Apricot Jam Recipe With Thyme

Do you need to add pectin to this Apricot Jam Recipe?

Apricots are one of those low-pectin fruits that need a little help to gel. But that’s OK, we have an ‘app’le pectin stock for that! 😉 (I slay myself sometimes!) Apple Pectin Stock is nothing more than apples, their cores, seeds, and skin cooked down in the bare minimum of water. Tart apples are on the high end of pectin and acid, and so do the job of helping apricots (and other low pectin fruits) get the desired gel.

Speaking of Low Pectin Fruits, I made a printable chart that you can download and refer to when making jam. You can access that chart on the Apple Pectin Stock post as well.

In truth, if you didn’t feel like making apple pectin stock, you could just cook the fruit down longer to thicken it, but I feel you lose some of the freshness when you do that. And making pectin stock is so easy; here’s my post and Apple Pectin Stock Recipe. Chop and cook your apples the same day your chop and put your apricots in the fridge to macerate. You can use what you need for the Apricot Jam Recipe and then freeze or water bath can the extra pectin along with your jam.

Brand new to canning?

While this Apricot Jam Recipe is not difficult, if you want an even easier recipe, check out my Plum Jam Recipe. Please see The All New Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for guidance, it is my canning Bible.

Can you reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe?

No, not really. For a complete discussion of the role of sugar in jam making, pop on over to this Jam Making Basics post. In a nutshell, pectin, acid, and sugar all work together to form the gel you want. If you leave the sugar out, you will get an apricot sauce instead of an apricot jam. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, sugar acts as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of bacteria.

Do you need to peel the Apricots?

Nope! Apricots are so thin-skinned (in a good way) that the skins basically just melt into the jam as they cook. Plus, you want to keep whatever pectin the skins have.

How long will this Apricot Jam last?

Properly water bath canned jams, jellies, and the like should be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place. They will easily last for a year, but their freshness will begin to degrade after several months. Enjoy your Apricot Jam while it is still fresh!