Time is ripe to preserve apricots

Apricots are here and plentiful. They are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, dietary fiber and potassium. They contain powerful antioxidants to fight disease.

Here are a few ideas for preserving them. Apricots may be frozen, dehydrated, canned or made into a jam or syrup.

* Freezing apricots is quite easy. Remember to leave some headspace ( 3/4 to 1 inch) at the top of your freezer container as they expand when frozen.

Peel by dipping apricots into boiling water until skins loosen, about 15 to 20 seconds. Chill in very cold water and peel. Halve and remove pits.

Fill freezer containers one-third full of syrup. For the syrup try 3 cups sugar to 5 cups water with 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid. Pack apricots in syrup.

Or combine 1 quart apricots with about 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Pack into freezer containers and press down until fruit is covered with juice.

For a low or no sugar pack: The amount of sugar indicated above may be decreased. Add 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid per quart to prevent darkening. Apricots may be frozen in fruit juice or water, but they may darken and will have a softer texture. Add additional ascorbic acid to prevent darkening.

* Drying apricots is easy but a challenge to get the color and the quality of those that are commercially dried. Apricots should be pretreated in some way to prevent them from turning brown when they are drying.

Research studies have shown that heating the fruit to 160 degrees F before drying enhances the destruction of potentially harmful bacteria during drying. I like to use a syrup blanch for retention of color. Prepare a sugar syrup with 1 part sugar to 2 or more parts water. Bring to a boil. Add the fruit and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and place on drying trays.

Or you can soak apricots with ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Crystals are usually available from a natural food store or a drug store. Stir 21/2 tablespoons crystals (or six crushed 500 mg tablets) into 1 quart of cold water. Soak apricots for about 10 minutes, drain well and dehydrate.

It will take from 24 to 36 hours to dry apricots in a food dehydrator or in the sun.

Dry apricots until leathery and pliable. Don't overdry. For a softer, moister texture, decrease the drying time and store apricots in the freezer. For more details ask the WSU Extension office for "Drying Fruits and Vegetables," PNW397.

* To make apricot fruit leather, puree the apricots and heat to 160 degrees F. One to 2 tablespoons sugar, corn syrup or honey per 2 cups fruit may be added. Dehydrate until tacky on a cookie sheet for sun drying or on a tray for your dehydrator. If desired, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or a dash of nutmeg may be added per 2 cups puree.

* Apricots are usually canned in a boiling water canner.

Raw pack by placing apricot halves in canning jars and covering with boiling syrup (5 cups water to 2 cups sugar). Water or fruit juice may be used instead of syrup; use at least 1/2 teaspoon ascorbic acid per quart for color retention. Process pints for 15 minutes, quarts for 20 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 feet. Add 5 minutes for altitudes of 1,001 to 3,000 feet. Ask for the "Canning Fruits" bulletin for all the details needed to can fruit safely.

* Apricot jam can be made with commercially prepared powdered or liquid pectins. Look for regular pectin or pectin for making lower- or no-sugar jam at your local grocery store. Complete directions for apricot jam are provided with packaged pectin.

Apricot jam can also be made without adding commercial pectin. If you use about one-fourth less ripe apricots, it will set up better.

Apricot Jam

(About 10 half-pints)

2 quarts crushed, peeled apricots

6 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

Combine all ingredients; slowly bring to boiling, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until thick, about 25 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. To decide of the jam is thick enough, spoon a little of the hot syrup onto a very cold plate chilled in your freezer. The syrup cools quickly and resembles more or less the finished jam.

Pour into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water canner at altitudes up to 1,000 feet; 10 minutes for 1,001 to 6,000 feet. Or freeze.

* Sheila Ryan is an agent for family and consumer science with the Yakima County office of Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

For answers to food safety or food preservation questions, call the Master Food Preservers at 574-1600.