We have been very blessed this year already with our apricot tree giving us a lovely crop! This is just the 2nd year it has cropped, and last year was just 4 apricots......but this year there were enough (after the birds got the first bit and we quickly netted the tree),....... we ate fresh, but I also baked apricot muffins, apricot pie, and bottled some in a very simplistic manner that works so very well.
Since this post is also being linked back to The Homestead Barn Hop I would love to share the simplicity of bottling fruit with nothing more that old jars and a saucepan for basic equipment! You need to use old glass jars that had that metal seal cap ( like the pasta sauce ones and such.....you know, they make a pop sort of noise the first time you open them........ you can see them in the pic with the green lids). Sterilize your jars, and while they are either boiling or sitting in the oven doing that, cut up your fruit, pop it into a saucepan with a very good amount of sugar and water.........more than you would normally put in to stew your fruit. Bring to the boil, once you have stirred the sugar in to the mixture, and cook to the consistency of your choosing. Now while the bottles are hot fill them with the fruit mixture, allowing the syrup to go up to the top of the jar. Place the lids on tightly and just leave them be. At some point over the next 30 mins you will hear the pop as the lid seals itself to 
I have found these keep quite well for a number of months, just kept in my pie cupboard which I use to hold all my preserves and spare jars and my homemade soaps live down the bottom section of it.......but that's a whole other post!
2 comments:
Sharm ...yummo look fantastic....thanks for the tips
What a delightful post! I love the taste of apricot. How fortunate you are to have your own tree. That's a beautiful counter of canned fruit. I've never used old jars before -- I've only ever used canning jars (i.e. Mason jars, etc.) with lids and bands. It's good to know you can also use simple old jars from come products. I've always turned my newly-canned jars upside down immediately after filling them, for about 30 minutes, and then turned them upright again -- that also works to make them seal. But maybe it's not necessary? Some people still put them in a hot water bath, which I've never found necessary. Anyway ... thanks for the great post!
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