Plum Jam Recipe (No Peel, No Pectin!)
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We’re on a canning spree this week. The air is crisp and the mornings are cool. We’re surrounded by a fiery array of leaves that rustle in the warm afternoon breeze. Fall is in the air and canning just feels right this time of year.
I could eat this plum jam by the spoonful; paired with a hot mug of tea (I’m totally day dreaming here)… Our tiny plum tree overproduces the most amazing little plums every year. I wish I could name this variety; anyone recognize these little beauties?
This recipe is really a cross between plum jam and plum preserves. It still has some of it’s preserve-like plum chunks, but it’s nice and thick and spreads beautifully. It’s awesome paired with breakfast pancakes or crepes. Oh and this would make the sweetest Christmas gift!
Home Canning Tools:
- 8 pint-sized jars with lids. I purchased them at Walmart.
- Large Stock Pot (20Qt+) with Rack (or purchase a canner)
- Jar lifter to safely transfer the jars
How to Make Plum Jam:
Cooking the Preserves:
1. Cut 12 lbs of plums in half, pit them and place in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle well with 4 1/2 cups sugar. Using a large spoon, stir plums with sugar until all are coated. If your plums are overripe or already very sweet, you may only need 4 cups of sugar total. You can add more sugar to taste while its cooking. Let plums sit at room temp with the sugar for about 1 hour, or until sugar is somewhat dissolved.
2. Transfer plums/sugar mixture in to a large cooking pot. Place it on the stove uncovered and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Make sure if you see a light boil to stir because the whole pot may not be boiling, just the center. If it stops boiling after you stir it, continue boiling until everything is uniformly bubbling, then simmer for 10 minutes and turn off the heat. Let the pot stand uncovered until it is just warm to the touch or reaches room temp.
3. As soon as it cools, repeat step 2 the same way – simmering 10 minutes. You will bring it to a simmer a total of 4 times, stirring to prevent scorching the bottom. This is why it takes 2 days to make. It’s really easy though and so worthwhile! There’s no “set” waiting time between boilings. If 2 days doesn’t work for you, by all means, take 3 days. Preserves have plenty of sugar so they won’t spoil at room temp if you leave it on the counter overnight. If you want the preserves to have an even thicker consistency, you can boil it 5-6 times if you wish.
(Note: the fourth time you boil, bring it to a boil over a little lower heat and stir a few extra times to prevent scorching. Also, it thickens more as it cools. If using a different type of plum, I suggest adding sugar to taste in case they are more tart)
4. The last time you bring it to a boil you will want to transfer it to sterilized jars while it’s boiling hot.
To sterilize the jars:
1. Start by washing your jars and lids with warm water and soap then let them dry in the oven at 215 for about 20 min or until completely dry. Boil the lids 5 min.
2. Transfer your boiling hot jam to the jars using a glass measuring cup and a funnel (least messy method) leaving about 1/2″ space.
3. Screw the lids on enough to keep a tight seal in place but don’t over-tighten them since air bubbles need to be able to escape.
Current Canning Guidelines:
Get up to date on the most recent canning guidelines here. It’s a great resource to answer frequently asked canning questions. Current guidelines recommend the following process (instead of oven canning):
- Place packed cans into the canning pot and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and process 15 minutes.
- Remove from the pot and leave at room temperature undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You may hear a pop when the jars fully seal.
- After 24 hours, check that the seal has formed by pushing down on the center of the lid – it should not move at all. If the seal does not form, refrigerate jam and enjoy within 3 months.
Now don’t you want to curl up with a jar of that?
Plum Jam Recipe (No Peel, No Pectin!)
Ingredients
- 12 lbs sweet ripe plums, rinsed
- 4 1/2 cups white sugar
- 8 pint-sized jars with lids.
Instructions
- Place pitted and halved plums into the mixing bowl & drizzle with 4 1/2 cups of sugar. Stir plums until all coated with sugar. Let them sit for 1 hour then transfer the mixture into a large cooking pot.
- Bring it to a boil uncovered, stirring occasionally. Boil until the mixture is bubbling uniformly. Simmer for 10 minutes then turn off the heat. Cool to room temperature.
- Repeat step 2 a total of FOUR times. Last time bringing it to a boil at the lower temperature, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
To Sterilize Your Jars:
- Start by washing your jars and lids with warm water and soap then let them dry in the oven at 215 for about 20 min or until completely dry. Boil the lids 5 min.
Filling and processing your jam:
- Transfer your boiling hot jam to the jars using a glass measuring cup and a funnel (least messy method) leaving about 1/2″ space.
- Screw the lids on enough to keep a tight seal in place but don't over-tighten them since air bubbles need to be able to escape.
- Place packed cans into the canning pot and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and process 15 minutes. Remove from the pot and leave at room temperature undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You may hear a pop when the jars fully seal. After 24 hours, check that the seal has formed by pushing down on the center of the lid - it should not move at all. If the seal does not form, refrigerate jam and enjoy within 3 months.
