Apricot~Pineapple Jam

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Growing up this was my favorite jam, even though I'd only ever tasted the commercially-made kind. 

A few years ago (at that point a seasoned jam-maker) I found myself with 2 extra pounds of fresh apricots and a fresh pineapple sitting next to each other on my counter. A light bulb went off in my head: what took me so long to put these two together myself? I went to work creating my very own Apricot~Pineapple Jam.

This recipe, while it appears simple, is a real winner. It's amazing to me that with a bit of skill and plenty of heat, 4 common ingredients can be turned into something so lusciously delicious.

Makes ~5 half pints

• 4 cups apricots, pitted and chopped
• 2 cups (about 1 pound) fresh pineapple, cut into chunks 
• 1 fresh lemon, zested and juiced
• 3 cups white sugar

Combine chopped apricots, pineapple chunks and lemon zest plus lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed non-reactive saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the fruit from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir the fruit gently to reduce foaming. After about 10 minutes the fruit should be softening and you can periodically mash the chunks with a potato masher if you want smaller pieces.

Add the sugar slowly, again stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Boil for 10-15 more minutes, stirring, until the jam either thickens to your liking or until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Ladle jam into clean hot jars to within 1/4" of the top, wipe rims spotlessly clean and place a warm lid on top the jar. Next, screw a band onto the jar until it's "finger-tight". Process jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (half pints) and 15 minutes (pints).

If jars lid seals it will easily keep for one year in a cool, dark place. If jar doesn't seal, place it in your refrigerator and eat within 3 months, or within one month of opening.