Christmas Notebook

The apricot tree was loaded with fruit this year. After seeing the deer and the groundhog help themselves to fallen fruit, we sent the girls out to collect the yummy nuggets so we could make apricot jam. The first thing that had to be done was cull the fruit. A lot was thrown out, but we had enough left to make 16 pints yesterday. There’s another carpet of fruit to pick up today.

I blanched the apricots in boiling water for 30-60 seconds.

After cooling them in ice water, I squeezed out the pits. It was easy to see which ones were good and which ones were not. If the pit didn’t slide out easily or if there were brown juices when the apricot was squeezed, that one was pitched.

I used this recipe for the apricot jam:

8 cups of apricots (pitted, diced if you like)
1/4 c. lemon juice
6 cups sugar

I could have run the pitted fruit through the food processor, but we like chunky jam so I didn’t bother. The fruit broke down perfectly as it cooked. Fewer utensils and tools to wash and clean up that way, too. 🙂

After boiling for 30 minutes…

If you want to can and don’t have a canning funnel, get one. You’ll only be sorry you didn’t get it sooner.

Wipe the rims with a clean damp cloth to remove any syrup or fruit. This will help the jars seal well.

Something else you need to get if you plan to can…a lid lifter. We bought this in a kit from Ball. Found it at Wal-Mart. The kit had a jar lifter (big tongs), lid wand (the lid lifter), funnel, and head space tool (a plastic tool for ridding the filled jars of bubbles before placing the lids and rings). I think the kit cost $7. Well worth it, if you don’t have those tools for canning.

Place the lid, then the ring, then tighten. Don’t force it. Remember…the jar is HOT! Use a cloth to hold the jar as you tighten the ring.

I know some people don’t process their jams and jellies, but it’s so easy to do, why not be on the safe side. And you’ll have a better seal success, too.

Ten minutes in the hot water bath and they’re done. How pretty is that?

We had two jars too many for the canner with the second batch (it processes seven at a time), so I turned those over and let them cool. They sealed, but I’ll put them in the fridge and we’ll use them first. There were two extra because I threw in some extra apricots to use them up. Don’t mess with your recipe by much, though, or it may not jell properly.

Chunky jam is good stuff.

You should get some of these great lids for storing opened jars in the fridge. I bought them on amazon.com (search plastic canning lid), but you may find them with canning supplies in your local store.

Pretty and good to eat. 🙂

~~Rhonda