Organic Apricot Jam

Fresh apricots are one of my favorite summer fruits.  I like to preserve them in a jam so I can enjoy that fresh summer flavor in the winter.  I made this recipe using a small amount of fruit but this recipe can easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled depending on how much fruit you have on hand.  I use all organic ingredients but conventional can be used.

Yield: 2.5 half pints

1.5 lbs fresh organic apricots

1 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice from organic lemons

Here's how:

Cut each apricot in half and remove the pit.

Cut each half into quarters.

Apricots cut and pitted

Place the fruit and sugar into a small bowl, stir and let sit for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days in the fridge.

Sugar mixed in

Prepare a water bath canner.

Canner ready to go

Sterilize jars, lids and bans.

All the tools to can

Pour the contents of the small bowl into a medium sized pot and add lemon juice.

Everything into the pot

Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently.

Just to a boil

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 25 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated and the jam falls off a spoon in sheets.  The jam should be thick.

Halfway there

Done

Ladle the jam into the jars leaving 1/4 inch of headspace.  Clean the rims and then put on the lids and bands.

Jar is filled

Place the jars into the water bath, bring back to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.

nto the pot to boil

Remove the jars from the canner and set aside.

Out of the canner and cooling

Ensure the lids have sealed and store for up to one year.  If it does not seal, place it in the fridge and keep it for up to one month.