Crabapple Jam

  
  In my opinion the easiest way to effectively store a large amount of any fruit is to make jam. As we ease into the fall everyone's crabapples are becoming ripe. The sad thing is, not everyone knows how to enjoy their crabapples. Or, if they do know how to use them they might not realize how easy it is to make crabapple jam or butter!

    The recipe I used was technically for crabapple butter but it ended up having more of a jam texture so you can really call it whatever you want. Also, it was a stove top recipe instead of a slow cooker recipe so I think if I used a slow cooker and actually peeled the apples it might've ended up the a more buttery texture. 

    I started off by halving and coring all of my crabapples and putting them in a bowl. I then measured out portioning out the apples for each recipe. I then measured out about 2 cups of apples and putting them in a pot with 2 cups of water. I brought them to a boil then lowered the heat to let them simmer for 15 min. 

    As they were simmering I stirred them periodically so that they did not stick to the pot. After 15 minutes they were pretty mushy but I tried not to mush them too much at this point. I then strained the apples and seperated them into the mushy apples and a liquid. You can then use the liquid for either jelly or syrup. 

    Next put the apple mush back into the pot and add a cup of granulated or brown sugar. I couldn't decide so I did half and half. With the sugar add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to taste. I love cinnamon so mine only had a little nutmeg and a lot of cinnamon but you can do whatever proportions you want. Each should be around 1tsp though. 

    Mix all of the ingredients together and bring to a simmer. Stir the mixture periodically for 20-30 min until the apples get even mushier. If you are careful not to burn it you can leave the mixture on the stove simmering for longer to get a creamier texture. 

    Once you have hit the desired texture you can either can the the jam or let it cool before putting it in a container in the fridge. Make sure to label your delicious concoction and enjoy! I love mine on toast, bagels, or even pancakes. Some people also like to use it to cook their meat but I have not worked up the bravery to do that yet. Thank you for reading!