Apricot Jam
Dear Claire and Eden,
It’s apricot season here in Utah. One bite of a fresh apricot brings back all sorts of memories of the tree in my grandmother’s back yard. We all looked forward to the day they were ripe enough to pick. We spent time canning jam and telling stories as we cooked. I miss those days. My grandmother’s recipe used Jello as a sweetener of all things. I can’t remember how she made it but it was delicious. This recipe has no Jello, but it’s lower in sugar than most recipes I’ve tried. I can’t stand overly sweet jam. I like jam that tastes like fruit. This is a basic recipe but try adding a few springs of Thyme or a finely chopped jalapeño as a variation.
I mix this jam with a little Dijon mustard and use it as a glaze on pork or chicken. I also love it on a charcuterie board with goat cheese, fresh ricotta, and salami. It also makes a great vinaigrette mixed with oil, thyme, white wine vinegar and Dijon. I’m sure you will think of a million different ways to use it too.
A good place to buy apricots is Costco. They are packaged in a protective cover so they don’t get all bruised. Two packets of Costco apricots made about 7 cups chopped fruit.
If this is your first time canning read about the water bath process here: https://www.freshpreserving.com/water-bath-canning
6 cups fresh chopped apricots
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 packets Certo liquid pectin
12 1/4-pint jars and seals (sterilized by running through the dish washer)
Pot large enough for a water bath
Canning tongs
Place the apricots, sugar, lemon juice and salt in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil. Cook 7 minutes at a low boil until sugar is dissolved and fruit softens, about 10 minutes. Add the packets of liquid pectin and bring to a roiling boil. Boil for two minutes.
If you have an immersion blender, you can use it to purée the apricots until you get a texture you like. I keep it a little chunky but smooth enough to spread on a cracker.
Ladle the jam into the prepared jars leaving 1/4 headspace at the top . Wipe off the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel then place a seal and ring on each jar.
Process the jars for 10 minutes in a water bath. Remove the jars and set them on a dish towel laid out on your counter. Let the jars cool and make sure that when you press down on the seal of each jar it doesn’t make a popping sound. If so, process any unsealed jars another 5 minutes in the water bath.
Happy canning.
