An ink jet recording method and apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink onto a recording medium in accordance with recording data using a recording head having ink discharge ports for discharging the ink. The apparatus includes a scanning unit for scanning the recording head relative to the recording medium for discharging ink to record pixels on the recording medium, and a determining unit for determining whether the recording data includes non-discharge data for a predetermined number of successive pixels to be recorded by the recording head, and for generating a corresponding determination output signal. The apparatus further includes a control unit for controlling ink discharge in accordance with the determination output signal such that an amount of ink discharged for forming at least one pixel subsequent to the predetermined number of successive pixels is reduced from a predetermined recording amount, when the recording data is determined to include non-discharge data for the predetermined number of successive pixels.