Recipe updated in 2019 to reflect new canning standards. Previously we used the oven method: screw the lids on enough to keep a tight seal in place but don’t over-tighten them since air bubbles need to be able to escape and place in the oven at 350˚F for 15 min then carefully remove from oven, flip upside down and let cool to room temperature.
Signs of Spoiled Canned Food:
With any type of canning, we follow this advice: “When in doubt, throw it out”
Discard and do not eat or taste any canned food if you notice any of the following:
- the jar is leaking, bulging, or swollen
- the jar looks damaged, cracked, or abnormal
- the jar spurts foam or liquid upon opening
- the canned food is discolored, moldy, mushy, slimy, or smells bad
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I have a question: do you put the filled jars in a water bath canner after you have let them cool over night? I have a friend who just flips them and does not can them in a canner.
At the end of canning guidelines it talks about pickles, so I’m not sure if you were just giving general guidelines or if you are suppose to can the jam in the canner.
Hi Becky, I went ahead and clarified in the post that the new canning guidelines are instead of the oven step. The pickles were a typo. Fixed and thanks for catching that!
Thank you for this great Plum recipe. Turned out perfectly.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Okay. I have a friend who has a beautiful organic orcard. I picked all the plums that were so heavy with friut and decided to make a jam. The plums were of different snd varied sizes…that i decided to not de- seed. (I de seeded later. )0Way more than the amont of plums ypu recommend.
I have added the four cups of sugar. I have tasted the plum jam. It is heavenly. I am now doing the final step. Thankyou for your input and info. It has been wonderful. I did use less sugar ( diabetic family members) and it is wonderful. (The taste) .thankyou so much for your site!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This is my very first time trying out a jam. I thought I had mason jars, but unfortunately I do not. I blame it on the cats. Is it possible to just use Tupperware and leaving them out overnight?
Hi Natasha ! I have a timing question for you . I started my second simmer and am almost through that . I won’t have time to do the third until after work tonight at ten pm …perfect because the jam will be cooled by then ! and so tomorrow is Wednesday and I will be able to do two more simmers before I go to work at 5 pm…after work on Wednsday night I have to get right to sleep and get up very early for a double shift on Thursday…so no time on Thursday to do anything with my jam …I should have done FOUR simmers by then and cannot adres it again until Friday morning …can leave it on the counter from Wednesday afternoon until Friday morning where I plan to do a fifth possibly sixth simmer and then can and finish in the oven ??? Or do I need to stick the pot in the fridge after it has cooled on Wednesday night ?
Hi Selina, I would keep it covered after it reaches room temperature to keep bugs or dust out, but I have taken 3 days to make jam before and it has plenty of sugar to keep it from spoiling.
Thank you : ) I’m super pleased with the taste and consistency so far : )
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha …I am a first time jam maker and am using your recipe and so far so good …I am on the second simmer and I think it is going well …I has 18 lbs of plumbs and ( 135 plumbs ) I used 4 cups of raw sugar …now that I am tasting it …I feel it needs a little more sugar …so I have some brown sugar on hand that I may add otherwise, I’ll go get more raw sugar to add at the last simmer : ) I am cooking my batch on very very low heat …I love the way it looks and tastes and smells …I am on the right track !!! Thank you for this easy recipe …I can’t wait to try it finshied …P.S. I am going to add some fine chopped jalapeno to a few of the jars : )
Thank you for sharing that with us!bI hope you love this recipe.
At what stage would you add the jalapeno?
This is such a great recipe. Thank you! Next step to swirl it into a coffee cake.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi there, just finished everything, oddly enjoyed one flipped jar is still bubbling away (over an hour now), any thoughts? It’s not near the stove or anything, it’s quite bizarre, I don’t think that’s normal!? They they great though, I used wild yellow plums, can’t wait to try it tomorrow! Do I freeze the jars or not? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Andrea, without being there it is hard to say, was that jar possible more centered or have a more direct heat source that the others?
When I took the jam out of the oven and flipped over 1 jar the jam seeped out of the lid creating a mess. I’m afraid to flip over the rest as I don’t want to ruin the seal on all of them. Will they seal if I don’t flip them?
It’s hard to say without being there Shannon, I recommend seeing all the tips in the recipe post and comments to be sure a step wasn’t missed.
My jam is not getting thick ??? I’m on my 4th cook series . I don’t know what else to do at this point ???
Hi Jan, I’m more than happy to troubleshoot. Allowing it to cool and re-warm helps for the jam to thicken naturally without requiring pectin.
I was looking for a plum jam recipe that didn’t call for a ton of sugar, and even though this looked labor intensive I was willing to give it a shot. I shouldn’t have. The end result is yummy but it took over 12 hours to get there. And it never set, so I have chunky plum syrup. And I don’t mess around with funky canning methods so I let the jars cool overnight and placed them in the freezer; botulism is not worth the risk.
All in all, The recipe tastes great but is WAY too time consuming for syrup. Not worth it.
Hi Leslie, this natural plum jam is time-consuming but easy since it’s very little active time. It would be syrup after just 12 hours. I would suggest completing all of the steps for a more desirable jam consistency.
