Description
Sweet summer memories bloom in this homemade Plum Jam, capturing garden-fresh fruit’s pure essence. Smooth, rich spreads bring delightful moments to breakfast tables, inviting you to savor each spoonful of seasonal comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 pounds (5.4 kilograms) sweet ripe plums, rinsed
- 4.5 cups (900 grams) white sugar
Canning Supplies:
- 8 pint-sized jars with lids
Instructions
- Carefully remove pits from plums and slice into halves, then combine with sugar in a large bowl, allowing the mixture to macerate and release juices for approximately 60 minutes at room temperature.
- Transfer the plum-sugar mixture to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a vigorous boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture cool completely, which allows pectin to develop and helps thicken the jam naturally.
- Repeat the boiling and cooling process three additional times, each cycle intensifying the flavor and consistency of the jam.
- Prepare glass jars by thoroughly washing and sterilizing them in a preheated oven at 225°F for 10 minutes, simultaneously sanitizing jar lids by boiling them in water for 5 minutes.
- After the final cooking cycle, carefully ladle the hot jam into sterilized jars, leaving a precise 1/4-inch headspace to ensure proper sealing.
- Wipe jar rims clean, secure lids firmly, and process jars in a rolling boiling water bath for 15 minutes to create a hermetic seal.
- Remove jars and allow them to rest undisturbed at room temperature for 12-24 hours, listening for the distinctive “ping” that indicates successful sealing.
- Check jar seals by pressing the center of each lid; if it doesn’t move, store in a cool, dark pantry. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and consume within several weeks.
Notes
- Ripeness matters: Choose fully ripe plums for the most intense, sweet flavor that will make your jam sing with natural sweetness.
- Sugar flexibility: Adjust sugar quantity based on plum’s natural sweetness; less sugar works for sweeter varieties to keep a more fruity taste.
- Pectin boost: Add a touch of lemon juice or commercial pectin if your plums seem less naturally thick to help jam set perfectly.
- Storage savvy: Properly sealed jars can last up to one year in a cool, dark pantry, making this a fantastic preserve for enjoying summer’s bounty all year round.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Breakfast, Desserts
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 93 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 98 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg