Processing: Boiling Water Canner 10mins (half-pints, pints)Storage: 12 months +
Yield: 8 cups per batch
A simple jam packed full of flavour from locally grown plums. Delicious on toast, crackers, sandwiches and warming as a glaze for chicken or pork, grilled or stir-fried with noodles and vegetables ....
Ingredients:
2kg (4 1/2 pounds) plums
2kg (4 1/2 pounds) plums
4 cups water
1/3 cup bottled lemon juice
5 cups white sugar
Prepare plums.
Wash plums, drain well. Remove stems, blemishes and cut in half to remove stones. Roughly chop/slice. Add into your heavy-based large pan with the other ingredients.
Prepare plums.
Wash plums, drain well. Remove stems, blemishes and cut in half to remove stones. Roughly chop/slice. Add into your heavy-based large pan with the other ingredients.
Stir every few minutes while sugar dissolves, then continue boiling gently until set (gel) point has been achieved. Once fruit is soft (10-15mins of boiling), carefully puree using immersion blender (or masher). Continue boiling (usually 45-50mins boiling in total) until mixture wrinkles on a freezer-temperature saucer after 30 seconds.
Prepare jars by covering in water and boiling for 10 minutes.
Skim foam.
Skim away any foam from the surface of the jam.
Prepare lids.
While you are making the jam, place the lids into a pan of previously boiling water. Do not simmer or boil, just let the lids heat through in the few minutes while you fill the jars, removing the lids from the water when you are ready to place them onto the jars to seal.
Ladle hot jam into hot jars.
Immediately spoon hot jam into hot jars, leaving a 1/4 inch (0.5cm) headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe rims and seal.
Boiling water canner processing.
Process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (start timer once water returns to a full boil). When time is up, turn heat off and rest jars in water for 5 minutes before placing onto a towel-covered bench overnight to cool.
Next day: check for seals.
Check jars have sealed before labelling and storing in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 12 months.
NOTES:
• You can do a low/no-sugar version of this jam using a packet (3tbsp) of no-sugar pectin and sweetening to your taste with either honey, a little sugar (up to 1 ½ cups if using no-sugar pectin) or sweeten with a sugar substitute safe for canning (ie Stevia). If using raw sugar, ensure it has dissolved before starting the boil so it isn’t grainy;
• Remove skins from your jam by running through a fine sieve before adding the sugar;
• Add a nip of Port or Raspberry Liqueur;
• Add a vanilla bean;
• Add other flavouring ie black pepper.
STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOGRAPHS HERE
