Post by tigerlily on Jul 9, 2009 11:13:59 GMT
We have a huge cherry plum tree in the back yard here. I've cut a lot of the lower branches off, and couldn't reach the top branches (the tree is as tall as the house!), but still managed to pick just over seven pounds of plums! I reckon there's easily the same again on the branches I cut off, and twice or thrice that on the upper branches.
Anyway, last night I made plum jam, and it is the easiest thing to do ever.
Being small, I didn't bother to stone or cut the plums. The stones rise to the top eventually anyway.
So:
Wash your plums well in cold running water;
Place in the biggest pot you can find - a preserving pan would be a useful investment if you think you will make a lot of jam;
Add a pint and a half or so of water to 6 pounds of plums;
Bring to the boil then turn down to a low simmer and leave for one hour;
Then, add 6 pounds of granulated sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Take out about a dozen or so of the plum stones and crack them, removing the kernel. Add the kernels back to the liquid in the pan (apparently it improves the flavour of the jam);
Stir well, keeping the heat down until all of the sugar has dissolved. Once dissolved, bring the heat up till the pan is at a rolling boil and boil hard for at least 8 minutes;
Check jam for setting. Put a metal dish in the freezer before you start making the jam. Take out when you want to test for setting and tip a spoonful of jam onto the plate. Return to the fridge for a couple of minutes. Push the jam with your finger - if it wrinkles ahead of your finger, it is ready. if not, keep boiling till it reaches the setting point;
While the jam is cooking, keep removing the stones as they reach the surface. Skim off the yellow-orange froth at the top of the pan periodically, too.
When the jam is ready, there are various ways of bottling it. I like the hot bottle method.
Wash and dry your jars. Place jars in a cold oven, then heat the oven to 160 degrees c. Take the jars out when you are ready to bottle the hot jam. This sterilises the jars and also prevents them from cracking when you add the hot jam.
Pop a waxed paper disc or plastic square over the neck of the jar and screw on the lid. As the jam cools, the jar will seal itself tightly. You can then keep the jars in a cool, dark cupboard till ready to use.
Otherwise, keep the jam in the fridge.
7 pounds of plums made 8 large jars of jam.
Anyway, last night I made plum jam, and it is the easiest thing to do ever.
Being small, I didn't bother to stone or cut the plums. The stones rise to the top eventually anyway.
So:
Wash your plums well in cold running water;
Place in the biggest pot you can find - a preserving pan would be a useful investment if you think you will make a lot of jam;
Add a pint and a half or so of water to 6 pounds of plums;
Bring to the boil then turn down to a low simmer and leave for one hour;
Then, add 6 pounds of granulated sugar and the juice of half a lemon. Take out about a dozen or so of the plum stones and crack them, removing the kernel. Add the kernels back to the liquid in the pan (apparently it improves the flavour of the jam);
Stir well, keeping the heat down until all of the sugar has dissolved. Once dissolved, bring the heat up till the pan is at a rolling boil and boil hard for at least 8 minutes;
Check jam for setting. Put a metal dish in the freezer before you start making the jam. Take out when you want to test for setting and tip a spoonful of jam onto the plate. Return to the fridge for a couple of minutes. Push the jam with your finger - if it wrinkles ahead of your finger, it is ready. if not, keep boiling till it reaches the setting point;
While the jam is cooking, keep removing the stones as they reach the surface. Skim off the yellow-orange froth at the top of the pan periodically, too.
When the jam is ready, there are various ways of bottling it. I like the hot bottle method.
Wash and dry your jars. Place jars in a cold oven, then heat the oven to 160 degrees c. Take the jars out when you are ready to bottle the hot jam. This sterilises the jars and also prevents them from cracking when you add the hot jam.
Pop a waxed paper disc or plastic square over the neck of the jar and screw on the lid. As the jam cools, the jar will seal itself tightly. You can then keep the jars in a cool, dark cupboard till ready to use.
Otherwise, keep the jam in the fridge.
7 pounds of plums made 8 large jars of jam.