Apricot Jam Microwave Recipes

3-MINUTE MICROWAVE JAM

Steps:

• Put the berries in a large glass bowl. If you are using blackberries and they are large, cut them in half. Toss the berries with the cornstarch and sugar if you are using.
• Cover the bowl with a microwave safe dinner plate, and microwave for 3 minutes. Give it a stir. If your jam is still very runny, pop it back into the microwave for 30 second intervals. Note: Be careful, it will get quite hot so use caution, and oven mitts.
• Spoon the jam into a clean jar and let cool Store in the refrigerator, the jam will firm up as it cools.
• Use or freeze the jam within one week.

APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Mix apricots and lemon juice in a large pot; add sugar. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook and stir until apricot mixture thickens, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.
• Meanwhile, prepare jars, lids, and rings by cleaning and sterilizing in dishwasher or boiling water bath. Leave lids in simmering water until ready to seal jars.
• Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space on top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

SMALL BATCH LOW SUGAR APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Wash, half and pit the apricots. Throw them in a pot with wide bottom. Add water and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring almost constantly.
• After 10 minutes the apricots will turn into a mash. This is the time to add sugar and lemon juice. Stir and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes or until it thickens and the apricots are completely mushy. This way there is no need to run the mixture through a sieve at all.
• To see if the jam has thickened pour some of it onto a small plate that has been previously in the freezer. Let it cool down a bit. Now make a line through the jam with your finger. If the jam fills the space (the drawn line) it's not quite thick yet so continue simmering. If it doesn't, you can start filling your jars.
• Pour or spoon the jam into jars leaving about 0.4 inch (1 cm) free from the top. Seal with lids, turn up-side down and let them cool completely.
• To check if the lids are properly sealed simply tap/push down each lid. If it doesn't pop up or down, it's sealed. If the lid does pop up or down it's not air-tight. Place those in the fridge and eat within a week. The rest of them should last for several months.

QUICK AND EASY DRIED APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• With a kitchen scissors, cut two apricots in half at a time. Cut the halves into three pieces each so each apricot is cut into six pieces each. (Can be cut smaller if you prefer smaller chunks in your jam.)
• Place the chopped apricots into a 4 cup measuring cup. Add water to the 4 cup line.
• Dump all that into a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add the salt and simmer for about 30 minutes until the apricots are tender and the jam coats a spoon. Stir in the brown sugar.
• Decant into ½ pint jars and refrigerate for several weeks or freeze for six months. Note, this jam does not have enough sugar to be considered safe for pressure or water bath canning.

APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Toss the apricots, sugar, lemon zest and juice and vanilla in a large saucepan to combine, then mash slightly to release some of the apricot juice. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the apricots to macerate and the sugar to dissolve. Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer to chill; this will be used to test the doneness of the jam.
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. (See Cook's Note for suggested add-in.) Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the jam becomes thick and syrupy, about 35 minutes. To test doneness, place a small amount of the jam onto the chilled plate and freeze for 2 minutes. Drag your finger or a spoon through the jam. If it holds its shape and thickness, the jam is done; remove from the heat. If it's runny, continue to cook and test again in 5-minute increments. Once the jam has reached the right consistency, transfer to jars and cool completely before storing, tightly covered. The jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

HOW TO MAKE DRIED APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Place the dried apricots in a large bowl and cover with water. Leave to soak overnight.
• Pour the apricots and water into a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the apricots become soft.
• Add sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved.
• Reduce the heat and let the jam simmer. Stir occasionally during one hour, or until the jam gels when tested. Pour into sterilised hot jars. Let stand until cold and then seal.
• Decorate if presenting as a gift by giving the jars a professional and elegant touch by using a piece of fabric over the lid, tied down with a thin satin ribbon matching the fabric. Add a label so that the new owner can identify it, along with the date you made it.
• Finished.

APRICOT JAM - MICROWAVE

Steps:

• Put the apricots, water, lemon juice and cloves in a large bowl.
• Cook, covered with pierced plastic wrap for 10 minutes on high, stirring frequently.
• Remove cloves and add the sugar, stirring well.
• Cook covered on high for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
• Put a spoonful of jam on a cold plate.
• If a skin forms and the jam wrinkles when the plate is tilted, setting point has been reached.
• If jam is still liquid, cook for a further 2-3 minutes on high, Pour into hot sterilized jars, .cover with seal and ring; cool completely listening for the seal to snap. Any that do not snap seal need to be used with in a week. Or alternately pour into freezer containers; cool completly and freeze.".

NO PECTIN APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Clean your lids and jars, and place lids and jars, upside down, in a 200F oven.
• In a 3-4 qt soup pot, mix all of the ingredients. Heat over medium, stirring often, until the mixture begins to bubble and foam. (For us, this was about 20 minutes.)
• Place the candy thermometer in the mixture and turn the heat to high. Continue to heat the mixture, stirring constantly. (At this point, you may want to put on an oven mitt. As the jam thickens it will begin to foam, sputter and spit. This is good; it means things are getting jammy. But, it's not too good if you get hit.)
• Once the mixture reaches 220-222F, remove the jam from the heat. (For us, it took 8-10 minutes to reach the jamming temperature.)
• Using oven mitts, remove the hot jars from the oven. Ladle the hot jam into the hot jars, filling to ¼" of the top. ( ¼" is roughly the width of then nail on your little finger.) Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp towel to remove any sticky spillage. Top the jar with a hot lid and band. Tighten the band as tight as you can. Repeat until all the jam has been jarred.
• Process your jars using your preferred method. *
• Whichever method you use to process your jam, remove the bands after the jam has cooled. Check the seal on your lids and refrigerate any jars that have not sealed. Wipe the jars down one last time to remove any sticky bits before placing the bands back on the jars and storing the jam.

ZUCCHINI-APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Place the apricots in a bowl, cover with cold water, cover bowl and soak overnight in the refrigerator.
• The next day, simmer the apricots in the water until tender. Drain well and chop coarsely. Set aside.
• Get your canning equipment and jars ready.
• Prepare the zucchini - cut off the ends, peel, seed if large, cut into chunks and weigh.
• Microwave zucchini in a minimal amount of water in a covered, vented bowl 10-12 minutes.
• While the zucchini is cooking, wash the lemons, grate off the zest, cut in half and ream out the juice.
• Drain the zucchini well. Puree in food processor, blender or mash with a potato masher.
• Put the zucchini in a very large (3 quart)bowl, add the apricots, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Stir well - it will become liquidy.
• Ladle half the mixture into a 2 quart microwave safe glass bowl. Don't use plastic - the jam gets too hot for plastic when it cooks.
• Microwave 7 minutes on 100% power, stirring every 2-1/2 minutes.
• Hint: Use a small note pad to note a tick mark for every stir so you don't lose track of how long it's been cooking.
• Add the ginger, if using.
• Microwave 12 - 16 minutes longer, stirring every 4 minutes until it will set a gel.
• I use the cold plate method to determine if it's ready to set: at the start of cooking place a small plate into the freezer. After you start timing the cooking in 4 minute intervals and the jam has cooked for a total of 8 minutes, take the plate out of the freezer. Place a drop (about 1/2 tsp.)on the plate. Return the plate to the freezer and wait 2 minutes. Don't cook the jam while you are waiting. Take the plate out again. Draw a line through the drop of jam. If the jam doesn't run back together, it's set. If it does, continue cooking and testing in 4 minute intervals.
• When ready to set, remove the ginger slices and ladle the jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe the rims clean, put hot lids in place and tighten to just finger tight.
• Process in boiling water bath 5 minutes.
• Repeat steps for remaining mixture.