This Damson Jam Recipe is easy to make as damsons have loads of pectin and enough acid for a good set.
Ingredients for Damson Jam:
- 4 lbs (1.8 kg) damsons
- ¼ pint (145 ml) water
- 4 lbs (1.8 kg) sugar
Method for Damson Jam:
- Wash and wipe the damsons. Pick over to remove stalks.
- Put into a pan with the water and simmer gently until the fruit is soft, occasionally pressing the damsons against the sides of the pan to break open and release the stones.
- Remove the stones.
- Test for pectin.
- Add the sugar, stirring until it has dissolved.
- Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 10 minutes until the jam sets when tested.
- Remove the remainder of the stones as they rise to the surface.
- Remove the scum.
- Pot and seal while still hot.
Makes around 6lbs (2.7 kgs) of jam.
General Information on Jam Making
How to Make Jam, Jellies & Marmalade
These articles cover the basic methods and rules for making jams, jellies and marmalades. Once you have mastered these, it is far easier to adapt and alter recipes for your own tastes.
The first people to record some of their methods were the Romans...
Preserving Jars, Labels and Covers
Store, preserve, label and cover your home grown fruit and vegetables with this extensive range of products. You've made it so it is only fair to show it off at its best!
Jam and Preserve Making Equipment
All the equipment you need to easily make your own jams, chutneys and preserves. Say goodbye to mass-produced supermarket jams and preserves and start producing your own unique accompaniments to meals using your own produce.
fab website, found everything i wanted to.my first year of growing my own and this website really helped with the basics for me.
thanks.
Glad you liked the site. Hope to have a load more recipes and info on preserves up soon.
fab page
I make jam, but always reduce the sugar, plum and gooseberry always work with less sugar a squirt of lemon juice helps, but I have a load of damsons, will it work the same (less sugar) for this jam, I welcome any tips, from any of you jam makers out there.
Christine Cook
Jams with less than the usual amount of sugar can be made from fruits with good setting qualities such as damsons. The proportions are 1½ lbs of sugar to 2 lbs of fruit. The jam will keep for only a few weeks unless stored in airtight jars and, once opened, will remain in good condition for only 10 to 14 days. The set will be less firm than usual.
Just made this jam. It turned out a treat. What a fab website. Will be coming back again soon.
We have some very small yellow plums growing wild. Is anyone a plum/damson expert? I think they may be mirabelle plums but not sure. Does anyone know? I am just making some jam with them using the damson recipe.
I find that if you have yellow plums – may be mirabelle, but there are lots of other yellow varieties, then Christine Ferber, the doyenne of French jam-making has a good recipe. It takes loner, because you macerate with sugar and lemon juice in a bowl for an hour or so, then bring them to the simmer in a pan, then refrigerate overnight back in the bowl, the next day, you take the plums out while you cook the syrup, then add them back in and cook again in the normal way. This stops the plums going all squishy and brown. Looks very much better
First time trying to make jam. Recipe for Damson jam on your page looks easy but how and what is the test for pectin? Please help.
Click on the link below the recipe – Making Jam and Jelly at Home – Methods and Ingredients – all is explained.
I love damson jam. I make jam all the time and it’s not as fiddly as people think–I never check for pectin and it always turns out fine.
Damsons are full of pectin so it’s dead easy to make!
Can damson jam be made in a microwave? Somewhere I recall reading that you can’t cook stoned fruit in the microwave.
I’ve never tried but perhaps someone who has will be along. I’d imagine it difficult unless you removed the stones first. Conventionally, you press them against the side of the pan to break them open and remove the stones as they move to the top. I don’t see how you could do this in a microwave.
I have just had a carrier bag full of damsons given to me, so i cant wait to try and make this damson jam, but can anyone tell me, once its made and in the sealed pots, where should i keep it and also how long does it last.
Cool, dark place. Ours are on a shelf in the garage. It should last at least 12 months.
Thank you for your help Val.xx
I have home made damson jam at home that is 2 years old and it is still fine.
for at least 3 years
from karlie wright
Just back from 2 wks in Italy to find the Damson crop of the century in my freezer (thanks to diligent son). I have never seen so many. Just made 14 pots today and more to come. I find with such a quantity there is not time for picking over stones. So I stew it up, put it in muslin and hang over bowl for 24 hours, then measure this juice and add sugar and boil away and this makes a wonderful clear jam with NO stones. (Just off to make the Damson Vodka – let you know when I come round!!!) Helen.
One further thought. As we were away when most of the crop dropped. My son, having got fed up with boiling and freezing, just stuck bags full of the damsons straight into the freezer. It doesn’t seem to affect the taste at all. Just thought it might help some other soul who is staggering under the deluge. Helen.
Jam is currently boiling – my first attempt 🙂 Just wondering, is there an “easy” way to remove the stones? I feel like I’ve been doing it for hours lol. Is there a reason you can’t remove them prior to starting the process? I have a cherry stoner and was wondering if that would work on Damsons and if so, is it ok to do this prior to making the jam?
There’s no reason why you couldn’t remove them first with the cherry stoner if you find that easier.