How long should the can stay upside down? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Aiko, you want to keep them upside down until they reach room temperature. We usually just leave them overnight to cool completely.
Down to my last boil, it will be sitting overnight im going to finish it in the morning, I have tasted it and it has a delicious flavor, my question is do you know if this process can be used with any fresh fruit?
That’s so exciting Sue! It’s really difficult to guess without making a batch with specific fruit and measuring exactly and it also depends on how sweet your fruit is.
look like victoria plums to me
Thank you for sharing that with us!
I made the jam 2 days ago, using this recipe, but I did not can it. It’s currently in my fridge. Am I able to can it now?
Hi Nidia, at this point, it would be best to keep it refrigerated or frozen if you made too much to consume within about 6 months.
I think these might be Cherry Plums ( Prunus Cerasifera ). We have several of these trees in the yard. They are very generous producers. Every year, I make cherry plum wine. There are red cherry plums, and yellow ones. The yelllow ones are the tastiest.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I was wondering why you do four distinct boilings of the fruit? What does this do? Could you just cook the fruit for a longer period of time? Thank you.
HI Dorothy, if you boil the mixture for too long, it will darken in color. Also, allowing it to cool and re-warm helps for the jam to thicken naturally without requiring pectin.
How many cups of cut up plums make a pound. I don’t have scale to weigh plums coming from our tree.
Hi Christine, you don’t necessarily need a kitchen scale – a rough measure on a bathroom scale would also be a good way to double check since not all scales are created equal. You can get on the scale with the empty bowl then get on the scale with the filled bowl of plums and find the difference to get a rough weight. I didn’t measure them in cups but just to give you a rough idea: 1 lb for me was about 6-8, two-inch-wide plums. I want to say it was about 30 cups… maybe?
Fantastic recipe!
I tweaked it ever so slightly.
Cooked a total of 5 times (including the last round) but added more plums during the 4 boil. These did not break down as much so I’ve got chunks of plum in the preserves. I also added mint which brought a wonderful addition to the tartness of preserves.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Peter!
Taste very good. So i put them in the oven, and when I took them out they popped and sealed. Does this mean I don’t have to use my pressure canner pot?
Hi, this recipe sounds great, is there any possibility of having the measurements in grams please? Our cups measurements are different in Australia. Thank you!
Hi Marj, I added the measurements in grams just for you 🙂 We are slowly but surely getting through the recipes to add gram measurements 🙂
I am a diabetic and was wondering if I could use a non-sugar sweetener for this recipe. As well, I’ve never canned jam before, so say a prayer! Haha!
Hi Mark! I haven’t tried that bu our readers have reported that working well. Here is what one of them said: “I am type 2 diabetic too and I make not plum jam but the traditional Polish version called “powidla”. There is no sugar added. It agrees with my diabetes just fine. As many traditional recipes, this one takes a lot of time and work but very little ingredients. Basically plums, preferably late autumn ones, small and sweet, but any other ripe plums will do.
You just have to cook pitted plums for 3-4 days (more juicy plums take longer), about 4 hours a day – bring to boil that turn to low heat. Than let it cool in between.
At some point it’s more frying than cooking. Takes a lot of stirring, because from day 2 it can burn easily (if it burs, transfer to another pot avoiding scraping the burned bits from the bottom, they will be bitter).
Sounds tiring but it’s worth all this work.
At the end, when it’s all cooked, you may add some sweetener. I suggest stevia. Powidla are sweet and tart, stewia is a bit insipid, goes well together.
But sucralose is fine too.
Don’t use acesulfam K or aspartam – it gives the worst aftertaste to plums. I’ve made that mistake once. 5 kilos of plums into the drain. Uneatable.
When it’s cooked and sweetened, just bring it to the boil one last time, transfer searing hot to the jars, close lids very tightly and stand upside down on a kitchen towel until they are cool.
Than enjoy”
What is the shelf life for this? And does t need to be refrigerated? I want to send some to my friend in Holland but shipping takes about 7 days. Thank you!
Hi Gertie! if they are canned, their shelf life is a year or more.
Hi Natasha — so you don’t add any water to the mixture when you first put it on the stove? And how long does it take to get to that first boil? I’ve never canned before, but I can’t imagine how 12 lbs of plums come to a boil without any liquid…how do you do this?
No water needed at all. The plums will release a lot of water. It’s hard to say but watch it closely. Type of pan used makes a difference
It definitely works without adding water. I started on the lowest heat and stirred quite a bit in the beginning. As the plums started to release their liquid, I tweaked the heat up (medium low was the highest) to get it come to a boil once there was some liquid. In subsequent boils, you’ll need to be even more careful with the temp to not scorch.
yes! it did work without water. only issues now are that for some of the jars, some jam came out of the lid when the jars were in the oven. did that ruin the seal? also, now that i’ve turned the jars back right side up, the jam isn’t sinking to the bottom of the jar. any thoughts? thanks!
