Found this on the internet: (do a google search using apple butter oven as the criteria, there were several other recipes) APPLE BUTTER MAKES ABOUT 2-1/2 CUPS Apple butter is one of the sweets in the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch "sweets and sours" commonly served with large dinners. There are several good store-bought apple butters, specifically those that are low in sugar. And where I lived in PA, you could buy it homemade from many orchards. However, there is nothing like making your own. If you are into canning, double the recipe and place in jars as indicated below. This amount can be made and stored in the refrigerator for at least one month. INGREDIENTS 8 cups cored, peeled and sliced apples (about 8 medium) About 4-1/2 cups water, added intermittently 1/2 cup dark brown sugar Dash of salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Place apples and about 3/4 cup of water into heavy oven-proof saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and cook until apples are soft. Mash until fairly smooth. Stir in brown sugar, salt and spices. Place in 300° F oven and continue to cook until dark brown. Add water as needed when mixture dries out. Cook until thick and spreadable. The entire process will take about 6 hours. Check the apple butter about every hour and stir well. Taste for seasoning and sweetness. If canning, place the apple butter in a pot on top of the stove and heat well. Fill sterilized half-pint or pint jars with hot apple butter, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes at an altitude up to 1,000 feet, 10 minutes from 1,000 - 6,000 feet. Add 5 minutes processing time at each altitude for quart jars. (Processing times are based on guidelines provided by the USDA National Food Safety Database.) Notes: Many people cook the apple butter on top of the stove rather than in the oven. Although the flavor will not benefit from the long, slow cooking process in the oven, it is still very good. I use a variety of apples, including tart, such as Granny Smith, and sweet, such as Red Delicious. The amount of sugar and spices is approximate and dependent on the sweetness and flavor of the apples. It's best to start with a little less and add more after the mixture has cooked for several hours. Apple cider can be substituted for the water, but cut down on the amount of brown sugar. Serve apple butter with cottage cheese or as a bread spread. Some Dutchman like it on scrapple, pancakes, waffles, even french toast. I particularly like it spread on rye bread with a pork and sauerkraut meal. Have you ever made it in a crockpot, that's how I make it. But you are limited to the size of your crockpot.

Melly, water and juices raise pH level; evaporating those out lowers it. Hence, tomato paste, while more dense, is more acid than tomato sauce. A lot of people make applesauce with no added sugar or minimal added sugar, so the pH, while well within the range for BWB processing, is essentially the pH of whatever apple you're using (variety, ripeness, etc.) Apple butter is really close to a preserve or jam. It has much more sugar than applesauce and the sugar is a natural dessicant. So between the long-cooking (evaporation) and the sugar, you're either cooking off or trapping the water which provides a congenial harbor for botulism spores. As it's cooked down, acidity increases. Not to mention some apple butter recipes call for vinegar, which also raises acidity (and as Ken pointed out, lowers pH). Carol

Virginia, I'm sorry, I just saw your message. I went to Stribling's Orchards in the Markham/Warrenton area. Very nice. The family has been on the land since about 1820. Easy to get to from 66, as well. www.striblingorchard.com I decided on a combination of Courtlands and Jonathans. I ended up getting something like 15 pounds so I'll have extra. They're chilling nicely in my spare fridge right now. I got the jars and lids, but I'll be darned if I can find a canning funnel for the 8 ounce jelly jars. Nancy, Yeah, I should have realized that the pressure cooker wouldn't work and would mush the apples. It doesn't a incredible job of mushing sweet potatoes!

This is a fantastic Apple Bread from the Ruralite cookbook, circa 1977. The recipe itself is dated 11/73 and is from a Mrs. Donald Waters, Fernwood ID. Fresh Apple Bread 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. shortening 2 eggs, beaten 1 c. ground or grated apple (I just dice fine) 1/2 tsp. salt 2 c. flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, floured 1 1/2 T. buttermilk Cream sugar and shortening. Add beaten eggs and apple. Mix in dry ingredients. Add vanilla, buttermilk and nuts. Pour into greased/floured loaf pan. Sprinkle top with 3 T. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Bake at 350 about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Deanna