How to Make Ginger Apricot Jam; Canning

Marie Overton
Jul 15, 2021
2 min read

Updated: Aug 4

I love this jam. As a basic jam, I sometimes feel like apricots can be a little bland. A lot of sweet but not a lot of flavor. Adding the ginger and vanilla makes for an interesting, delightful flavor in this apricot ginger jam that just rolls around in your mouth. When I first tried this new combination I had no idea the new dimensions of taste this would open up. I had to go get more apricots, so I could can enough to last until the next season because it had quickly become one the family was loving.

Makes: 5 half-pint jars

5 Cups Pitted, Crushed or Blended Apricots
1/4 Cups Lemon Juice
½ tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Ginger
8 Cups Sugar
6 tablespoons Pectin
1/2 tsp Butter (optional)

Do you need a large pot to make this recipe?

Preparation to Make Apricot Ginger Jam:

Prepare your boiling water bath canner by filling it about halfway full with water and place it on the stove on medium heat.
Wash whole apricots under cold running water; drain.
Cut apricots in half lengthwise. Remove pits.
Blend or mash apricots to measure 5 cups.

Cook the Ginger Apricot Jam Without Pectin:

Hand adds spice cube to pot with orange mixture, white powder stirred with wooden spoon on granite countertop.

Combine crushed or blended apricots, lemon juice, vanilla, ginger, and pectin in a large saucepan. Add the optional butter to reduce foam. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add the sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring back to a boil and set 1 minute timer.

Hands stirring sugar and orange pulp in a metal pot on a stovetop, seen from above. Dark countertop in the background.

Constantly stir to prevent sticking or burning. Remove from heat. Skim off foam if necessary. Add the vanilla at this point.

Fill Jars:

Hand ladling orange-red sauce from pot into empty glass jars on a speckled countertop. Jars are neatly arranged, ready for filling.

Using a jar funnel, ladle hot jam into a hot, half pint jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Clean the jar rim. Center the lid on the jar and adjust the band to finger-tip tight.

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Process the Jars of Ginger Apricot Jam:

Place the filled jars into the boiling water bath canner. Make sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 to 2 inches. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover the water canner and bring water to a rolling boil. Process half-pint jars for 10 minutes. (Adjust the processing time if you are above 1000 feet.)

Person using canning tongs to place two sealed jars of food on a striped mat in a kitchen. The stove displays the time 12:26.

Once the jars of jam are done processing turn off the heat and remove the cover. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the water bath and place them on a heat resistant surface about 1-2 inches apart so they can cool a little faster.