Hi, if jam has come out of the lid, it sounds like they may have been overfilled – make sure to leave space at the neck when filling the jars. If the lids are sunken in and do not make a popping sound when pressed in the center, most likely the seal has formed but if you are concerned about any of them, it’s always best to refrigerate and enjoy those jars first. If the jam is not sinking back to the bottom, the jam probably was thicker and this can be due to a variety of factors such as cooking time (reducing down the jam longer would make it thicker, or using a plum that releases less juice). I hope that helps!
it does! only concern is that i can’t be sure if the top isn’t moving because there is jam in the top or because it’s actually sealed. will the jame eventually sink back down?
If there is room for it to sink, but if it’s overfilled there is no where for it to go really. If you are not sure I recommend leaving it in the fridge and using that jar first.
Very well done recipe. I added 1/2 cup red wine… because to me, everything is better with a little vino. 😃
That’s a great idea, Jacob! Thank you for sharing that!
Are the skins suppose to break down completely?
Hi Hope! It really depends on the variety of plums. There are some plums with thicker skins but I think the skins add nice texture to the jam. It would be ok to mash it if you wanted it to be more of a puree consistency but we prefer it slightly chunk. I like seeing the pieces of fruit in my jam 🙂 I hope you LOVE it! 🙂
I am about to try this recipe and am very excited! I am new to canning so can you tell me do I add water to bring the plums to a boil and if so how much. Thank you
Hi Gena! No water is needed in this recipe since the plums release juice while they stand with the sugar and also while cooking.
Could it possibly be mount royal plum tree? We have one in our yard which bears a lot of small plums, skin is not tart or sour and the flavor is sweet and meat is yellow and it looks just like the picture. The tree is not very big. I live in colorado.
My parents never kept any of their tree tags but that does look like some of the plums they have in their yard.
I decided to make this because of the positive reviews I followed the instructions but ended with scorched plums on day three and it hadn’t even thickened up and I had to toss the whole thing including my pan. I have quite bit of canning and this is the first time I had throw anything out. I feel like it should be noted in your recipe how closely you need watch the process to avoid scorching.
Hi Angela, the type of pot you use (heavy bottomed is best to distribute heat evenly), and cooking over lower heat (not all stoves are created equal, so keep an eye on that and titrate as needed). It is tempting to turn up the heat to get the pot to heat up quickly but because the mixture is thick, it can scorch quickly over higher heat which is why I recommend starting on lower heat. If you do get scorching, transfer the jam to another pot (do not stir or your whole pot will taste scorch) and continue in the new pot. I hope that helps!
I used your procedure with much smaller plums. It worked great except that the skins were slightly bitter and now the finished product leaves an almost dry, unpleasant aftertaste in my mouth. Is there anything I can add to get rid of that taste? It doesn’t need anymore sugar.
Hi Sandi. I’m not sure adding more sugar will fix that. One of our readers has tried that before and said it didn’t help the dry bitterness all that much. I would recommend having sweet ripened plums to avoid that. If you experiment in any other way I would love to hear the result!
Excellent plum jam…..Mount Royal plums are the name of my tree & yours look to be the same variety.
Thank you for the wonderful review! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Karla!
When is a good time to check if there is enough sugar? My plums aren’t as sweet this year as other summers.
Hi Lynne, I would add sugar to taste just before the last time you bring it to a boil.
I’m using big, fat black plums- so juicy and sweet. The plums are simmering away now-looking good!!
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with us, Joan!
Hello. It’s been a long time since I have canned. But, I love this recipe so far. I am actually making plum preserves at this very moment. Thank goodness I am a night owl. I am at the “let the plums and sugar set for an hour. Thank you as I have lots of gifts, this being one of them for the Holidays.
This would be perfect for the holidays! Don’t stay up too late, Debbie 🙂
Hi. Can I cook the plums without pitting them then strain the jam to remove the pits after? Will that change the flavour of the jam?
Hi Karman, I haven’t tried it that way so I can’t say for sure. I assume it would be ok, but you might double-check to see if you can find any other tutorials using the same method before proceeding.
That was the easiest & best tasting preserves I have ever tasted they are called “Italian plums” here where I come from! And our tree was LOADED this year :)They bring back very pleasant memory’s from my childhood ❤️ Can’t wait to share the jam with all my friends & family😍
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review, LeAnne! I’m so happy you shared this with me!
They look like Stanley or Damson plums. Are they? They are difficult to find in the South.
Hi Kuba, I’m not sure specifically what variety this is. I wish I knew!
What happens to the skins? I reread the recipe like 3 times to see when the skins were removed, but couldn’t find anything.
This is a no peel recipe and no need to remove the skins 🙂
Do the skins and halved plums break down, or do you get a big skin in your pbj?
It will break down just fine.
I canned plumbs last year and my kids don’t eat them. Can I use my canned plums the same way for this recipie?
Hi Nadya! That is a great question. I honestly haven’t tried that. I would assume there is some adjusting that would need to be done. IF you experiment I would love to hear your results!