Well, I’ve just had this jam on my toast! It’s the first time I’ve ever made jam and by all accounts damsons were a good choice for a first attempt. Wanted to say a great big thank you for such a great simple recipe – jam is gorgeous!!! Yummy! I think in hindsight, I started taking the stones out too early and probably would have been easier and quicker if I’d waited a little longer! I’ve got a bag of damsons left so I’ll know for next time. Thanks again!
HI, does anyone know what is the best way to get out the stones of damsons wilst making jam ? x
Push the damsons against the sides of the pan to release the stones and remove with a slotted spoon as they come to the top.
I find it easier to put the damsons + water in the pan – let “cook” slowly, untill tender (not long) – get a large bowl & plastic sieve and using a slotted spoon put a couple of spoons at a time into the sieve – using a metal tea spoon (you can hear a “clunk” when you hit a stone) pick out the stones and move that fruit into the bowl beneath the sieve – keep doing this till all done – none get missed – then, put the bowl full of fruit back into the pan & add sugar etc.
The damson jam recipe works a treat, took about 20 mins of boiling to reach setting point.
How soon can I eat the jam after making it?
As soon as it’s cool (if you can wait that long)!
YUM
this recipe is dead easy even a man can make it but DON’T add lemon juice to assist setting I did this last year & jam set solid
hello there. are they a very light green, slight peachy taste? if so they are probably green gage
My jam has just been put into jars but hasn’t set. I think I used too much water initially. Help – what can I do?
Tip it back out of the jars into the pan. Bring back to setting point and re-test. If this doesn’t work, add some dried pectin (Silverspoon) or Certo (Liquid pectin). Don’t forget to thoroughly wash the jars, discard any wax discs that you may have used, and re-sterilise before putting the jam back in.
Help!!
Just about to make damson jam, but could someone clarify for me, is the weight of the fruit including the stones, or is it the weight after stones have been extracted.
I am so worried I’ll get it wrong and end up with a sickly mess!!
Thanks
Katie
Damsons have a strong flavour and it’s not necessary to use more than 4lb fruit to 4 lb sugar even taking into account the weight of the stones.
I have a huge amount of very ripe damsons and the jam I made hasnot set.Can I use the remaining damsons to make proper jam if I add lemon juice, pectin etc.If so what proportions of ingredients do I need? thanks for previous advice.
loved this recipe,friends and family now enjoying the jam!
great site,about to try mixed fruit marmalade recipe
We have had a massive crop of mulberries this year. I made some ‘bramble jelly’ using mulberries instead of blackberries and it was fine, but is there anything else I can do with them?
I am surprised that there has been no mention of removing the kernal from the damson stones and putting this back in the jam. I have been brought up with this method which really adds an extra something to the jam. It’s a fiddle but well worth it – you have a small hammer handy and tap the stones into half remove the almond-like pip inside and when all are done put them back into the jam when it is nearly set.
just found your web page, i am just about to make damson jam for the first time, and i am sure some of the tips will be invaluable. thanks.
Once the fruit was mushy I used a chip pan basket to sieve out the stones. Keep working the pulp with the back of a ladle/wooden spoon until all the good stuff is through. I ended up with a pound of waste and adjusted the sugar ratio accordingly. Yum!
I made this recipe on Wednesday for the very first time. In fact apart from 1 disaster last year, it is the first real attempt I have made at making jam and the recipe was so easy. I added a dash of lemon juice but didn’t really need to. Brilliant, and a great one for a newby to jam making, it’s very heartening to be guaranteed success with all that natural pectin. Delicious!!!
just made first batch of damson jam today using your recipe brillant web site.how long does damson jam last for
At least 12 months but we’ve had Damson Jam that has still be fine after 3 years.
Just seen your website for the first time, really helpful. Thanks.
My hubby and I just back from picking blackberries and crab apples to make jelly. Was not sure how the blackberries would be as they had lots of water this summer but very little sun to sweeten them. We always made jam growning up so I am familiar with that but came across lots of wild ‘damsons’. Had never made jam of these and was trying to check in all my cookery books to ensure what I had were ‘damsons’ and not something poisonous. One book had photo but it was a plum (I know they are of the same family of fruit).
I googled just now and found your site. Thanks a million…I saw a photo of the tree and fruit so now am happy yep its damsons and jam will be made tomorrow. Have never tasted it so looking forward to first taste.
Great site. Keep up the good work.
Will have to move the computer back into my kitchen. I can’t believe help like this is offered and so clearly given too. Thank you.The questions your site have made me consider are; 1. whether I must let my frozen damsons defrost naturally before I put them on to cook? 2.How(for the quantities given in your Damson recipe) much time will I need to complete the jam making job, though it would be lovely to have my three year old help, it might be easier first time round to wait until he’s out! Thank you
(1) Yes I’d let the the damsons de-frost naturally before using them. (2) It usually takes about 10 minutes after you have added the sugar and bring to a rolling boil for the jam to reach setting point. It can, however, take considerably longer to stew the fruit before the sugar is added and release the stones. On average about 30 minutes. I’d be dubious about having your 3 year old around the first time as, when the jam is at a rolling boil, it spits and you aren’t just dealing with boiling hot jam, but hot sterilized jars etc.