That’s true to some extent with any fruit, but I imagine most people couldn’t really pick out different types of strawberry in a blind jam taste test.Plums, on the other hand, make dramatically different jams based on the variety. The product finder on the Smucker's site is not working right now. Once the plum jam gets near gel stage, the texture and the look of the bubbles in the pot will abruptly change. I think that if you mixed up a tablespoon or 2 of Skippy peanut butter, some soy or fish sauce, red pepper flakes, grated fresh ginger and lime juice it might be close enough to work. Regardless of the variety you choose, this plum jam recipe will suit you just fine. Pink Squirrel: A Cocktail Recipe That is Delightful and Pink Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. That’ll still get you a sweet plum jam, and a good yield, without hiding the spectacular flavor of fresh plums.And it’ll still gel beautifully even without added pectin…Place the plums and the sugar in a heavy-bottomed jam pot and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. We grow bucket loads up plums every year here on our Vermont homestead, of every color, flavor, shape, and variety. It’s up to your tastes, and I generally stick to this recipe regardless of the type of plum.The finished flavor of your homemade plum jam will depend on the plum variety. Most years anyway…Crop failure or not, there’s no way I’m going a year without homemade plum jam. If you want, you can give it a splash of lemon juice, which will help bring out the fruit flavor by adding a bit of tart juice, but that’s completely optional (and I don’t). The plum skins add amazing color to the finished jam, and believe it or not, that’s where a lot of the flavor is. Once you add sugar, those previously unpleasant plums become a rich and complex jam. That said, don’t shy away from abrasive plum varieties like tart, tannin-rich damson plums. I think most plums are plenty sweet and don’t need to be hidden behind all that sugar. The yield will be lower, cook time longer, and the jam tarter, but it's perfectly fine as a low sugar plum jam variation.Plums not the only thing you’re canning this summer? I've gone to 3 stores and no one seems to have it. For slow-cooked dishes like beef brisket, substitute prunes (which are just dried plums) or figs. Wild plums also make an excellent plum jam.On the other hand, if you really like a mild jam, choose golden fleshed plums like greengages, which produce a plum jam that tastes almost like apricot jam.I’ve yet to make a plum jam that I didn’t like, and they all have their merits. Begin checking at 15 minutes, and know that it could take as long as 40-45 minutes to finish.At first, it’ll look more or less like plum soup, with chunks of plums floating in a sea of juice. Wipe rims, de-bubble jars and adjust the headspace to ensure it’s still 1/4 inch.Cap with 2 part canning lids and process in a water bath canner for 5 minutes (pints and half pints). Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. If you're lucky enough to find apricots in their prime, substitute them for any jam recipe that calls for plums. Stick to halfway full. Let stand 10 minutes.
Adjust the time to 10 minutes if you’re above 1,000 feet in elevation, and to 15 minutes if you’re over 6,000 feet.Plum jam is rich and flavorful, and the perfect way to preserve plums for year-round enjoyment.Similarly, you can reduce the sugar in this recipe by half, and the jam will still gel. I like the skins, and leave them just as they are.All I do is pit and slice the plums before making plum jam.After preparing the fruit, you’ll need to decide on how much sugar to add.
I’m going to give you my go-to recipe for plum jam, but there’s actually quite a bit of wiggle room if you’d like to use either more or less sugar.For 9 cups chopped plums (3lbs prepared, 3 1/2 lbs with pits), I add 3 cups sugar (or 1 1/2 lbs).
The recipe is for an apple cake in which the apple slices are tossed with lemon juice and half a cup of the jam. This plum jam recipe should yield about 4 half-pint (8 oz) jam jars.While sugar is the only strictly “necessary” ingredient to make plum jam, you can add other flavorings if you choose. If you're lucky enough to find apricots in their prime, substitute them for any jam recipe that calls for plums.
The plate will flash cool the jam, and you’ll be able to see if it’s gelled.Once it’s reached gel stage, ladle the finished plum jam into prepared jars. Though those are my favorite plum jam variations, my canning books have all manner of ideas too. For every 500 feet above sea level the finish temperature will drop by 1 degree F. I’m at 1000 feet, so my jams finish at 218 F.You can also test the texture of your jam by spooning a bit onto a plate that’s been chilled in the freezer. Make sure to use more apricots than your plum recipes calls for since this sister fruit can be half as big, or just make apricot preserves instead. Taste the plums first, and if you like the fruit, chances are they’ll make a darn good jam (and taste an awful lot like their fresh version).
Join the discussion today. Get daily tips and expert advice to help you take your cooking skills to the next level. The trees grow fast and begin bearing fruit in just a few years, thriving in our moist shady woodland soils. A quick mid-summer stroll through the farmer's market marks the arrival of stone fruit crops. Both are easy to find at the grocery store and the long cooking time will break them down and sweeten up your main dish.