The Legend of Thousand Hills Farm

Recipe Share Friday

We had a wonderful time on New Year's Day, and one of the things that we had to drink was mulled cider.  YUM!!  I got this recipe from Recipezaar, a favorite place of mine when I'm looking for something new to make.  This recipe is designed for a crock pot, but I just put a big enamelware pot on the stove and let it cook all evening.  I did adjust the spices some, because I did 2 gallons of cider, but I don't have measurements to share, because I just added 'til it tastes right!  So, here is a wonderful mulled cider recipe ~ try it on a cold, snowy day.

Mom's Mulled Cider for the Crock Pot by HeatherFeather

1-2 med. oranges

1-2 med. red apples

2 cinnamon sticks

   whole cloves for poking into fruit

2 lemons (I only used one)

1 dash ground cinnamon (optional)

1 dash ground cloves (optional) ~ I omitted this, not too big on cloves!

1 dash nutmeg (optional)

1 gallon good quality cider (or more) ~ I used Treetop from the grocery and it was fine.

1/4 cup brown sugar, to taste

*Set a med or large crock pot to HIGH heat.

*Fill crock pot with cider- leaving room for the apple and orange to float around.

*If you have extra cider use it for replenishing later.

*Wash oranges and apples and dry off.  Poke cloves into the flesh of the orange and apple ~ as many as you like.

*Set the clove-studded fruit into the crock pot.  Add cinnamon sticks and some brown sugar to taste.

*Using a veg. peeler, cut off two long strips of lemon rind from one of the lemons, being careful not to get any of the white pith.

*Drop these into the cider pot and save the rest of the partially zested lemon for another use.  Slice the remaining lemon into thin slices and drop 4-5 slices into the cider pot.  (I forgot this part).

*Cover crock pot and let mixture come to almost a boil (this may take up to an hour, depending greatly upon the size of your crock pot).  Once it is almost boiling, sprinkle with a very light dash of each ground spice to taste (don't add too much or it will be gritty).

*Turn the heat down to LOW and allow cider to cook at least another hour before serving.  Leave the crock on LOW and ladle out mugfuls.

*Keep replenishing more cider as the crockpot empties.  You WILL NOT need to add more spices, etc., as long as you still have 1/4 of the original mulled cider left in the crock.  No need to bring to a boil again, just pour in the new cider and continue to heat on low.

*The last dregs of the cider will be very heavily spiced - you may just want to disgard the remaining 1/4 of the liquid when you're done replenishing for the day.

Enjoy!