apple brandy apple butter

For the last two years, I’ve been going to Apple Crest Farms in NH for my birthday, which generally falls around Columbus Day weekend. Not only do they have a lovely variety of apples to choose from, they have a petting zoo, a market full of jams and cider and other goodies, farm-fresh ice cream, a cider donut booth, and live bluegrass.

They are kid-friendly (box not required)

kate the great

dog friendly (though Clara wanted to direct the petting zoo pen)

must... herd...

and their ice cream makes you make this face.

fuck yeah ice cream

I came back with about 15 lbs of apples, a mix of Macintoshes and Cortlands. I should have come back with 30, as I’m already out. But I do have 6 pints of apple brandy apple butter, which will last me a few months if I don’t gift them away. These are almost too tasty to share.

Apple Brandy Apple Butter
7 lbs apples
1 1/2 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp fresh ground cloves
2 tsp nutmeg
3 oz apple jack or calvados

Peel, core and roughly chop apples. In a wide pot, slowly simmer apples with cider on the lowest possible heat while still keeping a simmer. Stir enough to prevent apples from scorching or browning. Your goal is for the apples to soften enough that they can be smushed easily with a potato masher, about 30-45 mins. Rough them up with the masher, then puree – if you have a food mill, you’re in luck.  Alternately, you can use an immersion blender or puree in your food processor. At this point, you should have something the consistency of applesauce.

apple sauce

Now season and cook down further to apple butter, a jam-like consistency. Add apple puree, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and apple jack to your slow cooker. With lid slightly ajar, program slow cooker for 6 hours on low. If you don’t have a slow-cooker, you can do this on the stove top. Keep on low heat, and simmer uncovered for 4-6 hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes.

As always, pack hot into clean jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Wipe your rims and tighten bands over lids firmly. Process 20 minutes in a water bath, or 10 minutes at 8psi in a pressure canner. Store in a cool, dark place. Possibly one with a lock.

I was fidgeting a bit with an existing recipe for brown sugar glazed pork so it would work in the slow cooker.  Also, I was trying to use up some leftover apples and cider. I decided to caramelize the apples and use them as a stuffing. A savory fruit stuffing adds a nice contract to the roast, and it’s a really beautiful presentation when you’re slicing these to the plate.

apple stuffing

I used a sirloin cut roast, but this will work with a tenderloin or other cut, so long as it’s 4-6lbs and a few inches deep. Larger roasts will take a bit longer, but since we’re working with a slow cooker, you don’t need to worry about the exact time.

1 4-6lb pork roast (center cut, tenderloin, etc)

Glaze:
1 cup dark brown sugar, plus 2 tbsp
1 tbsp dijon-style mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Stuffing:
2 medium apples
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup apple cider
2 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

Peel and chop to apples into 1/2 inch cubes. Add butter into a sauce pan over medium heat. When butter has melted, add apples and stir for a few minutes, until apples have barely softened.  Add cider and cook until reduced a bit, then mix in chopped rosemary . Remove from heat; allow to cool to room temp.

Wash roast and pat try. Rub with salt and pepper.  Using a long knife, slit the roast in the center. Cut on each end, and then carefully press through the center until both cuts meet.

Take apple mixture and spoon into the hole you’ve slit in the roast. Mix brown sugar, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and nutmeg in a small bowl. The texture will be grainy but moist. Rub all over pork.

brown sugar glaze

Place roast in slow cooker. Take any remaining apples and cider, and pour over roast.

ready for the slow cooker

Depending on your slow cooker settings and how much time you have, you can cook on high (around 3-4 hours for a 4lb roast) or low (around 6-8 hours for a 4lb roast) until you reach an internal temp of 160F. Your slow cooker should switch to “warm” mode after the internal temp has been reached.

Remove from slow cooker and allow meat to rest for 5 minutes.  While the meat is resting, take remaining 2 tbsp of brown sugar and rub over top of pork. This should melt on its own.  Cut into 1″ thick serving slices.

all done, with potatoes and spinach gratin