Plum jam

thq, Dec 27, 2:54pm
easy recipe please.small xmas plums i think, red skin yellow inside.
clevercloggs, Dec 27, 2:59pm
I just boiled together 1.5kg of plums with 1kg sugar.Just added half a cup of water (if that) and a squirt of lemon. It came out nice.
kaddiew, Dec 27, 3:16pm
I made jam with those same xmas plums in early Dec. I boiled them first with a squeeze of lemon and, since I dont like too-sweet jam, measured the pulp then the same amount of sugar -but only added enough of it to get it to my taste. Set beautifully.

Poster #2's method sounds so much easier though!
uli, Dec 27, 3:32pm
I also have a tree full of them. The easiest way is to boil them whole in very little water - I usually just put half a cup on the bottom of a big pot then stir so they release their own juices.

After cooking them I push them through a colander (sieve is too small) to get rid of the stones - and then weigh the pulp.

1kg of pulp to 1kg of sugar and then boil until set.

Makes beautiful jam.

I also turn that same pulp into plum sauce with spices vinegar and a bit of sugar. Or I pickle them like pickled figs to accompany meat.
kaddiew, Dec 27, 7:25pm
I made plum sauce with those little plums too, then forgot I had it in the back of the pantry. One year on, it's perfect.
thq, Dec 27, 7:55pm
kaddiew. how did you make it please!
uli, Dec 27, 10:10pm
It gets better every year. I have some 5 year old ones still and they are great.
kaddiew, Dec 27, 10:11pm
The recipe escapes me atm, but will have look and post if i can find it :)
kaddiew, Dec 27, 10:11pm
Good to know! I wasn't sure if I should keep it much longer.
uli, Dec 27, 10:14pm
Plum and Chilli Sauce (best of all)

3 kilos dark plums, washed, halved and stoned (firm plums are best),
1.5 litres (6 cups) of white vinegar,
1 1/2 teaspoons salt,
1 tablespoon of crushed garlic,
1 1/2 teaspoons of crushed dried chilli,
1 teaspoon of ground cloves,
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground ginger,
1 teaspoon of ground allspice,
1 1/2 kilos white sugar,

Place the fruit, salt, garlic, chilli and vinegar into the pan and bring to the simmer, cooking until the fruit is pulpy.

Place the spices into a small bowl and mix to a paste with a small quantity of vinegar then add to the fruit in the pan.

Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved and the sauce reaches a rolling boil.

Boil, stirring frequently for at least 30 minutes and the sauce thickens slightly.

Keep for at least 4 months before using.
uli, Dec 27, 10:15pm
I have made the above recipe often and it really is the simplest and best of all I ever tried. Edited to add: I use much less sugar though because I don't like it sweet.
kaddiew, Dec 27, 10:28pm
thq - I think I used this Edmonds one, and didn't bother buying mace. It came out super dark, even with the yellow fleshed plums, and has really improved with age.

2.75kg plums, 1.75 litres malt vinegar, 3 cups brown sugar, 8-10 garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground pepper, 2 tsp ground cloves, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground mace, 1/2 tsp cayenne (I'd have done less), 1tbsp salt.
Bring all ingreds to the bouil, stirring frequently. Boil steadily till pulpy, press through colander or sieve. Return to pan and boil 2-3 mins. Pour inot hot clean dry bottles & seal. makes about 1.5 litres.

Here's another which I haven't tried:

PLUM CHUTNEY
2 kg plums (preferably dark), 1 kg onions, 1 kg apples, 1200 mls vinegar, 1 kg diced dates, raisins, sultanas, etc., 2 tbspns common salt, 2 teasp ginger, 2 teasp ground allspice, 2 pinches grated nutmeg, 2 pinches ground cloves, 1 kg sugar.
Wash and stone plums and cut in half. Peel and chop onions and apples. Place in a pan with ½ vinegar and cook until soft. Chop dried fruit and add with salt and spices. Continue cooking until thick. Stir in sugar and rest of vinegar. Simmer until mixture thickens again. Bottle.
kaddiew, Dec 27, 10:28pm
thq - I think I used this Edmonds one, and didn't bother buying mace. It came out super dark even with the yellow fleshed plums, is quite low in sugar compared to some recipes, and has really improved with age.

2.75kg plums, 1.75 litres malt vinegar, 3 cups brown sugar, 8-10 garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground pepper, 2 tsp ground cloves, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground mace, 1/2 tsp cayenne (I'd have done less), 1tbsp salt.
Bring all ingreds to the boil, stirring frequently. Boil steadily till pulpy, press through colander or sieve. Return to pan and boil 2-3 mins. Pour into hot clean dry bottles & seal. Makes about 1.5 litres.

Here's another which I haven't tried:

PLUM CHUTNEY
2 kg plums (preferably dark), 1 kg onions, 1 kg apples, 1200 mls vinegar, 1 kg diced dates, raisins, sultanas, etc., 2 tbspns common salt, 2 teasp ginger, 2 teasp ground allspice, 2 pinches grated nutmeg, 2 pinches ground cloves, 1 kg sugar.
Wash and stone plums and cut in half. Peel and chop onions and apples. Place in a pan with ½ vinegar and cook until soft. Chop dried fruit and add with salt and spices. Continue cooking until thick. Stir in sugar and rest of vinegar. Simmer until mixture thickens again. Bottle.
carlosjackal, Dec 28, 3:34am
My secret ingredient when i make plum jam is the addition of some port.and a star anise ;D
davidt4, Dec 28, 3:14pm
Cardamom seed in plum jam is really good also.
thq, Dec 28, 9:59pm
apricot jam! is it made the same!.made the plum looks good :)
..james.., Dec 28, 11:41pm
Can I make plum jam with no sugar or pectin. I would like to use honey as the sweetener. I believe plums are high in pectin so it should be possible to make without it!
uli, Dec 29, 12:26am
If you use honey it will taste very much like fruity honey not at all like plum jam. The honey taste when cooked will overwhelm all other tastes.

If you don't want to use pectin then why not make plum butter (the plum equivalent of apple butter). All you need is the plums pulped and then you cook that pulp until it is thick. If the plums are very ripe you do not need any sugar. You can do this in the crockpot. You can add cinnamon, allspice nutmeg or cloves or whatever you like.
..james.., Dec 29, 1:27am
Thanks Uli,you would indeed be right about the honey taking over , I will do the plum "butter" and freeze extras in bags.