Preserve
homegrown (or locally sourced) apricots to enjoy all year long! Choose
fresh, fragrant, fully ripe (but firm) apricots and bottle in syrup, juice or water. Perfect for adding to salads, savoury and
sweet dishes, including serving atop yoghurt or ice-cream, or simply snacking
directly from the jar. Enjoy!
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Ingredients for BOTTLED
APRICOTS (HALVED OR SLICED)
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Yield: 4 cups
(1 Litre/Quart)
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Yield: 18 cups
(4.5 Litres/9 Pints)
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Yield: 28 cups
(7 Litres/7 Quarts)
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Apricots
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1kg (2 1/4 pounds)
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4.5kg (10 pounds)
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7.2kg (16 pounds)
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Sugar Syrup
OR Water OR Juice
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see Syrup
Chart below (choose very light,
light or medium syrup)
OR use apple juice, pear juice, white grape
juice or water
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Plus 3g (1 teaspoon) ascorbic acid powder
(or crush 6 x 500-milligram pure vitamin c tablets) dissolved in 4 litres (1 gallon) of cold water
to prevent oxidation during fruit preparation.
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METHOD:
1. Clean jars (or bottles) and equipment by washing in hot soapy water
and rinsing well before use.
2. Use firm, ripe apricots for preserving. Wash apricots
and drain well. Remove skins (optional), stems and blemishes.
To remove
apricot skins: dip apricots in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, then place them
into a bowl of cold water. Remove skins.
Cut apricots in half and remove pits. Slice if
desired. Place apricots into ascorbic acid solution to prevent discolouration (3g/1 teaspoon
ascorbic acid powder
- or crush 6 x 500-milligram pure vitamin c tablets - dissolved in 4 litres/1 gallon of cold water). Repeat with remaining apricots.
3. Place lids into a bowl and cover lids with
boiling water. Remove the lids from the water when you are ready to place them
onto the jars to seal.
4. Prepare syrup (or fruit juice) by heating sugar
and water together in a pan, until the sugar is dissolved.
HOT PACK (RECOMMENDED):5. Remove jars from hot water and place onto a
heatproof surface i.e. tea towel.
6. Place prepared apricots into syrup pan and bring
back to a boil. Remove from heat and fill jars immediately. Repeat, heating
remaining apricots (if required for larger batches). Fill jars with hot apricots,
filling to 1.25cm (1/2 inch) from the rim of each jar.
TIP: use a
jar funnel to fill jars and layer apricot halves cut side down, to pack jars
tightly.
RAW PACK:
5. Remove jars from hot water and place onto a
heatproof surface i.e. tea towel.
6. Fill jars with prepared apricots, filling to 1.25cm
(1/2 inch) from the rim of each jar.
TIP: use a
jar funnel to fill jars and layer apricot halves cut side down, to pack jars
tightly.
7. Fill jars with hot syrup/juice, filling to 1.25cm
(1/2 inch) from the rim of each jar.
8. Using a non-metal utensil, remove any bubbles and add more hot syrup/juice
if required to correct the headspace if it dropped below 1.25cm (1/2 inch) from
the jar rim. Excess syrup can be frozen for later use.
10. Wipe jar rims with a damp paper towel to
remove any food residue.
11. Remove lids from hot water and seal jars i.e. twist to secure
“fingertip tight”.
12. Process jars in water bath or pressure canner
as per charts below:
BOILING WATER CANNER (WATER BATH):13.
Return jars of bottled apricots into the pot of boiling water and boil for the
processing time stated below. Start the timer once the water comes back to a
full boil.
14. Turn off the heat source once the time is up. Remove jars from hot
water after 5 more minutes. Cool jars overnight on a heatproof surface i.e.
wooden board or towel. Do not adjust lids during this time.
