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Apricot Jam

NOTE: This recipe calls out sterilizing and processing procedures for cooking at an elevation of 5000 feet above sea level. The time for processing should be adjusted accordingly to compensate for differences in boiling point temperature at different altitudes.

The National Center for Home Food Processing and Preservation provides useful information about canning jam.

This recipe is based on ratios referenced to each pound of ready to process, cleaned and pitted fruit, because one never knows how many pounds of fruit they will gather. You can calculate the total once you know the weight of the fruit.

This recipe uses a 3:1, fruit to sugar ratio, rather than the traditional 1:1 ratio. The goal is to make a jam with a fruity flavor that is less sweet. Three concerns arise when using less sugar in the ratio.

It will be more difficult to bring the mixture up to and beyond the target temperature setting.
The jam will not set as firmly.
The preservative quality of the sugar is reduced thus requiring a greater emphasis on sterility during processing and a reduced shelf life for the final product.

Nevertheless, the reduced sugar recipe results in a delicious flavor that is worth the extra care, but you can add extra sugar if you wish.

Traditionally, lemon juice is used to provide compounds that encourage the pectin fibers to intertwine, and to reduce browning of the fruit due to oxidation. This recipe substitutes Citric acid powder and Ascorbic acid powder in place of the lemon juice. These easily sourced powders make for more precise application. These acids are not interchangeable. The Citric acid is absolutely required for lower the pH to a safe for storage level. The Ascorbic acid is merely used to encourage stability of bright fruity color.

For reference:

One tablespoon of bottled lemon juice is equal to 1/4 teaspoon citric acid.
One tablespoon of bottled lemon juice is equal to a few milligrams of Ascorbic acid.

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh Apricots washed, pitted and halved.
1/4 teaspoon of Ascorbic acid powder per pound of Apricots
1/3 pound of sugar per pound of Apricots
1/2 teaspoon of Citric acid powder per pound of Apricots

Mason Jars:

2 one pint Mason Jars per 1 pound of fresh Apricots

Preparation:

Begin sterilizing the utensils and jars in a pot of boiling water. Sterilize each batch of items for 15 minutes. Start your timer after the water begins a rolling boil.

Clean, pit, and chop the Apricots. Place the measured weight of Apricots into a large stock pot.

Begin to heat the Apricots. Cover the pot to capture the steam, but take special care not to burn the bottom contents. Stir the Apricots frequently, and raise the heat as the fruit begins to release liquid.

Continue to watch and stir the Apricots. Increase heat as the formation of liquid allows, with the intention of bringing the resulting sauce to a rolling boil.

If you have not finished sterilizing the jars, continue to do so, and set them aside, open end down, on clean paper towels in preparation for filling them with the hot jam mixture.

When the Apricots have released a significant amount of liquid and formed a sauce, add the sugar and stir it in thoroughly. You should anticipate that the addition of the sugar may cause the sauce mix to froth with tiny air bubbles when it achieves high heat so be prepared by reserving extra space when you choose the stock pot size, and be ready to stir the froth vigorously to help it settle.

A high power egg beater can be used to macerate the chunks of Apricots into a consistent texture.

When the mixture is boiling vigorously add the Citric Acid. This ingredient preserves the acidity of the jam and it encourages the natural fruit pectin to join into a matrix.

If you have a candy thermometer bring the mixture up as near to 212*F as you can (as specified for a 5000 foot elevation) and keep it there a few minutes. If you do not have a thermometer cook the mixture as hot as you can and test it for set by pulling small amounts out with a serving spoon, so you may observe if it thickens as it cools.

When you feel it is ready to set, transfer the jam into the canning jars.

Make sure to only tighten the lids finger tight so that the air can purge from the jars and a vacuum can be formed.

Follow the directions for processing the jars in a submerged water bath. At 5000 foot elevation a minimum of 10 minutes is specified. I use a 15 minutes after the water resumes a rolling boil, for a margin of safety.

Remove the jars when the processing is done and let them cool. Check that the tops have puckered with the vacuum seal. Store in a cool dark place.