Tart Plum Jam

In many parts of California, plums are still a fairly common sight at this time of year. The rest of you might have to wait until next year for this one. Using small tart plums from what started out as the “mystery” fruit tree in our yard, we made a tangy jam that resembles more of a marmalade in flavor and texture, without the citrus of course. This recipe uses powdered pectin to reduce the cooking time, which I think is probably good for first time jam/jelly makers. Just make sure you follow the directions below and completely dissolve the pectin before adding the sugar or the texture will not be ideal, which I would loosely translate to “just plain nasty.” And nobody wants nasty jam on their english muffin.

Tart Plum Jam
makes about 10 (8oz) jars

about 8 cups of pitted tart plums, skins left on
1 package powdered fruit pectin
about 7 cups white sugar
2 Tbsps orange liqueur (I used Leopolds Brothers)

1. Combine the fruit with a half cup of water and bring to a soft boil, then reduce heat and cook gently until plums are soft. (5-7 minutes)
2. Stir in 2 Tbsps orange liqueur.
3. After the plums are soft, add the pectin and stir with a whisk until dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil.
4. Once at a full boil, add the sugar. It’s best to have the sugar pre-measured into a separate container so you can add it all at once. Then return the mixture to a rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
5. Ladle the warm/hot jam into sterile jars for canning or the container of your choice. For more info on canning check out the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserves or to process in a simple hot water bath, go here to an older post.