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Monday, August 2, 2010

Easy Peasy Apricot Jam or How to Make Your House Smell Good!

It's sad that the biggest share of my posts have been about apricots!  Maybe it's time to start posting more pictures from China, at least it's been a while since that broken record!

For those of you who are afraid of apricots, let me tell you how easy it is to make jam!
I've made apricot jam with and without pectin and I like it better without!  Apricots have natural pectin to thicken the jam to the right consistency, so put your pectin away until time to make plum or peach pit jelly and let's get started.

I saw a recipe on the internet that said to peel the apricots!  WHAT???  NO WAY! 


Just wash the apricots, pull them apart, take out the pit, cut out the top of the stem, get rid of the earwigs, and run a knife through them (the apricots, not the earwigs) until they're coarsely chopped.


Put the fruit in a large pan.  For every cup of fruit, add 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice.  The  good thing about not using pectin; you can make this batch as big or as small as you want.

Incorporate (I kinda like that word) the sugar and lemon juice into the apricots.

If you want apricot pineapple jam you need to change it up just a little bit.
 Drain a can of crushed pineapple in juice, not syrup, add to apricots.  You decide the proportions, I did 1 1/2 cups crushed pinapple to 4 1/2 cups apricots.  Decrease sugar to 2/3 cup to 1 cup of fruit.  I added the pineapple juice instead of the lemon juice.   


Make sure your jars are clean and your lids are ready to soak in boiling water.
Turn on heat and bring jam to a simmer, stirring frequently.  You don't want to scorch this!  It's going to cook for 25 minutes, keep stirring!  It's more fun if you have someone to talk to or music playing.  If not, just pay attention to what you're doing.  During this time, there will be some foam.  Just keep stirring.  You can add 1 tsp. of butter to the jam to cut down the foaming. After 25 minutes, skim off foam and it's ready to bottle. 
Fill jar within 1/2 inch.  Wipe off top of jar to remove any drippage, put on lid and screw down ring.  There are two different ways to seal the jam.  You choose what you like best.  You can put them in a canner of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes.  Remove and listen to the music of sealing jars. OR:
Be sure your jars are HOT, (I put my clean jars in the oven @ 175 degrees during the last 15 minutes of the jam's cooking time) pour the hot jam in the hot jars, put on the lids from the boiling water, screw on the ring and invert the jar for 5 to 10 minutes. Careful, did I mention they're HOT?  Turn right side up and listen to the ping of the sealing lids as the jars cool. 


So, who's afraid of apricots?  I am!
I took this picture of a small section of the tree after picking 4 1/2 buckets today!


 Calgon, take me away!


18 comments:

Kristina P. said...

Making jam is a great idea. With only two of us, we tend not to be able to eat fruit fast enough, and it goes bad.

We had a cherry tree when I was in high school. I HATED that thing. My mom would make us pick AND pit them for jam. It was horrible.

Cheeseboy said...

I do love the smell of apricots. Just not the ones rotting on my backyard lawn.

And I do like jam...

LKP said...

Connie, I'm soooooo stoked to try this!!! Once I've got water again anyhow, and some apricots, I'm gonna give it a go. Thanks!

Kazzy said...

Got those apricots sitting here in the fridge. Gotta make jam. Gotta have a longer day.

peggy said...

We don't have apricots except at the market but I would love to try this and especially your method of sealing the jars..that is really new to me. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks

Jenny said...

mmmmm, I just love the smell.

Teachinfourth said...

I'm glad there are certain people out there who are domestic; I am not among them. I prefer to buy my canned goods at the store… just call me lazy.

Julie Harward said...

Apricot jam was always our favorite too...and I get the Calgon thing, I would want a good long foot rub too! ;D

Small House said...

If I remember right, didn't you have a boat load of apricots last year?? ANYWAY...The jam looks delicious. We should trade apricot jam for raspberry jam!!! Ha hahaha

Thanks for the recipe by the way.
Have a good day.
Sandra

Tracy said...

Just reading this post makes me want to be "Betty Crocker" or Martha Stewart or better yet...Connie!! I can smell the jam cooking...yum-o!!

I'm thinking after seeing your apricot tree that you better invest in Calgon!! ;-)

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

So you cut the earwigs in quarters?

That jam looks so delicious!!!!

Heather said...

You are so funny, (chop the apricots not he earwigs)! LOL!! I also love, Calgon take me away!

I have never made jam. I could try this jam if I had some apricots. It looks yummy!

Kerin said...

Yummy! You are making the kind of apricot jam that I like best :)
So good on pan fried potatoes with onions!
I really am missing all the canning this year. Glad you are sharing with us :)

Mimi Sue said...

Last week my house smelled like apricots! I'm afraid to make jam without the pectin. If I get any more apricots I'm going to try it your way. Mimi

Kerin said...

Connie,
Thanks for your sweet reminder comment that you left for me. I am trying, trying to remember the good things.... right in the middle of all this change :)
Like my oldest son always tells me....'you can't have a TESTimony, with out the TEST'!

Nana said...

That's what I have been doing too.

Ann Marie said...

I have known you for a year! Woot!
I think I started reading you about the time you shared your pit jelly.. and it was awesome!

The jam looks tasty.. and I admit.. I'm not a HUGE fan of Apricots unless it's in Jam or Fruit leather form... :)

Thanks for all of your great recipes!

Yvonne said...

I'm still laughing about "run a knife through them (the apricots, not the earwigs".

I love apricot jam.

Your recipes are always GREAT--thanks.