Hi, I just finished a large batch of the plum preserves-I added a bit of ginger and meyer lemon to one pot, and some cardamom to another, varying the sugar…and it all seems to taste great! It was a very fun process, regardless, so thank you. As this is my first time EVER making any kind of jam, I have a question about sterilizing. I both boiled the filled jars and then put them in the oven for 15 mins on 350. The jam is boiling in the lidded jars (not surprising), still, after at least 30 minutes lid down. Will it taste burnt? I managed to get all the way through with minimal scorching, so I will be very sad if I ruined it at the last minute. Thanks, Natasha!
Hi Emily, so long as the heat was off and it didn’t scorch to the bottom you should be ok. You can sample a spoonful after it is done cooking on the stovetop and get a very good sense of how it will taste. Placing the jars in the oven would not cause them to scorch so there is no concern there :).
Can you do peaches the same way, or combine them?
Hi Lee, The method is slightly different with various fruits. We have this recipe for Peach Preserves you may like.
These plums are probably purple damsoms. There is also a lighter greeny yellow color variety.
Thank you for sharing that with us!
My tree has about 3 plumes that picked easily. They were still firm and after 3-4 days at room temperature they are getting soft. When do I pick the rest? after they pick easily? It seems like I have to pull harder right now that they are not fully ripe. The tree has about 29-30 plumes left.
Hi Julian, I would wait to pick the plums until they are ripe – they will be the sweetest then and most ideal for making jam.
I left the cover on while cooking plums down, removed lid stirring several times when letting it cool down overnight.
Thank you for sharing that with us! I’m happy to hear that worked for you.
I’ve used my crockpot with great success to cook down plums and reduced potential of scorching!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Myrna!
How long did you cook it in the crockpot and on high or low?
I cooked it on high 3-4 hours, let it cool down overnight sitting on rack on counter then repeated in crockpot until I had desired consistency. (I sprayed crockpot w/Pam prior to starting)
can you use splenda ?
Hi Danette, I haven’t tried that but one of my readers, Maddy, left a very helpful reply on that: “I am type 2 diabetic too and I make not plum jam but the traditional Polish version called “powidla”. There is no sugar added. It agrees with my diabetes just fine.
You just have to cook pitted plums for 3-4 days (more juicy plums take longer), about 4 hours a day – bring to boil that turn to low heat. Than let it cool in between. At some point it’s more drying than cooking. Takes a lot of stirring, because from day 2 it can burn easily (if it burns, transfer to another pot avoiding scraping the burned bits from the bottom, they will be bitter).
Sounds tiring but it’s worth all this work.
At the end, when it’s all cooked, you may add some sweetener. I suggest stevia. Powidla are sweet and tart, stewia is a bit insipid, goes well together. But sucralose is fine too.
Don’t use acesulfam K or aspartam – it gives the worst aftertaste to plums. I’ve made that mistake once. 5 kilos of plums into the drain. Uneatable. When it’s cooked and sweetened, just bring it to the boil one last time, transfer searing hot to the jars, close lids very tightly and stand upside down on a kitchen towel until they are cool. Than enjoy!”
I hope that helps!
I just made this and decided to make another batch with Apricots following the recipe. Love that it’s so easy and basic!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Lori. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi
My mother had a plum tree like this. She called them Italian Prune Plums. I hope this helps.
Cheers, Barb
Good to know Barb, thanks for letting me know!
I made a batch using 9 1/2 lbs very tart damson plums which yeilded 8 lbs 11oz fruit after the pits were removed. I only added 3 cups sugar because I wanted the finished product tart. I did the 4 times method and the peels pretty much broke down and yeilded 10 1/2 cups. Then processed in boiling water for 20 minutes which helped to further dissolve the peels. The final product has the consistency of apple sauce, not the gooey gel of jam. I think that’s due to the type of plum not having much natural pectin. It’s is awesome stirred into sweet vanilla or coconut yogurt or over ice cream. Also good on pancakes with a teeny bit of syrup. I will definitely make it again next year.
I’m glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing your helpful review with other readers!
Thank you for the recipe. I made a half batch today.
Cooking the fruit breaks it up. The steam reduced liquid. Because the fruit skins up, stirring is key to reducing liquid. I don’t think it would matter if you cooked it all in one setting vs. heat/cool.
The recipe states to taste while cooking for sweetness – This is always crucial with fruit because it’s different from tree to tree.
Do you add water? To boil?
Hi Sherri, no water is needed in this recipe since the plums release juice while they stand with the sugar and also while cooking.
Have you ever tried freezing the jars instead of boiling?
Hi Sandra, I think it could work as a freezer jam. Be sure to leave 1/2″ space at the top for expansion in the freezer. If you test it out, let me know how you like it as a freezer jam 🙂
Hi there! I made your plum jam and although the flavour is lovely, the jam is rather tough, almost as if I should have only cooked it twice! I even added water to thin it out, but it is super thick. What did I do wrong?
