No Pectin Apricot Jam
User Reviews
3.8
-
Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
104 servings
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Calories
36 kcal
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Course
Condiments
-
Cuisine
American
No Pectin Apricot Jam
Description
No Pectin Apricot Jam starts with a large quantity of roughly diced, pitted apricots combined with granulated sugar and lemon juice to aid natural gelling. The mixture is heated over medium heat initially until bubbling and foaming begins, indicating the sugar dissolving and juices releasing. Increasing heat while stirring constantly brings the jam to 220-222°F, the gel point for proper thickening without added pectin. The cooking process produces a thickened, spreadable jam with visible fruit pieces suspended in the sweet mixture.
The lemon juice serves both as a flavor accent and natural acidifier essential for gel formation without pectin. Once cooked, the jam is ladled into hot, sterilized jars, filling to near the top for vacuum sealing after cooling. Proper jar sterilization and handling reduce risks of spoilage during storage.
This jam is suitable for spreading on bread or pastries, adding fruit flavor to desserts, or gift-giving. The texture and sweetness can be adjusted slightly by cooking time or sugar amount. Canning methods such as water bath processing are recommended to ensure safety and preservation.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs apricot roughly 8 c chopped, pitted and diced, whole
- 4 c sugar
- 1 very large lemon juiced (1/4 c of juice
Instructions
Preparing the Jars
- Clean your lids and jars, and place lids and jars, upside down, in a 200F oven.
Making the Apricot Jam
- In a 3-4 qt soup pot, mix all of the ingredients. Heat over medium, stirring often, until the mixture begins to bubble and foam. (For us, this was about 20 minutes.)
- Place the candy thermometer in the mixture and turn the heat to high. Continue to heat the mixture, stirring constantly. (At this point, you may want to put on an oven mitt. As the jam thickens it will begin to foam, sputter and spit. This is good; it means things are getting jammy. But, it’s not too good if you get hit.)
- Once the mixture reaches 220-222F, remove the jam from the heat. (For us, it took 8-10 minutes to reach the jamming temperature.)
Canning the Jam
- Using oven mitts, remove the hot jars from the oven. Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars, filling to ¼” of the top. ( ¼” is roughly the width of then nail on your little finger.) Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp towel to remove any sticky spillage. Top the jar with a hot lid and band. Tighten the band as tight as you can. Repeat until all the jam has been jarred.
- If canning, process your jars in a water bath canner, using a water bath canning guide for jam.*
- After canning, remove the bands after the jam has cooled. Check the seal on your lids and refrigerate any jars that have not sealed. Wipe the jars down one last time to remove any sticky bits before placing the bands back on the jars loosely and storing the jam.
Notes
- Clean and sterilize jars and lids before filling to ensure safe preservation.
- The jam should be heated carefully to 220-222°F to achieve proper consistency without added pectin.
- Follow proper water bath canning procedures to safely store the jam long term.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 104servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 36 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1Tbsp | |
| Calories | 36kcal | 2% |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 3% |
| Fat | 0.1g | 0% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.8
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