Canning Apricots

The art of canning fruit has been around for a long time now, and it is a fantastic method for preserving fruit. Apricots are as easy to store in jars as peaches. You can do it without using any complicated procedures. In addition, canning apricots ensure that you can enjoy the fruits in winter when they are no longer in season.

The process of canning apricots is an excellent option for people who are new to fruit canning. The nature of apricots makes it easy for beginners to complete the process and enjoy the fruits in the future. This article will take you through all you need to know how to can apricots.

What are the Methods Available?

There are two main methods that you can use for canning apricots, namely the hot and cold packs. The cold pack method involves packing the apricots raw with the peels on. It is the more straightforward method of the two. If it is your first time canning apricots, you should use the cold pack method. The hot pack method involves peeling the apricots and adding them to the syrup. As a result, the canning process will be much easier. It takes longer when you use the hot pack method for your apricots. You need to be careful when pealing the apricots to maintain the fruit’s shape if you wish to preserve them as halves.

Supplies

There are supplies that you need to collect in advance for the process to go smoothly. It may take a while to collect all the supplies for beginners. However, you can find all the things you need online at a lower price. You can write the list below somewhere to ensure that you have everything before you begin preserving your apricots.

• Water bath canner
• Canning jars and lids
• Canning rings
• Jar funnel
• Large pot
• Jar grabber
• Lid Lifter
• Knife
• Spoons and wooden chopsticks
• Old kitchen towels, dish towels, and gloves
• Ladle

Ingredients

• Apricots
• Sugar
• Water
• Lemon juice

You will need to buy apricots for your process. You can opt to purchase apricots from the supermarket if you are doing small quantities. However, for a large amount of preservation, you have to visit a legit farmers market. It will be cheaper to buy at the farmers market large quantities of apricots than in a store. You will also find them fresh right from the farm.

Choose apricots that are ripe but still firm. Overripe apricots can get mushy at the end of the preservation and ruin the joy of eating the fruits. Ripe but firm fruit maintains the shape throughout the process, and you can enjoy your fruit looking like the raw version.

The sugar is for making the syrup that you will use to preserve the apricots. The sugar keeps them fresh and helps in protecting the color. The apricots can last 12-18 months in the syrup when the process is done correctly. You can choose to make lightweight, medium, or heavy syrup depending on your preferences.

Guidelines for the Syrup

There isn’t any accurate measurement of how much syrup you can make for a specific number of apricots. However, there are general guidelines for making the ideal lightweight, medium, or heavy syrup for the preservation process. Sugar plays a crucial role during preservation, and you have to get it right. Here are the general measurements for syrup.

Lightweight: 2-cups sugar, 6-cups water to yield 7-cups

Medium: 3-cups sugar, 6-cups water to yield 6 cups

Heavy: 4-cups sugar, 6-cups water to yield 7-cups

Depending on the number of apricots you want to preserve, you can adjust the measurements to make more or less syrup. The lightweight syrup doesn’t add too much sugar to the results. The heavy syrup is suitable for people who have a sweet tooth and don’t mind eating the apricots when they are a little too sugary in the future.

Preparation

Jars and Lids

Take the time to prepare the jars and lids thoroughly before you start. First, you need to wash them in soap and water to remove any dirt. After the cleaning process, sanitize the jars to kill any bacteria. You can use the sanitize option on the washing machine to kill any bacteria. Alternatively, you dip the jars and lids in hot water for 5-10 minutes. After that, remove the jars and covers for air drying.

Apricots

You need to wash the apricots in running water to remove any dirt from the farm. Cleaning the apricots eliminates the debris and bacteria from the coat. Then, you can place all your fresh apricots in one place, ready for the preservation process.

How to Can Apricots

The Cold Pack Method

• Start by preparing your sugar syrup, depending on your preference. It needs to be ready to go when you start canning. Cover the syrup when it is prepared to keep it warm.
• Put warm water halfway in the water bath can and set it on medium heat. The water bath can need to be ready when you are through putting the apricots in jars. Put the rack insides the bath can.
• Take you fresh apricots, cut them in half, and remove the seeds and any overripe or rotting parts. You can place them in a bowl and sprinkle some lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Alternatively, you can place them directly in the jars and add the syrup. It is easier to prepare all the apricots at once before the canning process.
• Take a clean jar and place the apricots inside, the cut side down to fit more pieces. Leave a inch headspace in the container.
• Pour the hot syrup in the jar and then leave a inch headspace.
• Take a wooden chopstick or knife and run it against the edges of the jar. The purpose is to remove any bubbles in the content. Bubbles can affect the integrity of the fruit during storage.
• Check the top to ensure that you maintain the inch headspace and seal the jar.
• Wipe down any spills on the sides and place the jar in the water bath can. Make sure that the water is one inch above the jars. Add more water to keep the water at medium temperature throughout.
• Repeat the process quickly with the remaining jars. Speed is of the essence to ensure that the first jar doesn’t stay in the water for too long.
• Once you have your canner load is full, bring the water to boil for 25 minutes for pints and 30 minutes for quarts.
• Turn off the heat and wait for 5-minutes. Remove the jars, wipe them, and leave them to cool for 12-24 hours.
• Remove the bands, check the seals, and store the jars in the pantry.

The Hot Pack Method

• You need to start by peeling the apricots. You boil water to blanch the apricots to make removing the skins simple. Place the apricots in hot water for 2-minutes and then transfer the apricots into cold water.
• Start your syrup on the stove, depending on your preference.
• Peel the apricots, half them, and place the apricots in the syrup. The syrup will prevent the fruit from darkening. Ripe apricots will peel easy, but unripe ones will need some effort with a knife to skin.
• Once you are through with the apricots, bring the syrup to a simmer and turn off the heat.
• Fill the water bath can with warm water halfway and place the rack inside.
• You should pack the apricots and syrup into jars, leaving a inch headspace in each container.
• Place the jars in the water bath can until you have a full load. Bring the water to boil and wait for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts.
• Turn off the heat and wait for 5-minutes, then remove the jars, wipe them, and leave them to cool for 12-24 hours.
• Remove the bands, check the seals, and store the jars in the pantry.

Tips for Improving the Process

• Prepare a lot of kitchen clothes for the process. The syrup is sticky, and clean kitchen clothes will make it simple to wipe any spills.
• You can warm water in a kettle and add it in the water bath can as you fill the jars.
• Start timing the duration of the cans in the water bath can once the water starts boiling.
• Measure the quantities of the syrup in advance and place them at a convenient location. You need to be ready to start the sugar before you start preparing the fruits.
• Clean some counter space in the kitchen for jars to cool down when you are through with the canning process.
• Prepare all the supplies and ingredients in advance so that you are ready.
• Keep in mind that exposing apricots to air will cause them to start darkening.

Altitude Adjustments for Boiling Water Bath Canner

Different altitudes cause heat to take different durations to reach the core of food. Therefore, knowing the adjustments per elevation ensures that your jars spend the appropriate time in the water bath can.

• 1000-3000 feet – increase the time by 5-minutes
• 3001-6000 feet- add the time by 10-minutes
• 6001-8000 feet – add the time by 15-minutes
• 8001-10000 feet – add the time by 20-minutes

Conclusion

Hopefully, you will have a wonderful time when preserving your apricots using the processes above. You can start small as you learn the processes and increase the quantity over time. Both methods are simple, but the cold pack process takes a shorter while. Keep your jars in a cool and dry place on your pantry. Canning Apricots is a very easy process, and once you learn how to do it, you will enjoy the fruit for the next 12-18 months from your home.