Strawberry Apricot Jam

posted by jayme on Thu, 03/22/2012 - 16:09

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 Strawberry Apricot Jam

While shopping at Costco last weekend I was excited to see pallets of large clam shells filled with beautiful strawberries! Even though I didn’t have any specific plans for a large quantity of berries I just couldn’t go home without them.

 
Wanting to try something new I searched the deep freeze for a good strawberry compliment that I could use to make some jam. Apricots were what I found! I have made Raspberry Apricot Jam dozens of times in the past but this was my first trial with strawberries!
As always, preparations begin with washing bottles.

 
Next I prepare the bottles and lids to be sterilized on the stove.

 
 
 
Lucky for me all of my Apricots were all thawed out and ready to use. They were washed, pitted, and puréed last summer before they were frozen.  I was left with only one real food preparation job; cleaning, stemming, and blending the strawberries.
 
I had enough fruit to make 4 batches of jam so I quickly started adding ingredients to every large saucepan I could find.
            4 Cups Sugar
            2 Cups Strawberries
            2 Cups Apricots
            1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
            1 Tbsp Pectin (Apricots are naturally high in pectin so you don’t need much!)
 
Even though I had all the fruit prepared at the same time I tried to stagger the batches a bit so I didn’t end up with four pots ready for jars all at once.
 
After bringing each batch to a boil I let them simmer for 7-10 minutes. Some jams and jellies will get really foamy at this point so you can either skim the foam off the top or you can add about a ½ tablespoon of butter during the last minute of cooking to help reduce the foam.
 
 
When the cooking is complete fill hot, sterilized jars as quickly as possible and secure lids and rings. At this point I typically just turn my jars upside down so the heat from the jam will seal the lid but this method IS NOT APPROVED BY MOST EXTENSION OFFICES!!
 
 
To ensure your jars are properly sealed and preserved for long periods of time process jars in a boiling water bath for 5-10 minutes. (If you are unsure how to do this check out www.pickyourown.org/apricotjam step 14)
 
I like to let my jars sit on the kitchen counter for about 24 hours to cool. I then check to see that all of the jars have sealed, slap on a label, and put it in the pantry!
 

 
To print out my Avery 5160 labels in Word click HERE. I highly recommend using cute labels so the next time you are in a bind and need a quick gift for a neighbor all you have to do is visit the pantry!

 
Strawberry Apricot Jam
Recipe
2 Cups Strawberries
2 Cups Apricots
4 Cups Sugar
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Pectin
 
Wash jars and rings (always use new lids). Place jars and lids in a small amount of water on the stove to sterilize. Wash fruit. Remove pits and stems and place in a blender or food mill. Combine all ingredients to a large saucepan over high heat. Stir often and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 5-10 minutes. Immediately fill jars; wipe jar rims with a clean rag to remove any sugar or jam spills. Secure lids and rings. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 5-10 minutes.

Categories: 
On the Stove
Tags: 
Preserving

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