All the plum recipes l see say take the stone out, can l be lazy and just leave them whole to mush down and keep stones in?
kaddiew,
Jan 18, 9:19pm
You can, if you don't mind risking a cracked tooth - or you can painstakingly remove the stones with a slotted spoon during cooking, as you see them on the surface.
harrislucinda,
Jan 18, 9:24pm
easy to take out as above when boiling the jam they will come to the top will take a few extra mins but worth it
susievb,
Jan 18, 10:33pm
That sounds easy enough, all the recipes l looked at said to cut them out before putting plums in the pot l,m to lazy for that.
kaddiew,
Jan 18, 11:10pm
And you can waste a lot of the flesh that way, with some flesh always clinging to the stone.
magenta,
Jan 19, 12:05am
x1
Count the plums as you put them in, then count the stones as you fish them out. That way you can get them all and be sure nobody gets a broken tooth!
52many,
Jan 19, 4:47am
I cook the plums whole and mash down if taking too long. then I push it all through a colander. left with skins and stones. I take out the stones and chuck the skins etc back into the pot then add my sugar and cook.
angelwoman,
Jan 19, 5:14am
This is what I did and it worked fantastic. Grab a plastic ice cream container get hubby to drill holes in the bottom roughly same same size as plum stones (slightly under) then when jam cooled pour it into container and sieve it through. the stones stay behind in container. Continue doing this emptying stones out as you go, put jam back in pot and reheat and bottle.
laspaz,
Jan 19, 5:15am
Yep, plum jam goes through the mouli here, so stones are left in. Helps it set too apparently.
elsielaurie1,
Jan 19, 7:58am
I found when I did leave the stones in, the jam was bitter. Better to take the extra time to strain the mixture or lift out with a slotted spoon. I thought it was because I had left the stones in. Could have been just a sour plum!
laspaz,
Jan 19, 8:03am
I had read that too, so I just boil the plum enough to pulp up, then mouli. The bulk of the reduction is done after the stones are out. Thanks for the reminder!
panicky,
Jan 19, 8:08am
you do realize plum stones contain cyanide?
laspaz,
Jan 19, 8:09am
The kernel might, but not the stone. And I haven't had one open while cooking yet.
susievb,
Jan 19, 7:33pm
As my brother pointed out l dont spread the jam so thick on toast that l could miss seeing a stone so ever breaking my teeth seems unlikely.
lilyfield,
Jan 19, 8:17pm
this, I leave them in too
beaker59,
Jan 19, 8:46pm
I boil the plums on their own first then once well cooked allow to cool enough to get my washed hands in I then just sieve all the stones out with my fingers a large pot only takes 5 minutes to do this way and I rarely miss a stone (and that's with my great big clumsy man hands). Then the sugar is added and the jam finished :)
buzzy110,
Jan 20, 12:45am
Fantastic idea beaker. I'll certainly do this next time I make plum jam. It sounds so much easier than every other way.
I like the stones to be in at some part of the cooking process. They help make the jam set and it saves a lot of effort to take them out once they have cooked.
beaker59,
Jan 20, 1:30am
Its actually quite therapeutic really, just remember once you have a few stones in your hand squeeze them to remove all the flesh so you only remove the stones .
wendalls,
Jan 20, 6:18am
First time plum jam maker here. When you boil the plums ( leaving them whole with stones) I'm assuming you have to add water? Or do you mush them up a bit to make their own liquid?
whitehead.,
Jan 20, 7:23am
i nuke the plums and take the stones on as soon as its cold i never add water to fruit and mostly when making jam i add an apple to get it to set
autumnwinds,
May 3, 10:12am
I put through a large st steel colander when soft and cooled down, before adding the sugar. Just the way I've always done it. Guess we all have a way that works for us
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