Plum jam is excellent on its own, but it can also be used in many recipes, from gallettes to cookie bars, and it makes beautiful savory Asian sauces with vinegar and tamari or soy sauce as a base. Whatever way you want to use this versatile fruit preserve, it will bring back a fresh, bold reminder of summer.
Yields 3–4 half-pint jars
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ripe plums, pitted & chopped
- 2 cups sugar (adjust to taste & tartness)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
Instructions
- Place plums, sugar, and lemon juice in a pot. Macerate 30 min.
- Bring to a boil, stirring until fruit breaks down (20–25 min).
- Use a potato masher for chunky jam or an immersion blender for a smooth consistency.
- Cook until the mixture thickens and passes the “cold plate test” – see below.
- Follow standard canning instructions to ladle into sterilized jars and seal (refrigerate up to 3 weeks or process in a boiling water bath for 5 min).
Cold plate test: Place a small plate (or a couple) in the freezer as a first step when making jam. When you think the jam is ready and want to know if it will set correctly, spoon about a teaspoon of jam onto a cold plate, wait about 30 seconds for the jam to cool. Push the edge of the jam with your finger. If the jam wrinkles and holds its shape, it’s ready. If it runs like syrup, continue cooking the jam for a few more minutes to evaporate a bit more water and try again.
