Do you have to pit plums when making jam?

Cut the plums in half, roughly, but don't bother pitting or peeling them . Cook according to your favorite jam recipe (the fruit will cook off the pits).

How long will homemade plum jam last?

Homemade fruit preserves can last for up to year or even longer if it is unopened and stored in a cool, dry place , such as a pantry or kitchen cupboard. However the flavour and texture of your jam will start to deteriorate after around 6 months, even if you keep them tightly sealed.

What is the difference between plum preserves and jam?

Preserves are the thickest, chunkiest mixture of all . Instead of pieces of fruit like in jam, you'll find slices or even whole fruits in preserves. A good jar of preserves is nearly opaque and more challenging to spread, but just as rewarding when you bite into it.

What kind of plums are good for jam?

European plums, aka prune plums , are mainly grown to be turned into dried plums. Their thick skins, high sugar content, and dense flesh make them ideal for drying, and best for baking and jam-making.

Can you freeze whole plums to make jam later?

If you are using frozen plums to make jams or cook into a pie, there is no need to defrost the plums first, just start cooking with the frozen plums. Freezing plums allows you to set them aside and turn them into jam or chutney when the weather has cooled down and you have time to mind the bubbling pot.

How do you thicken homemade plum jam?

If, after waiting, you find the jam is still too loose for your liking, empty the jars back into a wide pot and cook again. Wash and sterilize the jars and try again. While you can simply reduce the jam to your liking, you can also add commercial pectin or chia seeds to the reducing jam to guarantee thickening .

Can you overcook plum jam?

Overcooked Jam: It's is harder to salvage overcooked jam . If the jam tastes scorched it's best just to throw it away and try again. If the jam isn't scorched but is too thick to use as jam, slowly heat it in the microwave with a little added water and use it as syrup.

Why is my plum jam so thick?

So if you use pieces of fruit or whole berries, you are actually using less fruit than if it were mashed, or cooked to a mash and then measured, and you will get a firmer jell. Or you may have used more pectin than the recipe called for . For example, if you used Tablespoons of pectin rather than teaspoons.

Why is my plum jam Brown?

What turns your jam brown is the same substance that turns cut fruit brown: Oxygen . The head space in your jars is filled with air, albeit less than at normal pressure.

Why won't Plum Jam set?

The natural pectin in fruits and vegetables thickens jams. If there isn't enough pectin in the fruit itself and you don't add extra pectin, the result is runny jelly or jam . Additionally, if the fruit is overripe, its pectin levels are lower.

Can plums not have pits?

The idea of pitless, or stoneless, fruits is not new. In the early 1900s Luther Burbank, a prolific horticulturist, crossed a partially stoneless wild plum with California French prune varieties . These crosses led to commercial-quality fruit that almost completely lacked the stone, but still contained the seed.

Why is my plum jam runny?

Jam that was not heated to 104C-105C will not be set . In this is the case, heat the jam again. Use a jam thermometer to check when it reaches temperature. However, if the jam has been heated sufficiently, but still did not set, then it requires more pectin and acid.

Homemade Easy Plum Jam Recipe (2024)

A simple homemade Plum Jam Recipe with no pectin

Make this Easy Plum Jam Recipe as a perfect condiment for your breakfast, snacks, or dessert!

This post contains affiliate links.

Plum jam can be tricky to find in the stores, so this Easy Plum Jam Recipe is a great way to get your plum fix!

Lately we have really been into charcuterie boards and we learned that these homemade jams are the PERFECT addition to the meats and cheeses.

And we have been having so many charcuterie boards with friends that it has been nearly impossible to eat these jams any other way!

My favorite is jam with brie on a cracker. YUM.

This year I have been on a homemade jam kick (hellooooooooo Homemade Cherry Jam!) and they have all been amazing!

While there are some great store bought jams out there, nothing compares to a homemade jam.

Table of Contents

What is the Difference Between Jam and Jelly?

Jam is made with the whole fruits, flesh and skin and all.

Jelly is made from just the juice and then thickened with pectin.

I am personally a huge fam of jam because I love the texture and think the flavors are deeper and richer.

What is in Plum Jam?

Here are the ingredients you need for this recipe:

Plums
Sugar
Lemon Juice

That’s it!

Can I Make Jam with Frozen Plums?

Yes!

The frozen fruit will have more moisture in them so you will likely need to cook the jam a little longer to get the consistency you want.

How Ripe Should Plums Be for Plum Jam?

It is best to use plums that are about as ripe as you would want them for eating fresh, or even overly ripe.

If not quite ripe enough, the plums will not have the same level of flavor and sweetness which will be more evident in the jam. You can absolutely still make the jam with underripe plums, but you might end up wanting to add a little more sugar.

Do You Skin Plums Before Making Jam?

I leave the skins on for this Plum Jam Recipe because they cook down and are very soft.

There is no weird texture that comes from the skins being included. They get so soft that they are just volume to the jam.

How Do You Pit Plums for Jam?

I remove the stones the same way that I remove a pit from a peach.

I cut around the stone all the way in a circle and try to twist them apart or use my fingers to pry the halves apart.

Can You Leave Stones in Plum Jam?

Eventually you will want to remove them, but if the stones are difficult to remove, you can cook the jam with them still in it.

Then, as cooking progresses and the stones start to separate from the fruit, you can pull them out.

How Do You Thicken Plum Jam?

The best way to do this is let it continue cooking. The cooking process will thicken the consistency.

If desired, you can also whisk in a Tablespoon of pectin powder which traditionally helps thicken up jams and jellies.

How to Make Plum Jam

First cut up your plums and remove the pits.

Add them to a pot with the sugar and lemon juice, and heat over medium high heat.

When boiling, turn the heat down and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until you get the thickness you want.

Remember that the jam will set up a little thicker when it is cool!

How Long Does Plum Jam Take to Cook?

This will vary with how much moisture is in your fruit and how thick you want it. Typically the process takes 25-45 minutes.

Why is my Plum Jam not Setting?

You might be cooking at too high of a temperature that is interfering with the natural pectin’s ability to thicken the jam.

Try lowering the temperature slightly, continue cooking, and then check again.

Why is my Plum Jam Bitter?

It is possible that the jam was overcooked. The sugars can go past the point of sweetness and almost start to burn, which would give a bitter taste.

This jam holds for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze the jam, either in large quantities or in an ice cube tray, to use as needed.

It is also possible to can the jam, but make sure that the acidity in your jam is low enough for it to be shelf stable with a canning bath.

You can find more information about canning by searching online.

Easy Plum Jam Recipe

A simple homemade Plum Jam Recipe with no pectin

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 30 Min or Less, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 cups

Calories: 366kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound plums
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

Chop the plums and remove the pits. Place the plums, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.
Bring the plums to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer to thicken, approximately 15 minutes.
Use a potato masher or fork to mash the fruit as much or little as desired.
The jam is done when it is thick and more of a clump when put on a cold spoon or cold plate and tilted. If it runs like honey, it is not thick enough yet and you need to heat it longer. You want the jam to move slowly when tilted.
Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Or freeze.

Notes

Follow proper canning procedures to store at room temperature. You can also freeze this jam.

The volume you get will vary with how long you cook it (how thick it is) and how much you mash it.

This will roughly fill one pint sized mason jar, which is perfect for storing in the refrigerator.

Nutrition