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Apricot jam (without added pectin) — NCHFP
Ingredients
- 2 quarts crushed, peeled apricots
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 6 cups sugar
Equipment
- 1 Boiling-water bath canner with rack
- 1 Large stainless or enamel preserving pot
- 1 Canning jars with two-piece lids
- 1 Headspace and bubble tool
- 1 Jelly or candy thermometer
Directions
- Sterilize canning jars . Combine all ingredients; slowly bring to boiling, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until thick, about 25 minutes. As mixture thickens, stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Remove from heat and fill hot jam into hot, sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner .
- Processing: Process Hot, Half-pints or Pints, boiling-water canner, 0 - 1,000 ft - 5 minutes.
- Altitude-adjusted processing table: Table 1. Recommended process time for Apricot Jam in a boiling water canner. / Process Time at Elevations of / Style of Pack - Jar Size - 0 - 1,000 ft - 1,001 - 6,000 ft - Above 6,000 ft / Hot - Half-pints / / or Pints - 5 min - 10 - 15
Recipe Notes
Private Notes
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Share your results how it turned out.Safety classification
Tested NCHFP home-canning recipe.
Processing details
Method: Boiling water bath. Hot pack; half-pint or pint jars; 1/4-inch headspace; yield about 10 half-pints.
Tested source
Preparation timeline
Prepare and measure apricots; combine with lemon juice and sugar; boil slowly, stirring more frequently as it thickens; fill sterile jars; process.
Equipment
Boiling-water canner, half-pint or pint jars, jar lifter, funnel, thermometer, and a heavy preserving kettle.
Visual method guide
- Prepare and accurately measure the ingredients.
- Fill the approved jars at the stated headspace.
- Process by elevation and cool upright, undisturbed.
Safety essentials
Keep the tested apricot, lemon-juice, and sugar proportions, 1/4-inch headspace, approved jar sizes, and altitude process unchanged.
About this recipe
A cooked apricot jam that thickens without commercial pectin.
Before you begin
Sterilize jars because the base process is 5 minutes. Use a heavy pot and allow room for vigorous boiling.
Altitude/pressure schedule
| Elevation | Half-pints or pints |
|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 5 min |
| 1,001–6,000 ft | 10 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 15 min |
Serving suggestions
Spread on toast, pastries, yogurt, or use as a glaze after opening.
FAQ
May sugar be reduced? Not in this tested no-added-pectin formula; sugar contributes to preservation and set.
Recipe context and comparison
This no-added-pectin jam uses a longer cook to thicken and should not be treated like a packaged-pectin recipe.
Troubleshooting
Stir frequently as the jam thickens to prevent sticking and scorching.
Source and provenance
Safety-critical values remain tied to the original NCHFP source.
Garden planning for this recipe
Plant, space, variety, zone, and timing estimates live on dedicated ingredient pages:
How much of the main ingredient should I grow?
Varies by mature apricot tree; not calculated
This recipe does not have a reliable garden conversion. Plan a purchase or harvest separately, and do not use garden estimates to alter the tested recipe.
Garden yields vary by cultivar, climate, soil, pests, and care. Always measure the exact prepared ingredient amount required by the tested canning recipe.

