I love canning fresh fruit and vegetables! Grown in my very own backyard (or friends’ backyards, or relatives’ backyards ~ you get the picture). These plums are from our one, sad, little plum tree that I baby all year.
Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this post to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be there when you’re ready!
I also love making homemade jam. Today is all about this tart Plum Jam. This easy plum jam recipe is a great way to make use of all the delicious fruit that is available around here. Check out the step-by-step instructions below.
Supplies:
- 12 Quart Water Bath Canner with Lid – best for foods with high acidity like salsa, tomatoes and fruit.
- Ball Mason Jars – sterilized pint sized jars work best for this recipe.
- Snap Lids and Rings – new, unused snap lids are needed to get a good seal on your jars.
- Canning Jar Lifter – this is used to lift the hot jars safely out of the boiling water bath.
- Magnet Snap Lid Lifter – this makes pulling the snap lids from the water after being sterilized much easier.
- Jar Canning Funnel – perfect for pouring the jam into mason jars.
- Ladle – for scooping the mixture into the jars.
- Over the Sink Strainer – this is my go-to strainer for processing a lot of fruit.
- Rubber Tongs – for grasping hot jars and lids when sterilizing.
- Tea Towels – used for cleaning and handling hot jars.
- Stock pot – for cooking the plum jam.
- Wooden spoon – to stir the mixture.
- Cutting board – used to chop up the fruit and vegetables.
- Sharp knife – these are my favorite for slicing and dicing.
- Measuring spoons and cup – for measuring ingredients.
- Paper towel – perfect for wiping down the jars and cleaning up.
Plum Jam Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 4 ½ cups pitted, chopped plums (about 2 pounds of plums)
- ½ cup water
- 7 ½ cups white sugar
- ½ teaspoon butter
- 1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
- 8 half-pint jars with lids and rings
I began by pitting the fresh plums, my least favorite part of the whole process. My fingers turned purple. I shall wear gloves next time.
Leaving the plum skins on, I chopped up the fruit with my trusty Pampered Chef chopper.
Then, I combined the plums, pectin, lemon juice, and water in a large pot, and cooked everything on medium heat.
When my plum mixture came to a boil, I added sugar, and cooked for another 15 mins.
While all of that was happening, I sterilized the canning jars, metal lids, and screw bands in boiling water.
I poured my hot jam into the sterilized jars (leave 1 inch headspace), put the lids on, and processed them in a water bath canner for about 20 mins.
Finally, I allowed all that delicious jam to cool completely to room temperature. Turning them upside down helps them to seal, right? So I have been told. Most of my canning techniques have been passed down from generation to generation {like old wives tales}. If you have any tips or techniques for me, please share!!
Tips & tricks:
- Wash all of your glass jars and lids in hot soapy water before use.
- Add a bit of ground cinnamon to your jam for a little extra flavor.
- Do you prefer a smoother jam over a chunkier style? Before filling your hot jars, use a potato masher or immersion blender to break down the larger pieces of fruit. You could even run the mixture through a food mill.
- Before processing, remove any excess air bubbles from your jam with a skewer.
- Wipe down the rims of the jars before putting the lids on. This helps remove any spills or stickiness that could interfere with a good seal.
- For best results, store your homemade plum jam in a cool, dark place. It will keep for at least one year. Any unsealed jars should be kept in the fridge and used first.
- Don’t want to make all your jam right away? Pit and chop your plums, then measure them into ziploc bags and freeze for up to 6 months. They will be ready and waiting for you.
Enjoy your delicious plum jam on toast, pancakes, waffles, or even on ice cream.
That is awesome! I want o learn how!
I didn’t can this year, but wish I did. Looks tasty. Thanks for linking to Craftastic Monday:)