Apricot Jam Recipes

HOMEMADE FRESH APRICOT JAM WITH PECTIN

Steps:

• Wash the apricots in cold water. Pit but do not peel. Then chop the apricots into small pieces.
• Mash the apricots in a large bowl to help release some of the juice and measure. You should have 2-3/4 cups of mashed apricots. Press the lemon and measure the lemon juice. There should be 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Add the lemon juice to the apricots in the bowl.
• Combine the mashed apricots and powdered fruit pectin in a 3-quart saucepan.
• Stir and cook over medium heat until the apricots begin to bubble. You do not have to bring the mixture to a hard boil.
• Stir in the 3 cups sugar.
• Increase to medium-high heat and stir until it reaches a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and skim foam from top of jam.
• Pour into hot, sterilized, half-pint canning jars, and seal.
• Process the apricot jam for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Then remove the jars from the pot and place on a dry towel to cool. Finally, gently shake the jars after two hours to prevent all of the pieces of fruit from floating to the top. The directions in the package caution that this jam may take up to two weeks to set. My experience has been that it may take up to two days to set, but rarely longer.

30 MINUTE HOMEMADE APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Prepare the apricots by peeling, removing pits and crushing them. You can crush they by hand with a potato masher or throw in a food processor and pulse a couple of times.
• In a pot over medium high heat, mix together crushed apricots, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and continue stirring until sugar completely dissolves.
• Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and turns into a jam. This takes about 20-25 minutes. Once it's thick and jam like, remove any foam from the top and proceed to the next step.
• For refrigerator jam: Remove pot from heat and allow to cool before pouring it into mason jars and placing in the refrigerator for immediate serving.
• For canning jam: Prepare (3) 1/2 pint jars by cleaning and sterilizing jars, lids and rings in hot water (dishwasher or water bath). Pour hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space on top. Use a thin knife and run around the inside of the jar once jam is inside to make sure to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims of jars clean and place lids and rings on them. Bring a pot of water to a boil, lower the jars into the pot and process for 15 minutes (water boiling, pot covered). During this process, you want to make sure the water level never gets lower than 1 inch from the tops of the jars. Carefully remove the jars from the pot and let sit until cool. Once cooled down, press the top of each lid down to make sure the jar is sealed. Store in cabinet.

APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Toss the apricots, sugar, lemon zest and juice and vanilla in a large saucepan to combine, then mash slightly to release some of the apricot juice. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the apricots to macerate and the sugar to dissolve. Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer to chill; this will be used to test the doneness of the jam.
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. (See Cook's Note for suggested add-in.) Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the jam becomes thick and syrupy, about 35 minutes. To test doneness, place a small amount of the jam onto the chilled plate and freeze for 2 minutes. Drag your finger or a spoon through the jam. If it holds its shape and thickness, the jam is done; remove from the heat. If it's runny, continue to cook and test again in 5-minute increments. Once the jam has reached the right consistency, transfer to jars and cool completely before storing, tightly covered. The jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

HOMEMADE APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Stir apricots, lemon juice, and sugar together in a large pot over medium heat; add butter to reduce foaming. Bring apricot mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in pectin; return to a full boil until pectin is dissolved, 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
• Sterilize jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack apricot jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 5 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, for at least 24 hours. Press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). It may take up to 2 weeks for jam to set. Store in a cool, dark area.