8 pounds of Plums... Now what?

I was blessed with the gift of 8 pounds of plums, from a neighbor. Now what? I was trying to figure out how the girls and I were going to eat so many plums. I was actually doing the math, ok so we eat 5 per day and in no time we will be done. Then I thought better of that idea...

I guess I channeled my Grandma at that moment because I decided that I was going to make plum jam. Mind you I have never canned anything in my life. My Grandma did the canning for the family, not even my Mother cans. So I said ok this can’t be that hard I’m smart I can figure this out. I looked up a couple of recipes online and found one that I half way liked. Most of them used way too much sugar, so I cut the sugar in half. My research showed that sugar does not make the jam the Pectin does so it really doesn’t matter how much sugar you use or don’t use. Bearing in mind the fruit you are using, so plums can be tart so I figured that if it turned out too tart to use on toast then it would become a meat/chicken plum sauce marinade.

Here is the recipe that I used:

4 Pounds of plums
½ cup water
1 packet of Fruit Pectin
½ tsp butter
5 cups of sugar* (original recipe called for 8 cups)

*add as much sugar as you like. You have the opportunity to add more with no problem before you are done.

You will also need:

Ball jars with seals and lids

Stock pots (two at least 6 qts. each) Not aluminum or non-stick, Stainless Steel is best

Tongs

Kitchen towels

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Remove seeds and skin from plums (removing skin is optional) Cut plums into small pieces add to your stock pot, add the water.  While you are cooking your fruit use the other pot to boil water to sterilize your jars. Bring fruit slowly on low heat to a rolling boil stirring constantly. Cook the fruit down into the consistency that you like. I had small pieces of fruit still in mine; I like the flavor better like that and it looks more homemade to me.

 

Cut plums, getting ready to start jam, yum!



In the meantime clean your jars, lids and seals with hot soapy water. Place into the hot water and sterilize them. Place one of the jars upright and make sure that the water covers that jar by 2 inches. If the water does not cover the jars by 2 inches add more water to cover, better to do this now then wait until you have jam in your jars and discover that you need more water and then have to wait for the water to boil…

Remove sterilized jars, lids and seals and place on a clean kitchen towel.

When fruit is boiling (and is the consistency you like) turn heat down to a simmer, add Fruit Pectin, and stir vigorously until dissolved. Add ½ tsp. butter to dissipate the foam. Bring mixture back to a rolling boil and add all of the sugar, stir vigorously until all is dissolved. Cook at a rolling boil at a rolling boil stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Simmering plums in their own jiuce and 1/2 cup water

Test the mixture for gelling. The mixture should form a gel (like hair gel) on a cold spoon. It should not fall or slide off easily. If the mixture passes the test you can now put it into the sterilized jars. Fill the jars and leave about a ¼ of an inch open to the top. Wipe the jars on the sides and top, place the seal and ring (lid) on the jars. When you have filled all of the jars, place them into the pot of boiling water and making sure that there is 2 inches of water above the lid of the jars.

Boil jars of jam for 20 minutes. Turn off the water and let jars sit in water for another 5 minutes. Then remove and set on a clean kitchen towel for 24 hours to set.

Enjoy! I will be spreading mine on toast. I was also thinking of making a sauce for chicken or meat, by adding onion seasoning mix and fresh herbs to the plum sauce marinating the meat and then cooking.

 

Plum Jam,Done!