Hi Hilda, it sounds like maybe it is due to the type of plums used. Some plums are more juicy than others.
great recipe but put the jam in jelly jars; a pint can mold in the fridgerator before it is used up.
Turned out pretty good but very sour despite adding extra sugar. We have mount royal plums that were pretty sweet this year. But the jam is canned and we had some this weekend and it’s tart. Wish it was sweeter. But now I know for next time to add more sugar
Hi Wendy, I do suggest adding more sugar to taste for various plums since some can be more tart inside or even if a plum is sweet on the inside, it can be tart on the outside.
Something to keep in mind is that the sweetness of fruit varies each year. Tasting before and after adding sugar proves to be a good idea.
Great tip Myrna! 🙂
I have always know them as Italian plums too. My mother had a tree that sent up volunteers and I transplanted one to my yard. It is a big tree now about 18 to 20 ft. and is loaded with plums every year. I give them away by the bags full and make plum butter out of therm with very little sugar and a pinch of cinnamon, added after butter has cooked down, to taste . Just like apple butter but made with plums. I cut them in half and seed them, cook until soft and run through a canning sieve, (some call it a ricer) See on Amazon.
a couple of batches to get the skins out and turn plums into a puree. Cook the butter down in a large roasting pan in a 250° F oven, checking and stirring every once in awhile, until really thick. Can use a slow cooker set on low with no lid for small batches. Pack while hot into hot sterile jars, leaving a half inch of headspace. Screw on hot jar lids and bands and tighten firmly but do not over tighten. Place jars in a hot (simmering) water bath canner, return water to a slow boil and process for 15 minutes. Remove jars from canner with jar lifter and place on some folded kitchen towels, (never place hot jars on a cold or wet counter, they may break) right side up and let cool. You should hear the lids go plink, plink, plink one at a time as they finish sealing as they cool. Store in a cool dark place and the plum butter will keep a long time…
I have never tried Natasha’s recipe for plum jam but I sure am going to give it a try. It sounds delish!!
Thank you so much for sharing!
I made the Plum Jam…it turned out great! It’s so delicious and worth the effort!
Love your recipes!!!! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Beverly! Thanks for following and sharing your great review! 🙂
This is the best plum jam! I made my first batch using the usual 7 1/2 cups of sugar and it was far too sweet for my taste. This recipe uses only half the amount and is sweet tart, just the way I like it. Hint: use very ripe plums to get the most flavor and follow the recipe exactly. I bottled my jam on the fourth boil. Thank you Natasha.
My pleasure Barb! I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips and great review with other readers!
Hey there, I am making this for the first time and am very excited about it! How long is there shelf life? I’m hoping to give these as little Christmas gifts!
Thanks a ton,
Nattalie
Hi Nattalie, when they are canned, they can last up to a year or longer.
Hi Natasha. I am making the jam. This is my fourth time boiling it. Is it necessary to put it in the oven after putting the jam into jars? What does it do for the jam?
Hi Nina, putting them in the oven helps to seal the jars and kill any potential bacteria.
Hi, love this recipe and I’m making it now! If I want to add Amareto, or basil, when should I do that? I’m hoping you say on the last boil, lol.
Hi Joanne, I haven’t tried adding those in but I would add it on the last boil and add it to taste.
1. Prune plums are larger and more oval (egg shaped) than the ones in the photo. I have both trees and the difference is obvious side by side but no so obvious when you see only one.
2. Is this jam or preserves? Jam is fairly firm and preserves are more liquid sauce.
3. Has anybody used a crock pot to make either jam or preserves? It would free up stove space for me.
Hi Lynn, these are somewhere in the middle – they aren’t firm like jam so by your definition I guess they would be more of a preserve consistency. I’d be curious to now if anyone else has tried it in a crockpot!
I used a crockpot and it worked wonderfully. I coated it with a light coat of cooking spray then added plums and sugar. I turned it on high and let it go for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally, let cool and repeated 3x then used an immersion blender to make a smooth consistency before last heating. I love that I didn’t have to worry about it scorching. It came out fabulous!
That is so great to know! Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
When using the crock pot method, is that with the lid on or off? Doesn’t it need to cook down some? Wouldn’t the lid prevent that from happening?
We call these plums “prune plums” – believe they are European/Italian – thanks for the recipe – will definitely try – picked 1 bushel from our tree today! Approximately how many cups of fruit (raw) is 12lbs?
Hi Wendy, 1 lb for me was about 6-8, two-inch-wide plums. I want to say it was about 30 cups… maybe?
You are correct…..Prune Plums make wonderful plum dumplings!!! :0)
This is the third year I have been making your plum jam and we love it…I especially like the fact that I can control the sugar….before the last boil I use a handheld immersion blender which takes care of the skin beautifully….
I’m glad you love it! Thanks for sharing your tip and great review! 🙂
A great recipe, two years in a row – thank you! I add about 20 sashes of Fee’s plum bitters at the last boil, which really rounds out the flavour even more.
Sorry, that should read ‘dashes’!
How long do these last in the pantry using your baking method? Or are they only to be refrigerated? And how long? I’m attempting to make it now , fingers crossed!
