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Preservation of fruit in its own juice has been known since ancient times and has been the most sparing and at the same time the most natural and healthy type of preservation, even before the invention of freezers.
Apricots harvested in this way retain the maximum amount of nutrients and the taste of the original product, are versatile in subsequent use, and can be eaten even by diabetics, since some recipes are completely sugar-free.
The best recipes for apricots in their own juice
In this article, you will be able to find and evaluate a wide variety of used recipes for making apricots in their own juice.
Slices
The most traditional and at the same time popular recipe for obtaining apricots in their own juice is the following.
For 1 kg of pitted apricots, 300-400 grams of sugar is taken.
First, the seeds should be removed from the prepared fruits. This is done in the usual way, cutting or even breaking the fruit into halves. Depending on your aesthetic preferences, you can leave apricot halves for conservation, or you can cut them into two more parts, getting quarters.
Then they take dry, sterilized jars ahead of time, and fill them with apricot slices, while sprinkling them with sugar.
During the laying of apricots, it is advisable to periodically shake the jars gently so that the fruits fit with maximum density. Filled jars are covered with a light cloth and placed in a cool place for 12-24 hours.
Since in the process of infusion with sugar, the apricots will release juice, and free space will be freed up in the jars, two methods are used to fill it:
- Or use the contents of one of the jars to fill the free space in other jars.
- Or, in advance, in a small bowl, additionally leave slices of apricots with sugar for infusion, and use them the next day to fill the empty space in the jars.
After the required time has elapsed, fill the jars with fruit with sugar almost to the brim and place them in a pot of water to sterilize. Sterilization, if desired, can also be carried out in an air grill, and in an oven, and in a microwave – as it is more convenient for anyone. It is enough to sterilize half-liter jars for 10 minutes, and liter jars for 15 minutes. Immediately after sterilization, roll up the jars with lids and allow to cool at room temperature.
Without sterilization
If you are reluctant to bother with sterilizing jars filled with apricots, then you can do otherwise. After pitting, apricots are cut into slices that are convenient for you (you can leave halves as well) and put in a pot or bowl of a suitable size, while sprinkling with sugar. For 1 kg of peeled fruits, 300 grams of sugar is taken. The pan is closed with a lid and everything is set aside for the night or for 12 hours in a cool place.
In the morning, a pan with apricots is put on a slow fire and, after boiling, 200 g of orange pulp is added to it. With constant stirring, the mixture of apricots with sugar and orange boils for about 5 minutes. When hot, the fruit mixture is laid out in sterile jars, a scalded mint leaf is added to each jar for flavor, and the jars are closed with lids. Stored in a cellar or refrigerator.
The resulting blank is ideal for use in Christmas or New Year dishes.
Sugarless
According to this recipe, apricots are obtained as natural as possible in taste, which can be eaten even by those who cannot tolerate sugar for various reasons.
For 1 kg of apricots, take 200 grams of water.
The fruits are traditionally cut into halves, the bones are removed. Fruit is placed in a saucepan and cold water is added. Everything is heated to a boil. Reduce the heat to a minimum, cover with a lid and periodically look into the pan, waiting for the juice to begin to stand out. As soon as the juice begins to stand out, the product is considered ready. Then the choice is yours: either immediately lay out the apricots in jars and start sterilization, or try to boil the fruits until softened.
With this method of making apricots in their own juice, sterilization is indispensable. It is traditionally held for 10 or 15 minutes, depending on the volume of cans.
Polish-Slovakian
If you do not have the opportunity to infuse fruits with sugar for a long time, then there is a quick recipe for apricots in your own juice. The entire production time in total will take you no more than 20-30 minutes. For 1 kg of peeled apricots, 200 g of powdered sugar must be prepared.
Apricot halves are placed in jars cut down as tightly as possible, covered with sugar, and boiled cold water is added to each jar so that the total liquid level does not reach 1-1,5 cm to the neck. After that, the jars are covered with lids and sterilized in boiling water, the level of which should reach from the outside to the shoulders of the jar, for about 10 minutes.
The jars are immediately twisted with lids and cooled in a large container of water, into which cold water should be periodically added.
Without heat treatment
This recipe should appeal to lovers of quick and original solutions. In addition, apricots cooked according to this recipe in their own juice practically do not differ from fresh fruits, except for the addition of sugar.
According to the recipe you should prepare:
- 1 kg apricots, pitted
- 250 g sugar
- A tablespoon of vodka
Rinse apricots, dry, remove pits, cut into quarters if desired. Then put in sterile dry jars, sprinkling with sugar. Keep jars for at least 12 hours in a cool place. The next day, cut out circles from paper, with a diameter of 1 cm more than the diameter of the holes in the cans. Soak these circles with vodka. Lay them on top of the neck of the jars, close the top with a boiled plastic lid. Store the workpiece in a cool place.
Useful Tips
Canning apricots in their own juice will give you many joyful moments if you remember to follow these helpful tips:
- Apricots for this harvesting method can be of any variety and size. But if you use sugar for preservation, it is better to take harder ones, even slightly unripe fruits are allowed. If you are making preparations without sugar, try to use the most ripe, juicy and sweet apricots.
- The preparation will not require a large amount of sugar from you or will delight you with its complete absence – all the more scrupulously it is necessary to take into account the procedures for cleaning fruits and jars from contamination and sterilizing them.
- Use only enameled or stainless utensils. The use of aluminum containers for harvesting fruit is excluded.
- To make ready-made apricots look as attractive as possible, do not be lazy to cut the fruits into halves to remove the stones, and not break them.
Conclusion
From the variety of the best recipes for making apricots in their own juice, even a picky gourmet will be able to choose something suitable for himself.
