What do you do when life gives you a plum tree that produces SO MUCH FRUIT? Why make it into jams and jellies of course! Also, eat it. I have no idea what kind of plum it is, but it’s a skinny tart one that has provided in abundance. We moved a couple weeks ago now to Ottawa ON, which is the capital of Canada. It’s been a quick and easy move and for that I’m very, very grateful.
If you’re like me, you’re not going to waste all the amazing fruit that is being grown (our neighbours agree haha), so I had to make stuff with it. It produced numerous plums, so much so that I had to freeze a big freezer bag full, in addition to all the jars. Before this moment, I think I was secretly scared of making something like a jelly because I had no idea what it took. As it turns out, it was so easy I laughed. It also takes time, but I guarantee it is SO worth it. I’ve had both the jam and jelly on my toasts and sandwiches and I may or may not be addicted. HELLO NEW FAVOURITE TOPPING!
Keep in mind a couple of things when making these jellies specifically:
- High sugar content means they are pretty safe to keep for a long time in a cool, dry place if not opened after using a canning process.
- If not using a canning process, 3-4 months is a safe bet that it will last. Place in fridge as soon as opened.
- After the couple of months, use your discretion and check if your jelly is doing okay.
- Jelly thickness and clearness can depend on whether you strain the juices, how much pectin you use, and if you’ve boiled it correctly.
Autumn Plum Jelly
A sweet Fall jelly that pairs well with peanut butter, on its own, with butter, on meats, and as dessert filling. Simple to make and great for gifts!
Ingredients
- 4 cups juice of plums (4 lbs. of ripe plums)
- 1 pouch fruit pectin Bernardin or Certo
- 5 cups sugar adjust by how tart or sweet your plums are at time of boiling
- 1/2 tsp dairy free margarine
Instructions
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To get the juice from the plums, pit and half the plums. You won't need to peel! Place in large saucepan. Add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Use strainer or cheesecloth for clearer jelly. I transfer from the main pot to another big bowl, and strain through the juice back into the big pot.
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At the same time, get your jam-ming jars ready by boiling a pot of water. Put in the jar lids into the pot and boil for 10 minutes at a constant rolling boil. This is to sanitize the lids! Wash the jars themselves in hot water.
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Slowly mix 1 cup of sugar at a time into the plum juice. Mix well after each cup and check the flavour. Sweeter plums will need less sugar and tart plums will need more! Add 1/2 teaspoon butter (or oil based margarine to keep it vegan) - this helps keep the jelly clear and free of foam. At this point, bring the big pot to full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add fruit pectin and stir right away. Boil the mix for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam. Fill jars immediately.
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Wipe the jar rims and threads, as well as the jar sides (I know mine get a little sticky). Spoon out any bubbles in jars (I didn't have much). Cover quickly with lids. Invert jars for 5 minutes, then turn upright. Check seals after 1 hour and you're jelly ready!
Stuff For this Recipe:
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I just made some plum jam.First time. Turned out great, but following the directions, did not peel them. Is there a way to remove peel from them after cooked? I don’t mind the peel, but others may not. I usually bottle them instead of jam, leaving pits in them..Next batch will be jelly. .
Hey Maxine, that sounds great! Unfortunately it’s really difficult to get all the peels after it’s cooked as the fruit breaks down but is still quite thick so you can’t push it through a sieve. You could fish them all by hand which is a ton of work! Alternatively, you could peel them before you cut the plums in half while the plums are still firm. Hope that helps!