Hi Liz, did you ever get an answer to your question about the shelf life? If they need to be refrigerated? I am making this recipe now and would love to know!
I am in the process of making this. I think I messed it up. We put the sugar on but life got busy and I was not able to start cooking for 24hrs. I am on the 3rd boil and it not thick like Jam. More like a sauce. Help. Should I add pectin? Can I add pectin? Did I destroy it by the long sugar soak time?
Hi Wendy, It’s possible that your plums got overly juicy with the sugar or they may have been a very juicy/watery plum variety. I would suggest doing 1 extra boil if it still seems too watery and also keep in mind that it will thicken slightly when its cool.
Could i use parifin on jars that aren’t mason jars
Hi Margaret, I honestly have never worked with parafin in canning so I can’t really advise. Maybe someone else has insight into that? Thanks!
Hi Natasha. I’ve followed the recipe and am currently on day two of boiling. I’m on the 5th boil. My jam is not thickening as it should. Is it possible, at this stage, to add pectin to help it thicken? I don’t want to throw the batch out as I purchased the plums at a local market and well, they weren’t cheap 😊
I Tisha, it sounds like you have some juicy plums! You could either use pectin or try bring to a boil another time to help it thicken up further.
Hi and thank you for the recipe, it sounds amazing! I’m wondering what you think about adding some rhubarb to the plums to cook since I have about 9lbs of plums and I have some rhubarb on hand to make up the difference. I’d love to hear your thoughts on rhubarb plum jam! Any advice? Thanks!
I wish I had a good answer for that but I’ve never tried adding rhubarb and truth be told, I have very little experience with rhubarb as it is something we did not eat growing up. One of my readers mentioned they had once tried a combination that worked well but if you do try it, you’ll likely have to add some sugar. Maybe someone else has some insight into that combination? Thanks in advance!
Can I strain this to get the skins out after it’s cooked a few times? I just finished step 2 for the first time and my boyfriend doesn’t like fruit skin in his preserves, but he will have to suffer if straining would ruin it.
Hi Kacy, I don’t think there is an easy way to strain them out of there without losing a ton of jam in the process. I have found that by the 4th simmer, the skins incorporate pretty well into the jam and aren’t bothersome. Hopefully he will agree!! 😉
What about a food mill? It’s a sieve with a blade that scrapes, pressing the preserves through but leaving the skins. If this method still has too much skin for your bf to tolerate, you could try that and see if it works for you.
Great suggestion! Thank you! 🙂
I just made this recipe and felt it was a tad “lumpy” for me. So I took the batch and pureed it in my food processor and the results were smooth. A sprinkle sized flake of plum skin was here and there, but it was predominantly smooth in texture.
Those plums look like Damson Plums.
In step 3, don’t you mean repeat step 2?
Hi Annette, sorry for the mixup – yes, repeat step 2. I updated that. Thanks for asking! 🙂
Out here in western Oregon, these are known as Brooks plums (prunes domestica). They are typically ripe in late August or early September. In addition to jam, I’ve dried them and made wine, depending upon the productivity of the year.
Hi Dave, thank you for sharing! I’ve never heard of plum wine – sounds so intriguing!
I am intrigued by the idea of plum wine. Wound you have a recipe for that?
Hi Natasha,
Can I use recycled jelly and peanut butter jars? I don’t have mason jars with the detachable center lid.
Hi Mirella, for canning on the shelf, those types of jars are not recommended since the seal may not form properly. My mom recycled lids for a long time but we’ve since learned it isn’t best practice. If they are glass jars, you can use the jars and buy new lids but it may be challenging if they have different sized tops. If they are not glass jars, they should not be used for canning.
Thank you! Bought some today! How long do these last in the pantry?
Hi Mirella, if they are canned, their shelf life is a year or more.
I don’t have a kitchen scale (or bathroom scale). How many small plums would you estimate are in one pound?
Hi Michelle, it depends on the size of your plums. 1 lb for me was about 6-8, two-inch-wide plums.
Can you use a water bath to can these plums
Hi Deena, yes that would work to do a water bath.
I am using 2lbs. instead of 12 lbs of plums and would like to know if one still cooks the 4 cups of jam for 10 minutes repeated four times?
Thanks so much for an easy recipe!
Hi Renae, it will probably thicken up faster and may be enough after 2-3 cooking times instead of 4. A smaller amount will evaporate liquid faster since there is more surface area to the total amount of plums. Be extra careful not to scorch the bottom.
Hi Natasha!
Do you think this ratio of sugar to fruit would also work for sour cherries? I’ve used this method with the cherries before, but cannot remember what the ratio is. If I make the preserves, my Ukrainian mother-in-law will make the blinchiki. Yum!
Hi Tina, I think it would work fine with cherries. You would have to add sugar to taste since not all cherries are equally sweet.
Howdy Natasha!
This will be my first time making jam or jelly. Eight pints is a little too much for me right now. If I use eight 8 oz jars do I just cut the amount of sugar and plums in half? Does the cooking/simmering time change? Thanks for your help!
