Urban preserving, as easy as it gets!

Seasonal small-batch canning is awesome for small households and homes with small storage spaces, and for urban farmers growing fruit trees in containers or the backyard.

Making homemade jam in small batches year round, because you want to and not out of necessity, is not as tiresome as you might think. We do it because it is all natural, flavors stay fresher since fruit is cooked quickly and we have fun all whilst indulging our experimental side. You can choose to use less sugar, avoid using commercial pectin, and combine fruits and flavors to your liking. To top it off, you can simply refrigerate it rather than go through the lengthy process of canning for pantry-storage.

Summer is the high season for food preservers.  Local fruit picked at peak condition makes perfect preserves.  Use organic apricots that are slightly under-ripe or just-ripe, which are high in natural pectin, rather than over-ripe ones; save those for delicious homemade tarts and pies.

apricot halves + sugar + lemon juice

simmering over medium-low heat,

then cooking over medium-high heat until set

all done!  as easy as 1-2-3

ladled into warmed mason jar + ready to be sealed

SMALL-BATCH APRICOT PRESERVES WITHOUT COMMERCIAL PECTIN

print this recipe

36 oz fresh organic apricots, slightly under-ripe; halved, pit and stem removed
1 1/2-to-1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2-to-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 drops pure almond extract
optional flavors: bourbon, vanilla-bean, lavender, rosemary, lemon verbena
1 teaspoon unsalted butter (omit for vegan version)

Have ready a non-reactive stainless steel pan; preferably heavy-bottomed. Arrange apricot halves in a single layer, sprinkle with some sugar, arrange remaining apricots and sugar and continue until all is gone. Add lemon juice. Cover and set aside 8-to-12 hours; mix every so often.

Place pan over medium-low heat, untouched, for 10-to-12 minutes; until all sugar crystals dissolve. Turn up the heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. At this point, white foamy scum will start to appear on the surface.

Reduce heat to medium or medium-high. Cook preserves for another 12-to-20 minutes; remove surface scum as needed. Make sure you swirl pan once in a while to avoid fruit sticking to the bottom.

Meanwhile, place canning jar in a 200F oven.

Remove pan from heat. Gently mix in almond extract and butter (this will melt away any remaining scum foam). Add additional flavors if using at this point. Let sit for 15-to-20 minutes then ladle into warmed jar. Run a knife around edges to remove any air bubbles. Seal jar while still warm then refrigerate once completely cool.