Easy Apricot Jam with Rosemary

The Recipe: A small batch of fresh apricot jam, barely sweet and with a bare touch of rosemary and lemon. And then? No canning required! This is a rustic and fruity refrigerator jam that's super-super apricot-y. We can't get enough!
Easy Apricot Jam with Rosemary ♥ KitchenParade.com, a small batch, no canning required.

Ah, August and September's Bounty!

Last week's score was two crates of peaches and tomatoes and three quarts of apricots – all seconds, all on the cheap.

Within a few hours, I cranked up the stove to make this year's batch of an old family recipe. (We call it "Sharon's Pickle" for my cousin Sharon, who loves it so much but for others I call Ripe-Tomato Relish with Peaches & Pears.) It's a project, for sure, three hours just to prep the fruits and vegetables, then some hours of cooking, then canning.

If you're like me and only can every so often, reviewing my Practical Home Canning Tips is a good way to get back into the groove.

Fresh apricots for Easy Apricot Jam with Rosemary ♥ KitchenParade.com, a small batch, no canning required.

Small Batch Refrigerator Jam

Sharon's Pickle left me with exactly zero energy for turning lovely, perfectly ripe apricots into the envisioned jarsful of jam. Instead I worked out a small batch recipe for a refrigerator apricot jam, barely sweet and thus rich with ripe apricot flavor with quick flicks of fresh rosemary and lemon.

Best of all? No canning required! No sterilized jars. No boiling water. Just 25 minutes, including minimum kitchen cleanup.

Yes, this is a so-called "refrigerator jam". That means it should be refrigerated (duh) and eaten within a week or so (yum). The eating proved to be no issue, the first jar is gone. Lucky for us? I made two!

Easy Apricot Jam with Rosemary ♥ KitchenParade.com, a small batch, no canning required.

Barely Sweet, a Touch of Rosemary

This is simplicity at its best, just fruit, a touch of sugar and the herby rosemary, no pectin required. The jam will thicken on its own, thanks to the natural pectin in stone fruits like apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums.

So far, this is how I've used the apricot jam:


  • Spooned a few spoonsful over Almost-Chewy Creamy Oatmeal.
  • Whizzed some with a little mayo for a gorgeous fruity topping for burgers.
  • In the fridge now? A layer of apricot jam topped with butterscotch cream for #PieDayFriday.
  • This weekend, I'll drizzle a little over thin slices of pound cake.

Most of all? Toast! I suddenly understand how our friends George and René go through jars of jam just for morning toast.

Me? I feel an obsession coming on! I make bread nearly every week, why not fresh jam too? Something this easy, this fresh, this useful, this adaptable – and most of all, this wonderful – it's my kinda cookin'. My "Summer Easy" kinda cookin'.


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SUMMER EASY:
EASY APRICOT JAM with ROSEMARY

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Makes 2-3/4 cups
    JUST FOUR INGREDIENTS!
  • 1-1/4 pounds fresh apricots, skins left on, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • Zest & juice of a lemon (about 2 tablespoons, don't skip)

In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the apricot, sugar and rosemary to a gentle boil on medium heat. Once the apricot juice begins to release, use the back of a spatula or a potato masher to mash the fruit, not pureeing it smooth, instead aiming for a rustic fruit spread with distinct texture. Cook until thick, mashing and stirring continuously.

Once thick, remove from the heat and remove the rosemary. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Let cool, then transfer to a pretty glass jar and refrigerate.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS Eat this on the spot or eat it up within a week.

VARIATIONS If you're short on apricots, toss in a peach or nectarine, one of these may actually enhance the essence of apricot.

ALANNA's TIPS Stay close and stir continuously, otherwise the high-sugar and low-liquid content could burn.
NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Tablespoon: 10 Calories; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 0mg Sodium; 3g Carb; 0g Fiber; 3g Sugar; 0g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 0 & PointsPlus 0 & SmartPoints 1 & Freestyle 1 (2T = 1 SmartPoint & Freestyle as well)

Savoring Fruit All Summer Long

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.
Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. Anonymous8/23/2016

    I often print your delicious recipes and the ones I try do turn out pretty well, but I must confess, although I cook our family meals from scratch, sadly cooking/baking is not a passion of mine. I've always wanted to make my own jam but have been put off with the amount of time/canning, etc but this recipe could suit me perfectly. And as my husband's favourite fruit is apricot, this one could be right up my street! I'm going to give it a go this weekend... I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks Alanna

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous ~ Such kind words, thank you! Canning jam’s never been my thing either, for me, it’s all the sugar. But this simple recipe has grabbed me with both hands, I’m thinking I’ll make jam every time I make bread, that’s every five or six days. I do so appreciate your taking the time to write ...

    ReplyDelete

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. But I also love hearing your reactions, your curiosity, even your concerns! When you've made a recipe, I especially love to know how it turned out, what variations you made, what you'll do differently the next time. ~ Alanna