Hi Lee, yes, cut everything in half since you are making half the recipe. It may cook faster since it is a smaller batch so keep an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom.
Hi would this wirk with cherries?
Hi Tanya, I think that would work 🙂
They are called prune plums.
I think the shape here is too round to be the egg-shaped prune plum. I have smaller cherry sized plums with the same coloring that are cocheco plums I’m using this recipe for. Can’t wait to try it!
I am wondering if you could use artificial sweetner such Splenda as I am diabetic.
Hi Lynda, I haven’t tried that but one of my readers, Maddy, left a very helpful reply on that: “Kathy, I am type 2 diabetic too and I make not plum jam but the traditional Polish version called “powidla”.
There is no sugar added. It agrees with my diabetes just fine.
As many traditional recipes, this one takes a lot of time and work but very little ingredients. Basically plums, preferably late autumn ones, small and sweet, but any other ripe plums will do.
You just have to cook pitted plums for 3-4 days (more juicy plums take longer), about 4 hours a day – bring to boil that turn to low heat. Than let it cool in between.
At some point it’s more frying than cooking. Takes a lot of stirring, because from day 2 it can burn easily (if it burs, transfer to another pot avoiding scraping the burned bits from the bottom, they will be bitter).
Sounds tiring but it’s worth all this work.
At the end, when it’s all cooked, you may add some sweetener. I suggest stevia. Powidla are sweet and tart, stewia is a bit insipid, goes well together.
But sucralose is fine too.
Don’t use acesulfam K or aspartam – it gives the worst aftertaste to plums. I’ve made that mistake once. 5 kilos of plums into the drain. Uneatable.
When it’s cooked and sweetened, just bring it to the boil one last time, transfer searing hot to the jars, close lids very tightly and stand upside down on a kitchen towel until they are cool.
Than enjoy!”
Hi Natasha
This recipe looks absolutely fabulous as I was given some frozen plumbs (that have defrosted & are still lovely & firm) so I will make some of your Jam & am looking forward to seeing the end result 🙂
YUM! Please let me know how it turns out Heidi!
Hi.
Could you use this procedure for other fruits? I do not like to use pectin and I have tried making my grandmother’s strawberry preserves without pectin and so far I either undercook or overcook! Should have paid more attention instead of just waiting to devour them on freshly baked yeast rolls. Thanks.
Hi Candice, it depends on what you’re making jam with. With strawberries, you probably could make that work but you might not have the nice chunky texture because of the lengthy cooking. Strawberries also release quite a bit of juice so you would have to cook it at a gentle simmer a few times. I haven’t tried with strawberries since we’ve never had a massive bumper crop of them but it sounds like a great idea!
Thank you and it is worth a try to use this process. I do know that you want to use a few not completely ripe strawberries because under ripe strawberries have pectin as opposed to completely ripe strawberries and the strawberries need to be close in size. My grandma would also put the jam on jelly roll pans and place a tea towel over them and sit them in the sun for several hours. Not sure why but her preserves were out of this world good.
Thank you so much for sharing your tips!! 🙂
Simple recipe, but a lot of misinformed recommendations here:
Heating and cooling and doing it again 4x or 6x over 2-3 days is a waste of time and energy: just boil slowly for 1h30 and you’ll get the same result. The whole point of boiling is to evaporate the water in the mixture so it thickens, so just keep cooking it until it does.
Saying there is a lot of sugar so it won’t spoil is also non-sense: sugar is what mold feeds on, but it would take days for any to develop once it’s cool. It’s heat that ‘preserves’ your jam until you seal it in the sterelized jar.
As far as as sealing the jar: suggesting not to tighten too much because air bubbles need to get out is non-sense: if air can get out, it is not sealed. Air doesn’t ‘get out’, it just shrinks as it cools down, causing the jar lid to pop in. It needs to be air tight, or air would get in actually and your jar just won’t preserve.
I picked this recipe because it showed the shortest time on the summary, and then it calls for taking 2-3 days. Misleading.
This could be summarized in 3 lines: mix plums and sugar, wait til sugar is absorbed, boil until it thickens, and jar. Done.
Just wanted to thank you for your recipe. I used it two years ago and loved it so much I made a second batch. The first batch was a little runny (such a good syrup though!), so the next one I cooked longer.
I was grateful I made extra because the next year our tree got sick and we had to cut it to a stump. It looks good again and we hope to get a good crop again this year.
Here’s a post I wrote with your recipe: makingmilly.com/things-i-dont-buy-anymore-unshopping-list/
You’re welcome Milly! Thank you so much for sharing!! 😀
Hi just made this recipe…my first jam canning experience but only my 2nd canning experience overall. I’m abt to put them in oven. I also added cinammon. I pureed it in blender after i picked out skins. My nephew who eats vry healthy is gonna be glad cuz i also used pure organic cane sugar. This reminds me of my gramma’s plum jam. Thanx
You’re very welcome and I hope you love it! 🙂