Quick Apricot Jam

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been a sort of lazy cook recently. With a super busy schedule of writing, cooking classes, publishing my Clean Your Kitchen Green book and spending quality time with family, there isn’t much energy left over to stand over a stove and sterilize dozens of jars to preserve jam.

And, because I have a weakness for beautiful, seasonal, fresh fruits that we can’t always finish fast enough, I’ve had to find ways to develop quick and tasty jams that we can eat up within the week—much longer than the fresh fruits would have lasted whole.

My Quick Apricot Jam is just one of those recipes that you can try with peaches, strawberries, blueberries and other similar fruits. There’s no sterilization of jars here because you’ll have to eat it up within the week. This wasn’t a large amount of fruit, either so it doesn’t take long to do. Alhamdullilah (thank God).

Quick Apricot Jam

Makes about 1 ½ cups jam

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh and slightly soft apricots

1 cup organic turbinado (raw cane) sugar

2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Prepare a small saucepan or pot to cook the jam.

Clean the outside of the apricots well. I like to spray with a solution of half white vinegar and half water and let sit for a few minutes before rinsing with cool water while slightly scrubbing the skins of any dirt and debris.

Remove the skins and pits of the apricots. This is easy to do by just squeezing the apricots slightly to break the skin open, which should then make them easy to peel. I like to squeeze out the flesh of the apricot and place it directly into the same pan I’ll be using to cook the jam.

Once the flesh is in the small pot or pan, add the sugar. Turn on the heat to a medium flame so that the sugar begins to cook down. Add the lemon juice and stir completely into the apricot, which should be turning very soft.

Reduce heat to low and continue to cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes to one hour. Let cool and place in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator.

Stays fresh for about one week.