Apricot Pineapple Marmalade

An old client gave me this great recipe and I have been making it for years. Passing the apricot halves through the large holes of a meat grinder makes quick work of the preparation for this absolutely delicious staple in our home. I make two batches every year, one cooked for 1 minute for a runnier marmalade for spooning over yogurt and mixing with Thai sweet chili sauce as a ham baste and the second batch cooks for 5 minutes for a thick marmalade for toast. It is a beautiful sunny orange colour that is most welcome during Vancouver's rainy fall and winter seasons.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 30-40
• Yields: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 kg fresh apricots (3.25-3.5 lbs.)
• 398  ml  can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2  tablespoons  finely grated orange zest
• 5  cups sugar, divided use
• 1  box  Certo, light pectin crystals

Directions

1. Rinse apricots, remove stems, cut or break in half and remove pits. Finely chop or run apricot halves through a meat grinder using the large holes; there should be about 8 cups. Place in a large pot with the pineapple and orange zest.
2. Mix 1/4 cup sugar with pectin and stir into apricots. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add remaing 4 3/4 cups sugar. Return to a boil and boil for 1 - 5 minutes, depending on how firm you would like the marmalade to be (longer = thicker and stronger flavour).
3. Remove from heat; stir and skim foam for 5 minutes (important step that removes unsightly foam and also prevents floating fruit in your marmalade). Ladle into warm sterilized canning jars leaving 1/4" headspace. Cap, seal and process ina water bath for 10 minutes. Makes about 8 cups.