Plum Jam is really easy to make as plums have a lot of pectin naturally so setting is seldom a problem.
Ingredients for Plum Jam:
- 4 lbs (1.8 kg) plums
- 1 pint (575 ml) water
- 4 lbs (1.8 kg) sugar
Method for Plum Jam:
- Wash and wipe the plums. Cut in halves.
- Put into a pan with the water and simmer gently until the fruit is soft.
- Test for pectin.
- Add the sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to the boil and boil rapidly until the jam sets when tested, removing the stones as they rise to the top.
- Remove the scum.
- Pot and seal while still hot.
Makes around 6 lbs (2.7 kg) of jam.
General Information on Jam Making
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I’ve just made my first batch of plum jam using this recipe, it turned out fantastic! We have an old plum tree that was cut back when we bought our house. Third year here and got 5 kilos of plums so didnt want to waste them.
Thanks so much for the recipe, what a great site this is.
Faye
I’m glad to hear that your Plum Jam turned out so well using this recipe and that you really like the site. I’m a great believer in “waste not, want not”!
How do you test for pectin?
Hi Kathryn
Follow the link below the recipe for making jam methods and Val explains it in there.
What a great web site this is. I have retired and need to “watch
the pennies” . I got plums reduced in the
supermarked, brought them home, found your web site and
proceeded to make my first batch of jam ever, it was a complete success. Many thanks, I have bookmarked your site, and will tell all my friends. I am looking forward to
making chutney for the winter and I have planted rhubarb this year so next year d.v should have my very own crop of rhubarb for jam.
Glad to hear you like the site so much. A quick tip – after X-Mas the supermarkets are always getting rid of satsumas, tangerines etc. at very reduced prices. They make wonderful marmalade.
Just made some amazing plum jam… I have recently become slightly obsessed with making jam, my first jam was gooseberry. im 18 and just about to go to university so stocking up before i leave home! thanks again!
Hi, I want to try this recipe but not sure what it means by ‘test for pectin’? Can anyone help? Thanks!
Clair – read my answer to the same question above.
I concur with everything that people have said here although I think a touch less sugar might give it a little edge. I have made a half batch this afternoon and put a very good pinch of powdered cloves in the mix which has given it a lovely spicy plum finish
I have the same problem as Clair.
I want to make this recipe because im hoping to give a pot or two to my Gran for christamas as she adores homemade jam. But i’ve never made it before.
Could you please specify on your website what ‘test for pectin’ means in the instructions.
Follow the link below the recipe for making jam methods and I explain it in there.
thats a great way to use up excess plums
regards bob.
Eleanor – I can only think that you boiled it for too long after the sugar was added. Do read the link below the recipe for making jam methods. As for the fruit being in large bits, this can be caused by not cooking it enough before the sugar is added.
Me & my sister followed this recipe with huge success today. We used yellow wild cherry plums, which we picked ourselves. As some of the plums were very ripe, we added 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. The jams have set perfectly & taste beautiful, especially on toast! We will definatly be using this recipe again, with other fruits.
I’ve just made some plum jam but if you had mentioned the importance of the simmering bit me jam wouldn’t be quite so liquid.
I’ve got tons of little wild plums all around the far side of my lake. As I’m making hay way out there I thought I’d bring back a bucket & make jam.
I didn’t simmer enough.
Dark and runny.
Simmer guys, simmer till you think it’s enough and then simmer a bit more. My wild plums have stones so small they go through a pasta spoon but they are Organic so I don’t mind runny jam if it comes to it.
Keep on growing food for yourselves; it tastes so much better.
The Sweetcorn sprint is the best bit of the harvest.
Put the water on to boil and walk slowly down the garden, pick some sweetcorn then run as fast as you can back to the pot while ripping off the leaves and chuck it in the pot. The minute you separate it from the plant the sugars start to change.
Better still trundle your BBQ up beside the plants and pick and roast with the leaves still on.
Have just made this jam and it smells lovely, have now made the labels and cant wait to have some on a piece of crusty bread. how long does this keep? not that i think it will be on the shelve for long. This jam will remind me of my summer holiday as collected the fruit which was growing on the came site we stayed. A brill site
The “official” line is it will keep for 12 months but we’ve had jam, that is perfectly fine for a lot longer than that!
