Safta Rachel's Fresh Apricot Preserves

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• 3 lbs fresh apricots
• 3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon butter

Recipe

• 1 wash and dry apricots; halve and seed them.
• 2 place fruit in a large, non-reactive pot with heavy base.
• 3 pour sugar over apricots and cover; let stand several hours or preferably overnight to draw out juices.
• 4 bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, uncovered.
• 5 reduce heat to low and continue to boil very gently for 45 minutes, making sure that liquid is always bubbling and stirring often with a wooden spoon to keep preserves from sticking.
• 6 add butter during this time.
• 7 do not allow to scorch.
• 8 test preserves for consistency; drop a small amount of the mixture on a plate. the preserves should mound, not drip from the spoon. the fruit should still be chunky.
• 9 for thick preserves, continue to cook until desired consistency is reached; approximately 20 minutes longer.
• 10 if preserves become too thick, add a little water.
• 11 taste and correct sweetness with lemon juice if needed.
• 12 pour preserves into prepared half-pint canning jars; process in hot water bath canner for ten minutes.
• 13 .