allspice
½ tablespoon Ground Cloves
1 teaspoon Table Salt
¼ teaspoon MSG
Directions:
Peel, core, and roughly dice the apples. You should end up with no less than 5 pounds once done.
Make an apple sauce by adding the apples to a large crockpot and toss with the lemon juice. The juice will help break down the apples, so trying to get some on all the apples helps. Add the bourbon and cook on high until the apples are soft enough to be mashed with a wooden spoon with little to no resistance, 3-4 hours.
The apples don't have to be an applesauce consistency at this point, they will continue to break apart as cooked more.
Move your applesauce and any separated liquid into a large pot and set stove to medium-high. Add Red Hots, sugars, molasses, spices, salt, and MSG and stir frequently until Red Hots have dissolved. Continue to cook for 1-2 hours to reduce the liquid.
If desired, use an immersion blender to make the butter smoother. Blend a little to keep it a bit chunky or a lot for a smoother consistency. Blending a lot releases more liquid, so it may require more reducing to keep from being too runny.
Ladle into clean canning jars while still hot. Leave out on the counter and the heat will seal the jars.
Refrigerate after opening
Final Notes:
This recipe is always a little different every year. Like last year we didn't have brown sugar, so we "made our own" by adding more white sugar and some molasses. This year we tried adding the molasses in addition to the brown sugar and it gave the butter a bit more umph, like more body flavorwise. It also seemed to help blend the sweetness and the spices.
A variety of apples is supposed to create the best flavor. This year we used four pounds of Golden Delicious and two pounds of Granny Smith.
Sugar amounts can be adjusted to taste to accommodate apple sweetness.
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