AUNTIE ZEE’S WORLD FAMOUS APRICOT JAM
My wonderful spinster Aunt's exclusive recipe for the most delicious apricot jam on earth! This one takes a lot of time and is a labor of love! This lady knew how to cook and always went the extra mile to make things that have her signature! If you find this recipe anywhere else, you can be assured that it was here first. Auntie Zee protected it with all her being, and had a twinkle in her eye when she would (fib) and give it up to those who asked for it. I think I am the only person she ever confided to with this recipe. I think that was because I caught her climbing up a fruit ladder to pick her tree ripened apricots on a hot summer day when she was in her 90's. She knew I was thinking of her and maybe reluctantly shared this recipe to her oldest nephew.
RECIPE PRINTED FROM: THEGUTSYGOURMET.NET©
AUNTIE ZEE’S WORLD FAMOUS APRICOT JAM
INGREDIENTS: Makes about 4 QUARTS
• 3 quarts cut apricots**SEE COOK'S NOTE 1**
• 2 quarts sugar
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• ½ cup lemon juice - fresh
• 15 apricot pits - remove seeds and boil until skin will peel off**SEE COOK'S NOTE 2**
• 2 Tablespoon(s) light Karo syrup or corn syrup
DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring all ingredients to a boil and cook until the apricots get soft and just begin to lose their shape. Let cool.
2. Pour into shallow baking pans to about ¾ inch deep. Cover with cheese cloth netting and put in hot sun for 3-4 days to further "sun-cook".
Of course you have to live in an area where the temperature will remain in the 90’s to 100’s during the day (Take pans in at night - you don't
want the varmints to eat your jam)
3. When ready, (AFTER 3-4 DAYS) put all the jam back into a large pot and bring to a boil for 10 minutes.
4. Pour into sterilized jars and seal (FOLLOW NORMAL CANNING INSTRUCTIONS).
 COOKS NOTE*
1. Cut the apricots in half, unless they are very large, then you should cut them in quarters. We are making jam here, not jelly. Tree ripened apricots are no easy find these days. It is
really important that the apricots are ripened in the sun. That is where all the flavor comes from. If you can find a farm that grows apricots or have your own tree, you are going to
love this recipe.
2. The apricot pits are the hard woody center of the apricot. Within that hard woody center is the seed. You will have to use a hammer or vise to break the hard pit
and remove the seed. Boiling the seed will remove the bitter skin that covers it. This seed gives a unique flavor to the jam. A warning: Apricot seeds have a
minuscule amount of arsenic in them, but well below anything toxic. I have been eating this jam since I was born, and I’m an Octogenarian. Auntie Zee ate it all
her life and lived over 100 years. If you have any trepidations, you may skip this step.
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