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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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