At Steve and Dan's, we love apricots! They are closely related to nectarines and peaches, and have a velvety smooth flesh with a tart bite to their skin. They are perfect for desserts, perfect in breakfasts and perfect for eating right out of the fridge. Another great use for apricots? Jam! In this blog post, we will show you step-by-step how to make the best apricot jam.
First things first, you want to use ripe apricots, so go through all of the apricots in your box and make sure they're good for canning. Remove any extremely soft pieces and blemishes. Make sure to wash them and them slice in half to pit them.
Next, add the apricots to a large pot and add the lemon juice and sugar. Mix and combine until all of the sugar has dissolved.
You'll then want to boil the apricots for about a half hour.
Using an electric hand blender, blend the jam until smooth and there are no chunks.
Transfer hot jam to mason jars.
Submerge jars into boiling water until the tops of the cans depress.
Serve on toast for breakfast, as a marinade for chicken or drizzled on ice cream. Enjoy!
Apricot Jam
You will need:
8 cups fresh apricots, pitted and cleaned
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 cups white sugar
5 canning jars with lids and rings
Mix apricots and lemon juice in a large pot; add sugar. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook and stir until apricot mixture thickens, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.
Meanwhile, prepare jars, lids, and rings by cleaning and sterilizing in dishwasher or boiling water bath. Leave lids in simmering water until ready to seal jars.
Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space on 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 15 minutes.
Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.
