Seriously, I should have taken a picture of it. There were SO MANY PLUMS.
It was also at this time I learned I'm allergic to plums, but that's another story.
Since I had never actually made jam before I took to Google to find some inspiration. I ended up using this post for most of my how-to information.
You need to start be macerating the plums - this is a fancy way of saying marinate. After checking with the boyfriend who's been cooking professionally for over a decade I was informed that macerating is something done to fruit, which helps bring out the sugars and such. Marinating is something done to meat and vegetables. The more you know!
Here's a picture of the plums after the macerating process. In the future I'll be sure and document my process a bit more.
What I did:
Cut the plums - I ended up with about 4-5 pounds of plum.
All I did was cut them in half, remove the pit, then quarter them.
Leave the skins on, that's where a lot of them "plum-flavor" comes from (so they say).
Add the sugar. I did about one and half pounds of sugar. I couldn't find any of our kitchen scales (we have about three) so I eye-balled this based on a four pound bag of sugar.
At this point I should have added the pectin - but somehow I missed that part, which is probably why my jam didn't thicken up quite like I wanted. But hey, you live and you learn!
I choose to add lemon juice to mine. Since there were something I would be giving to others I decided to err on the side of caution and add some (about a Tablespoon)
The next day its time to start cooking!
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring regularly so you don't burn the bottom.
Around this time put a few spoons in the freezer, we'll need them later
You want your mixture to reduce by about a quarter - I didn't get quite patient enough, so my jam is on the thinner side.
The post I was following said to mill the fruit next. I don't own a fruit mill and from my search they tend to be a bit pricey. Instead a choose you use a stick blender. If you don't own one go out and invest in one! They are fairly inexpensive and can be used for so many things!
After blending the fruit mixture I had something that looked a bit like jam! I returned it back to the heat and let it cook down a bit more (could have used more time!)
Now is when those freezer spoons come into play. Put a small amount of your warm jam on the spoon and return to the freezer. Five minutes later check on the spoon. The jam should be firm, not rubbery, and should just cling to the spoon if you tip it. Just like store bought jam should do.
Now I've never made freezer jam, and our freezer is currently filled to capacity, so I choose to can (jar) my jam. I've never like how canning has been called canning when you put them into jars. But who am I and what do I know!
If you've never canned below see below for how I do. You can always follow the direction on box of jars you buy. If there's a way you've always done it go for it!
Few things to note:
- I don't own a pressure cooker, so I can my jars in a pot of water.
- I also don't have a lot of large pot, so this process took me a while.
Equipment you'll need:
- Jars, lids, and rings
- Canning funnel (I own plastic but stainless steel will do)
- Canning Jar Lifter (the first time I canned I didn't own one, you can get the jars out of the boiling water without one, but its just so handy!) There are a ton of styles, this is the one I have. Any would work I'm sure!
- Magnetic Lid Wand/Lifter same as the jar lifter, there are a ton of style, I got mine on clearance for about a dollar
- Silicone Spatula
First you need to sterilize your jars
- I do this by rinsing them in hot water
- I'm sure my Grandma wouldn't approved of my methods, but I just recently starting canning and haven't reused any jars yet.
- You'll want to make sure the jars are warm/hot when you fill them so they aren't shocked with the heat from the jam
- The lids, I put in a pan of boiling water and let them simmer till I'm ready to use them.
- Recently the producers of Bell jars say this isn't necessary, but it's what I've always done and I'm a creature of habit.
Fill the jars
- To do this I place the funnel on the jar and use a measuring cup to fill the jars, you can honestly use just about anything to fill the jars - I've seen people use the lids of sour cream containers
- I leave about an inch of room - or fill to the bottom of where the rings will sit
- After filling all the jars, use the silicone spatula and carefully run in along the inside of the jar - we're removing the air bubbles here
- Wipe off the rims of the jar
Finishing up
- Using the magnetic wand, grad one of the lids from the simmer water and place on the jar
- Add a ring and tighten until snug, you'll want to tighten until you just feel resistance
- It may be tempting to make them as tight as you can, but this may actually get you a worse seal
Process the jars
- Put the jars in the largest pot you have - I had to do three pots at a time. Don't worry, I added a bit canning pot to my Christmas list, fingers crossed Santa comes though!
- Fill the pot with water so there is about an inch of water above the jars
- Turn stove top on high
- Once you get a strong boil set your timer for 15 minutes.
- While they're boiling I set up my cooling racks - the same racks you would use to cool cookies on
- When your timer goes off, use the jar lifter to carefully take the jars out of the water and place on the cooling rack,
- I've always been told they need to sit for 24 hours undisturbed
- Allow the jars to cool naturally at room temperature
- I personally keep all the rings on my jars while they cool
- You'll start to hear that satisfying pop sound telling you your seal took
- If the buttons are depressed you'll know you got a proper seal
- If you have a jar that didn't get a proper seal, no worries, once the jar has cooled enough you can place it in the fridge and eat it first.
- After 24 hours I remove the rings, label my jars, and store them
- note: you can keep the rings on the jars, but growing up my Grandma always kept her rings when she gave us our canned goods - rings are expensive. We also always had to return the jars to be reused
- final note: Never reuse the lids if trying to can more things. I don't know why - maybe its a bacteria thing, but my whole life I've always been told we don't reuse rings
Let me know what jams/jellies you make and what other tips and trick you might have!
