Ingredients:

• Apricots
• Fruit-Fresh® Fruit Protector
• Sugar syrup or unsweetened fruit juice (apple or white grape) or water

Directions:

• Place the required number of clean 500 ml or 1 L mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner. Cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Keep jars lids hot until ready to use.


• Preheating Bernardin® lids is not advised. The sealing compound used for our home canning lids performs better at room temperature than it does pre-heated in simmering water (180°F). Simply wash lids in hot, soapy water, dry, and set aside until needed. Preheating can lead to less vacuum being achieved during water bath canning, and to buckle failures during pressure canning.


• Prepare syrup in canner batch quantities—approximately 5 cups (1250 ml) for:
  
  
  
  
  
  • 7-500 ml jars; 10 1/2 cups (2625 ml) for 7-1 L jars. In large stainless steel saucepan, combine water and sugar for desired syrup type (see chart); bring to a boil. If using water or fruit juice, place juice or water in saucepan; bring to a boil.
  
  
  
  
  • Syrup for 7 – 1 L jars
  
  
  
  
  • Syrup Type Water Granulated sugar
  
  
  
  
  • Very light 10-1/2 cups (2625 ml) 1-1/4 cup (300 ml)
  
  
  
  
  • Light 9 cups (2250 ml) 2-1/4 cups (550 ml)
  
  
  
  
  • Medium 8-1/4 cups (2050 ml) 3-3/4 cups (925 ml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

RAW PACK

• Wash apricots; halve and pit but do not peel, placing fruit in colour-protection solution (Fruit Fresh ® solution: 4 tbsp/60 ml Fruit Fresh® Fruit Protector to 8 cups/2000 ml water). Prepare light or medium syrup and bring to a boil. Drain apricots and pack cavity side down, overlapping layers, into a hot jar to within 3/4 inch (2 cm) of top jar rim. Add hot canning syrup to cover fruit to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top rim (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more apricots and syrup. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre sealing disc on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining apricots and syrup.


• Heat Process: 500 ml jars – 25 min; 1 L jars – 30 min.

HOT PACK

• Wash and blanch apricots: dip into boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, just until skins loosen. Transfer quickly to cold water and slip off skins. Cut in half; remove pits and slice, if desired. To prevent darkening, keep peeled fruit in Fruit-Fresh®  Fruit Protector solution (4 tbsp/60 ml Fruit Fresh ® to 8 cups/2000 ml water). Prepare light or medium syrup in a large stainless steel saucepan. Drain fruit and place one layer at a time in syrup; return to a boil or until fruit is heated through. Pack hot fruit into hot jars as above in RAW PACK directions.


• Heat Process: 500 ml jars – 20 min; 1 L jars – 25 min.


• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – for the times indicated.


• When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.


• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.