Our "cots" are beginning to ripen also - with 2 trees, one older and one recently planted. Both have super crops this year (I believe more chill hours last winter).

They are so loaded but the trees are self-culling - and of course, birds and critters will have some.

But will freeze/preserve quite a few as sauce in just a light simple syrup. We are still jam rich from last year's bounty, so think I will try to dry a lot of them.

Our boysenberries were heavy this year, so juggling space is becoming a problem.

Bejay

Last year I just did canned apricots (like you would peaches) and they worked out very well. Also did apricot jam with almost no sugar and it was yummy. The year before I made some apricot-ginger preserves, I would have to search for that recipe but could do so if you are interested. I love apricots, I'm jealous.

I would love to try drying them also.

Ann

I just made apricots preserves and jam. But I have to buy them.

Make sure to use Ascorbic acid in them as they do go brown without it.

I am jealous, jealous, jealous!!!!
You guys in the south get stuff so early!

Oh well. Keeps the rest of us going while we're waiting.

I would dry some apricots if I had lots! Love them for snacks. Then you can make Annie's Habanero Gold later. Serve over a brick of cream cheese with crackers (a good movie and a glass of wine and DH & I call it a date!!)

Here's the recipe!

Habanero Gold Jelly
1/3 cup finely sliced dried apricots
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 up finely diced red onion
1/4 cup finely diced sweet red pepper
1/4 cup finely diced habanero peppers, including seeds
OR 1/4 cup diced, combined jalapeno and Scotch Bonnet peppers
3 cups granulated sugar
1 pouch Certo liquid pectin
Cut apricots into 1/8 inch slices. Measure into a large deep stainless steel saucepan with vinegar; let stand 4 hours. Individually, cut onion and seeded peppers into 1/8 inch slices; cut slices into 1/4 inch dice. Measure each ingredient; add to apricots. Stir in sugar.
Over high heat, bring to a full roiling boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in pectin, mixing well.
Pour jelly into hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling each jar to within 1/4 inch of top rim. Wipe rims. Apply lids.
Process 10 minutes in BWB. Cool upright, until lids pop down, about 30 minutes. When lids are concave but the jelly is still hot, carefully grasp jar without disturbing lid and invert, twist, or rotate each jar to distribute solids throughout jelly. The jar can be inverted temporarily but do not allow it to stand upside-down for prolonged periods.
Repeat as necessary during the cooling/setting time, until solids remain suspended in the jelly.

Deanna

You know what? I don't know what I was thinking. Please don't ask for the recipe for apricot-ginger preserves, because there is no such thing. I never have made this. I made ginger-PEAR preserves.

Sheesh. I think I'm losing my mind sometimes.
Ann

That recipe looks fantastic Deanna. I love pepper jellies!! Neither of my apricot trees produced this year but I'm sure I can find some at the farmer's market or somewhere here. Thanks!

I take NO credit except for the posting.
That's Annie's recipe! And it is GOOD!

Oh. I forgot to mention that I subbed Anaheim peppers for the Habs.........IMAWIMP!

Apricot Chutney
4 cups dried apricots, chopped
1 litre water
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
3/4 cup sultanas
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
3 black peppercorns
1 cup sugar

Combine apricots, water, vinegar, sultanas, garlic, rind, juice and peppercorns in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until apricots are pulp. Add sugar, stir over heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Pour into hot sterilised jars, seal when cold.

Apricot Salsa
1/2 red capsicum, roasted and chopped
olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1 Jalapeno chilli , finely minced
2 apricots, chopped
2 tablespoons dark rum
apple cider

Saute onion in about a tablespoon of olive oil until translucent. Add tomato and jalapeno and saute about another 5 minutes, until tomato is cooked. Add cider to cover and apricots and boil down until cider is almost all boiled off. Chopped roasted bell pepper and stir. Add rum and light and swirl until flame goes out. Serve hot on fish or over prawns.

Apricot Spice Butter
2kg apricots
sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
juice and grated peel of 1 lemon

Wash, peel and pit apricots, cut into small pieces. Cook in their own juices over a very low heat until fruit is soft. Measure apricot pulp. Add 1/2 cup sugar for each cup of apricot pulp. Add remaining ingredients and cook until thick. Ladle into sterilised jars and seal.

Thanks everyone!
Does anyone have a conversion for using fresh apricots instead of dried, since a lot of the recipes call for dried?
Carla

Hi,

Picked apricots yesterday and stumbled onto the habanero recipe listed in this post...looking for conversion from dried to fresh (the recipe calls for dried).

Thanks guys!

Pam
Havertown
(bitten by garden but and trying canning now)