Check in weekly, on Wednesdays, to read our new post on gardening, harvesting, and making use of that fine, extra-local produce! We’ll share tips and techniques, gleaned from our urban farms and gardens. Email info@growpittsburgh.org with any topics you’d like us to cover.
The weather is growing chillier, the daylight is shorter, and it’s starting to feel cozy to spend time in the kitchen. Making soups and stews and baking are all great ways to warm the home and create something that smells and tastes great. And using local fall food enhances the experience. Local apples are in season, so it’s a great time to visit a farmers market or orchard and pick up a bunch! Use them as healthy snacks, additions to meals, and to make pies, cobbler, or this delicious and easy crock pot apple butter:*
Wash and cut apples in halves or quarters and pack them into a slow cooker. The number of apples needed will vary based on their size and the size of the slow cooker. Do not add water. Cook for 18 hours on low without removing the lid. After 18 hours, carefully remove cooked apples from the slow cooker and run them through a food mill or strainer. Add sugar to taste, 3 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/2 to 1 tsp. cloves. Pour the mixture back into slow cooker and cook another 4 hours on low.
These Cortland apples are ideal for cooking and baking. You can find them along with other varieties at Penn’s Corner’s Farm Stand.
To process jars of apple butter so they will be shelf-stable, pour the finished apple butter into hot half-pint jars. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes approximately 5-7 half-pints.
*Recipe adapted from Saving the Seasons: How to Can, Freeze, or Dry Almost Anything.