HELP what can I do with a LOT of apricots?

**Dutchie** · 07-08-2009, 03:19 PM

I think that I mentioned a while back that I was expecting a bumper crop of apricots from my tree.
Well we picked them and we have about 25 pounds of apricots in varying degrees of ripeness.
Except for jam, what else can I make with them?
(BTW I don't have a dehydrator.)
Thanks!!

**Grainlady** · 07-08-2009, 03:41 PM

The link below for the National Center for Home Food Preservation will give instructions on how to freeze, dry, and can apricots (with a little searching).

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publication...ions_usda.html

See if you can beg, buy, or borrow a dehydrator and follow the instructions found at the above link. I like to dehydrate chopped pieces of apricots, rather than halves, because they dry quicker, but you can dry them in halves or slices. I use the dried apricots in cooked oatmeal, added to fruit cake, served in a fruit compote, pureed in a blender after soaking overnight to make apricot sauce.... Mix with dried apples for apple/apricot sauce. Helpful hint, you only want to dehydrate apricots that are perfectly ripe, not mushy.

You could also use apricots, or mixed fruits including apricots, and make your own homemade fruit roll-ups - once again, it requires a dehydrator. These freeze very well if you store them in a FoodSaver vacuum sealed bag.

**savvy_sniper** · 07-08-2009, 03:44 PM

SEND SOME TO ME - LOL! Could you ask around and borrow a dehydrator? I would make lots of jam and give it as gifts, give some away, eat apricots all day, every day. You could make apricot pie, turnovers, ice cream, muffins, pancakes, etc.

**CrazyCat** · 07-08-2009, 03:47 PM

If you can(process with a hot water bath in glass jars)..you can actually can the apricot halves~in a syrup water.

Also..you can dry fruit in an oven...(of course..it might not be cost-friendly)~I've never actually calculated the cost of using a gas oven.
Cut your fruit into thin slices, and lay on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cook on Low...180-200~I think the time is 5 hours to overnight. ( I'm not actually sure of the time). I think it depends on the thickness of the slices. You can test them and tell if they have cooked enough.

The last thing I did this with was beef jerky. and YUK did it stick up the house. I told dh never again..he needs to get a smoker or something.

**savvy_sniper** · 07-08-2009, 04:34 PM

Recipes from the Apricot Producers website:

http://www.apricotproducers.com/html/consumrecpe.htm

**Michelle** · 07-08-2009, 05:01 PM

Try: www.supercook.com

**jlaporte** · 07-08-2009, 07:20 PM

yea u can send some down here too! those r delish. good luck fixen em tho

**Judi Dial** · 07-08-2009, 07:38 PM

Here is a link to a recipezaar search for "fresh apricot." There are 47 recipes which use them.

Link:
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?foodido[]=2869&srwci=

Look for those that are rated w/ 4-5 stars, that's what I've always done and they've all been good!

Judi

**Goodwin17** · 07-08-2009, 09:08 PM

You can make a solar dehydrator for foods. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It...ehydrator.aspx You can also look on the website for other dehydrating and canning tips. Good luck, wish I had some of those apricots.

**Dutchie** · 07-09-2009, 08:40 AM

Thank you everyone for replying to my post and giving me such great answers. I couldn't pick out just one 'best' answer.

I have printed out some great recipes.

This morning I have been 'canning' for the freezer. This was such an easy way to preserve the fruit.
This afternoon I will be make jam, mmmmm!!!

**savvy_sniper** · 07-09-2009, 09:02 AM

I would LOVE to be at your house!

Originally Posted by Dutchie

This morning I have been 'canning' for the freezer. This was such an easy way to preserve the fruit.
This afternoon I will be make jam, mmmmm!!!

**MaryCarney** · 07-09-2009, 09:45 AM

Apricot sauce (like applesauce) is great for adding in to baked goods to replace 1/2 the fat in things like brownies, quick breads and such. Just cook and puree, and package in small amounts in ziplock bags and freeze.

I've used pears in the same manner - you don't taste the fruit, but it adds moisture and fiber. (wish I had your problem!!! Although, I have a boatload of apples lurking in the yard just now!)

**Dutchie** · 07-09-2009, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by MaryCarney

Apricot sauce (like applesauce) is great for adding in to baked goods to replace 1/2 the fat in things like brownies, quick breads and such. Just cook and puree, and package in small amounts in ziplock bags and freeze.

I've used pears in the same manner - you don't taste the fruit, but it adds moisture and fiber. (wish I had your problem!!! Although, I have a boatload of apples lurking in the yard just now!)

Thank you for this info.
There's another load of apricots waiting on the tree to be picked.
I think that I will be making apricot sauce with them.
Great idea.

**Didi** · 07-09-2009, 02:29 PM

Boerenmeisjes ('Farm girls'), Abricots on 'brandewijn'.

**Grainlady** · 07-09-2009, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Goodwin17

You can make a solar dehydrator for foods. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It...ehydrator.aspx You can also look on the website for other dehydrating and canning tips. Good luck, wish I had some of those apricots.

FYI moment:

Although a solar dehydrator may sound like an inexpensive answer, they are not always reliable and can actually be dangerous depending on the types of materials used in them. You can experience off-gassing from some unfinished woods, finishes like paint/varnish, plastics, and contamination from zinc if you use zinc-coated window screening for drying racks/trays, rather than the more expensive stainless steel screening.

Solar dehydrators are difficult to control the temperature; and not ALL foods dry properly at the same temperature. You can't dry overnight, or properly dry if the day turns cloudy or hazy, and not all foods are dry in a few hours. Some foods require 12-24-hours to dry properly, so your foods need to be brought indoors and placed in a low-humidity environment until the next day when you can finish drying them. If they are not completely dried, proper storage is important so they don't rehydrate if the humidity is high. Even leaving the lid off a container of dehydrated foods for a period of time in a humid kitchen can cause the food to rehydrate and possible mold from the additional of moisture.

You can easily "cook" foods, rather than drying them if the temperature is too high. Drying is more about air circulation - dispelling/moving moisture - than heat. If you ever want to speed-up dehydrating food, add more air, not more heat!

You never want to use high heat for dehydrating (over 140°F), which is often a problem with people trying to use their home ovens for drying foods - they are usually too hot and inefficient at best. When the heat is too high the food cooks/dries quickly on the outside and the moisture inside can't escape. This is called "case hardening", and the moisture trapped inside will cause the food to mold while in storage.

If you place food in a solar dehydrator (or those sun-dried outdoors) and it can be contaminated by insects, you will need to pasteurize (heat treat) the food to get rid of any insects or insect eggs. One pesky fly is all it takes.... Spread the dried fruit or vegetable in a single layer on a shallow pan or cookie sheet. Heat for 10-15 minutes at 175°F or for 30-minutes at 150°F. Both those heat treatments destroy the valuable enzymes in the dried foods. "Every enzyme is different and some are more stable at higher temperatures than others but most enzymes will not become completely inactive until food temperatures exceed 140° to 158°F." Optimum temperatures for enzymes are 45°F to 140°F.