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