Pam's Cranapple Butter

1Wash, core and chop apples. Place in 6 qt Dutch oven or large saucepot with one package (12 oz) cranberries. Add the cranberry juice cocktail. Cook at medium high until the cranberries pop and the apples are very soft. Stir occasionally.

2Remove Dutch oven from stove and process the cooked mixture through a food mill into a large mixing bowl to remove apple and cranberry skins.

3Add sugar and spices to the pulp and stir to combine. Put the pulp back into the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to round up on a spoon. This takes some time as you have to reduce the juice enough to thicken. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking and reduce heat if the mixture is boiling too rapidly. (I place either a splatter screen over the pot or leave the pot lid partially askew to allow steam to escape and avoid HOT splatters on you or your stove/floor/walls etc.)

4When the mixture is thickened to your preference, remove the pot from the stove and proceed with canning it as per the most recent Canning instructions for your altitude. (See the Ball Canning book)