I used to be so afraid of making jams and jellies. I actually am still terrified of using the big boiling pot of hot water and "canning" my own. But making freezer jam is so easy, I can have the whole process done in under and hour, and then all year long I get to enjoy the delicious taste of fresh fruit.
Looks for Amazing deals at the very end of the season when the fruit is very ripe and the local farm stands are selling it cheap. You can get a lot of fruit (or veggies) for 1/2 of the cost of what it was at the beginning of the season.
And although apricots are not my favorite, I love using the jam to make savory dishes in the crock pot. Apricot jam makes an amazing base for sweet and sour chicken, bbq pork and coconut shrimp!
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups prepared fruit (buy about 1-3/4 lb. fully ripe apricots) Scrub them well - you use the whole fruit!
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
5-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
3/4 cup water
1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
Rinse 7 (1-cup) plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
Pit and finely chop unpeeled apricots. (I just remove the pits and then I put them in my blender and blend them until they are liquid - I do NOT like jam with chunks!) Measure exactly 2-1/2 cups prepared fruit into large bowl. Add lemon juice; mix well. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally.
Mix water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 min. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 min. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)
Fill containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.
