This simple plum jam recipe uses just three ingredients and comes together quickly with a short boil time. Perfect for beginners, it yields beautifully set jam with lots of fruit flavor. Makes 9 half-pint jars.
6cupscrushed plums(about 3 pounds, pits removed; red-fleshed varieties like Santa Rosa work best)
1packagepowdered pectin(do not substitute liquid pectin)
8cupsgranulated sugar
Instructions
Prep jars. Prepare the jars by washing them in hot, soapy water and placing them in a water bath canner filled with water. Bring to a simmer while you make the jam.
Mash fruit. Wash, pit, and roughly chop the plums. Crush them with a potato masher and measure out 6 cups of crushed fruit.
Add pectin. Add the crushed plums to a large pot. Stir in the powdered pectin and bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
Add sugar. Add the sugar all at once. Stir to dissolve and return the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Skim. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam. Optionally, use an immersion blender to smooth the jam if the plums were firm or chunky.
Fill jars. Remove jars from the canner. Using a funnel, ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and rings finger-tight.
Process. Return jars to the canner, ensuring they are fully submerged with at least 1 inch of water above. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude).
Cool. Turn off heat. Let jars sit in hot water for 5 minutes, then remove to a towel-lined surface. Cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
Store. After 24 hours, check seals. Label sealed jars and store in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within 2 weeks.
Notes
This recipe is developed for powdered pectin and cannot be directly swapped with liquid pectin. Fully ripe, red-fleshed plums give the best color and flavor. Yields about 9 half-pint jars.