Apricot Rum Raisin Jam

It's the start of the season for apricots here in Las Vegas and it's a short window to get them picked before the birds. My sister and I were looking for a new combination and here it is! Apricot Rum Raisin. So delicious with the raisins being soaked in rum for several hours then added to the apricots to create a great combination of flavor.  

Apricot Rum Raisin Jam

6 half pints 

6 cups pitted apricots

2 cups sugar

½ cup lemon juice

1/2 cup raisins  
1/2 cup dark rum (we used Bacardi)

Pectin: 3 1/2 T. Ball low sugar/no sugar pectin or 
1 package Pink box Sure Gel

Preparation: Prepare 6 half pint jars in hot water. Using a knife deseed your apricots and chop them. No need to peel! In a separate bowl add raisins and rum. Soak for at least two hours.  

Cooking: In a stainless steel pot add apricots and a 1/4 cup of water so that the apricots will not scorch. Heat over medium/low for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the apricots have broken down and are soft add the raisins and half of the rum. Add sugar and lemon juice stirring and continue to cook on low for another 15 minutes. Add the remainder of the rum turn up the heat to bring the batch to a boil. Add the pectin stirring it in then letting it boil for one minute. Remove from heat. (Note: by adding the rum just before the end you will not cook down all the alcohol before canning.)

Processing: Ladle jam into hot, sterilized half pint canning jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove air bubbles and refill if necessary. Wipe rims, and add hot lids and rings. Place the jars in the water bath making sure that the water covers each of the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add hot water to the canner if it doesn't measure up. Cover the pot and turn up the heat under the canner and wait for the water to start boiling. Once the water has come to a boil start your timer for 10 minutes. When complete turn off the heat and remove the cover and let the jars sit for another few minutes. Remove the jars and place them back on the dishtowel in a place that they will sit overnight to cool. Do not touch or move them till the next morning.

Sealing: Sometime in the next hour your jars will be making a "pinging" or "popping" noise. That is the glass cooling and the reaction of the lids being sucked into the jar for proper sealing. Some recipes may take overnight to seal. Check your lids and reprocess any jars that did not seal.