Homemade Apple Butter

• Bring the apples, orange juice, apple cider vinegar to a boil in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the apple slices are disintegrating, stirring occasionally.
• Press the apple mixture though a food mill in batches untill pureed. A food processor, blender or even a potato masher can be used.
• Pour the puree back into the dutch oven, add the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla, and salt stirring until the sugar and spices have dissolved.
• Cover and cook over low heat, stirring every 5-10 minutes for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until mixture has thickened and holds its shape in a spoon. Remove from heat. Pour into jars and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.

Canning instructions

• Wash jars and keep them hot in a hot bath or in the oven at 200 degrees.
• Pull jars out of the heat and prepare lids by placing the tops in hot water. 
• Laddle hot apple butter mixture into hot jar, leaving 1/2 inch room. Remove the bubbles by tapping the jar on the counter top.
• Wipe jar rim with a clean cloth or paper towel, center the lid on the jar and apply band to fingertip tight. Repeat until the jars are filled.
• Place the jars in a boiling water bath and process jars for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the water.
• When the jars have cooled to a point where you can safely touch them, check if the seals took. Push down on the top of the jar if it indents and makes a popping noise the seal didn’t take and means it won’t keep on the shelf. Either put it in the refrigerator to eat later or put another lid on it and water bath it again.