Apricot Orange Marmalade

My mom got a batch of apricots with her peaches this year, and since I was delivering fruit, I also go to help figure things out. The apricots turned out to be pretty ripe after the trip to the parent’s house, and so we decided to make some jam, well then mom decided marmalade would be nice. I did a little searching and came up with Apricot Orange Marmalade from Global Gourmet.

I have reposted here with a couple of notes:

3 pounds apricots
2 tablespoons finely chopped orange zest (we used the zest from 2 large oranges)
1 cup orange sections (This was the two oranges we zested, the large segments breakdown during the cooking)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups granulated sugar
3 half-pint jars and matching lids (use new lids only)

Pit and quarter the apricots. There should be approximately 9 cups. In a 12-inch skillet or sauté pan, combine the apricots, zest, orange sections, juice and sugar. Allow to stand for 1 hour at room temperature. ( I had it covered at this point, but that was mostly to keep out any flies that were roaming around. I don’t know if it made any difference to the end product)

Cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours, or until mixture looks glazed and clear liquid is no longer visible. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for another 30 minutes until the marmalade is thick. (I ended up cooking mine for a 3.5 to 4 hours before it was a consistency that I liked)

Sterilize the jars by washing and rinsing them in the dishwasher without detergent; keep them warm in a 250 degree-F oven. Pour boiling water over the lids to soften the rubber seals.

Ladle the hot marmalade into the hot jars, filling to within 1/2 inch of the top. Wipe the rims and seal with the hot lids and metal bands. Place the jars on a rack, without touching, in a large, deep pot with water to cover by 1 inch. Cover and boil for 15 minutes. Use tongs to remove the jars to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature. Check the seals. The jars are sealed when the center of the lid is slightly indented and cannot be pressed in with a fingertip.

Makes 3 half-pints ( I actually got closer to 5 half pint jars)