PRESSURE
CANNING (DIAL OR WEIGHTED GAUGE):
13. Place sealed jars into the pressure canner
and secure the pressure canner lid. Put onto heat and vent for 5 minutes (begin
timing once the white steam is constant). Then add weights (or cover) and bring
to the required pressure level for your altitude (see charts below). Once the
pressure is reached, process for the time stated in the charts below for your
altitude. Reduce/increase the heat source to keep the pressure at the constant
level.
14. Turn off the heat source once the time is up.
Allow the pressure canner to return to zero and then remove the lid (be
careful, lid and canner will be very hot). After 5 more minutes, remove jars
from the pressure canner and place them onto a heatproof surface (i.e. wood board
or a towel). Do not adjust lids during this time.
15. After
12-24 hours: check jars have sealed before labelling and dating clearly.
16. Store jars of bottled apricots in a cool, dark and dry place (i.e.
pantry) for up to 12 months. Jar lids should remain tightly sealed during
storage, and not flex up or down when pressed (which indicates jar seal
failure, do not consume).
17. Refrigerate jars upon opening and consume contents within 5 days.
A reference
chart to assist
with syrup preparation. Fills 7 quarts (7 x 1L) of fruit.
RAW
PACK: Heat
ingredients together to make syrup,
pour hot syrup over raw fruit in
jar.
HOT PACK: Heat
ingredients together to make syrup,
add fruit and bring to boil, simmer fruit until hot. Fill jars with
hot fruit and syrup.
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SYRUP CHART
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SUGAR
%
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WATER |
100% FRUIT JUICE
(i.e. APPLE OR
WHITE GRAPE)
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SUGAR (RAW, WHITE OR BROWN)
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STEVIA POWDER
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WATER
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0%
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10 cups |
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STEVIA
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10 cups |
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1/4 cup
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LOW-CAL FRUIT JUICE
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5 cups |
5 cups
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LOW SUGAR
FRUIT JUICE
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7 cups |
3 cups
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1/4 cup
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1/4 cup
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100% FRUIT JUICE
(i.e.
APPLE OR
WHITE GRAPE
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10 cups
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SWEETENED FRUIT JUICE
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10 cups
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1/4 cup
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VERY LIGHT SYRUP
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10%
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10 1/2 cups |
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1 1/4 cups
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LIGHT SYRUP
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20%
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9 cups |
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2 1/4 cups
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MEDIUM SYRUP
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30%
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8 1/4 cups |
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3 3/4 cups
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Processing
Time for BOTTLED APRICOTS (HALVED OR SLICED)
in a Boiling
Water Canner
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Jar Size
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Altitude
≤ 1,000 feet
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Altitude 1,001 - 3,000
feet
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Altitude 3,001
- 6,000
feet
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Altitude
≥ 6,000
feet
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Hot Pack
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≤ 500ml
(pints)
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20 minutes
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25 minutes
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30 minutes
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35 minutes
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≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
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25 minutes
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30 minutes
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35 minutes
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40 minutes
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Raw Pack
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≤ 500ml
(pints)
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25 minutes
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30 minutes
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35 minutes
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40 minutes
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≤ 1 Litre
(quarts)
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30 minutes
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35 minutes
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40 minutes
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45 minutes
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Processing
Time for BOTTLED APRICOTS (HALVED OR SLICED)
in a
Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner
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Altitude
Pressure Levels
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Packing Style
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Jar Size
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Processing
Time
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0-1000ft
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>1000ft
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Raw Pack
& Hot Pack
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< Quarts
(1L)
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10
minutes
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5lb
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10lb
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Processing
Time for BOTTLED APRICOTS (HALVED OR SLICED)
in a Dial
Gauge Pressure Canner
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Altitude
Pressure Levels
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Packing
Style
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Jar Size
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Processing
Time
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0-2000ft
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2001-4000ft
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4001-6000ft
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6001-8000ft
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Raw Pack
& Hot
Pack
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< Quarts
(1L)
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10 minutes
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6lb
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7lb
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8lb
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9lb
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Author:
Megan Radaich
Image Credit: Megan Radaich
Publication: Orchard Fresh Fruit
Preserving Guide