Apricots are high in vitamins and nutrients, taste great and store well. When canning apricots, understand that there is a timeframe that you must work within. The apricot season is short and apricots do not fool around once they begin to ripen. Once they're picked, apricots must be processed immediately.
This fruit is packed with Vitamin A and tastes something like a cross between a peach and a pear. For dieters, it's a good choice as a snack or to flavor foods. Apricots boost the nervous system and improve digestion and bone density. Apricots are also used in massage oils because of their soothing scent. Apricot puree makes a great tasting, low-calorie replacement for vegetable oil in muffins, cakes and pancake recipes.
Storing Apricots
Fresh apricots will last about five days in the refrigerator. However, when home canning apricots, you can expect to enjoy your bounty well into the following season when it's time to pick another crop of apricots and start canning all over again.
Storing nearly ripe or already ripe apricots in the refrigerator will keep them from ripening faster. Placing green apricots into a brown paper bag will hasten the ripening process as well. Place a banana in the bag and you should have a ripe apricot by morning.
For home canning purposes, any apricot will do. Make sure the apricots are firm, have a nice, red-gold color or blush to them and do not have blemishes or signs of worms. Because apricots are a small fruit, you'll need about ten pounds, or slightly over half a bushel for one canner load of nine pints.
Canning Preserves
Apricots can be canned exactly the same way you would can peaches. Heavy syrup or light syrup is a matter of choice. Because apricots are a fruit, they are naturally high in acid and can be canned in a hot water bath.
Dip fruit into boiling water for 30 seconds or long enough to loosen the skins. Immediately dip the fruit in cold water. Skins should slip off easily. Cut the fruit in half, remove the stone or pit and sprinkle a little lemon juice over it to keep it from discoloring. Because lemon juice has a very high acidic count, you needn't worry about adverse affects to the final product.
Apricots are naturally very sweet. A light syrup is usually all you need.
Ingredients You Will Need for Light Syrup (enough for 9 pints)
5 ¾ cup water
1 ½ cups sugar
Put syrup on to boil while you drain the apricots. Once they have sufficiently drained, add the apricots to the syrup and bring it to a second boil. Using a canning funnel to keep the hot syrup from splashing all over the counter, spoon apricots-cut side down-into the jars and cover fruit with syrup. Run the handle of a rubber spatula around the jar to loosen any air bubbles, wipe rims and adjust lids and rings.
Altitudes and Processing Time:
1,000 feet - 20 minutes
1,001 to 3,000 feet - 25 minutes
3,001 to 6,000 feet - 30 minutes
6,001 and higher - 35 minutes
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