Hi, we are two pretty pathetic cooks, but we have just atempted to make this jam with a bucket of plums from the garden, and have spent the afternoon making our own hand-made labels. We are very happy to say the jam came out ever so yummy, and currently enjoying some on toast with butter! Thanks! xxxx
I made this jam yesterday with plums that I discovered growing on a tree on some waste ground nearby.
The result was superb. I would like to know however if there is an easy way to remove the pips and skin from the mixture. Also, the plums that I used were a dark maroon colour, and smaller than those bought in a shop. More like a large cherry. Would you have any idea of the variety please.
So far this year August 2009 we have made strawberry, victoria plum, wild plum, black cherry, blackberry, blackberry and apple jam here on the farm plus pineapple bought from a store which had reduced them to 50P each, next more apple, then plum and ginger that should give us approx 30 + jars of jam finally we shall be making pumpkin and ginger towards the end of the month its fun, organic and a great deal tastier than shop bought, plus it is with 100% fruit cannot be beaten . Have fun, also we make wine from the extra fruit left on the farm its all go but better than watching the goggle box.
hi made the plum jam as your book it wont set it look ok on test do you know to make it set thanks
Read Page 39 – When things go wrong. You probably need to re-heat it and add some pectin. Although this is unusual for plums as they have loads.
I have just made 18lbs of plum jam using your recipe; very good results but I agree that one needs to simmer perhaps longer than one thinks, especially if some of the fruit is not fully ripe. Also, I warmed the suger in a low heat oven before adding to the fruit; I think this helped the sugar to dissolve easily. I needed the oven on a low heat anyway to warm the jars. many thanks
Hi,we have an old plum tree and wanted to use them as there has been so much waste.So me and my mum have made some and it has turned out lovely! Thanks for the recipe.:)
The only thing that we had a BIG PROBLEM with was how long to boil for please answer, thanks once again.
It really does depend on how ripe the fruit is. Simmer until soft before adding the sugar. And then boil rapidly until setting point is reached.
I just followed this recipie but the jam has not set. I have left it for 24hrs and it is still runny. What may i have done wrong? and is i made 4 lbs of jam any ideas what I can do with it all?! I realy dont want to throw it all away. many thanks
The most common reasons for a jam not setting are it not having reached setting point properly or lack of pectin. With plums, there is usually plenty of pectin present. Tip it back out of the jars and re-heat to boiling point and boil for a minute or two, stirring to avoid it sticking, and then re-test. If this doesn’t work, add some pectin. The commerical pectin, either bottled or powder, is the easiest. Don’t forget to to thoroughly clean and re-sterilize the jars before re-potting. Discard any waxed paper discs that you may have used.
I have just made plum jam for the first time, I have made other jams, and the boiling point has always been 2 to 3 mins.
but plum jam takes longer, I was so scared of it sticking to the pan that I put it in the mocrowave and let it boil, it turned out great, it went darker colour, then set very well, you do need the proper dishes though, i have the old 1960s pyrex, so it worked well.
I used this recipe for my first attempt at Jam as we had loads of plums from the tree and it turned out brilliant.
Hi – I just used your recipe and it turned out wonderfully – thanks! A friend gave me 5lbs of golden and pink plums with quite a delicate flavour so I added a couple of tsp ground ginger which isn’t overpowering and gives more depth of flavour. If you happen to make runny jam I’ve found it works brilliantly as a sauce for ice cream – sprinkle with chopped toasted hazelnuts – scrummy!
this web site is brilliant thank you for the recipe kids love the jam xxxx
Sorry to sound ignorant, but do you have to remove the skin from the plums, prior to cooking?
Thanks
No you don’t need to remove the skins from the plums.
I did not find how to test for pectin, How do you?
Follow the link under the recipe – Making Jam and Jelly at home – and it explains how to test fo pectin.
just made some jam, but how important is it to use wax discs?
As long as you’ve thoroughly washed the jars and sterilzed them, you should get away without them.
So simple – and foolproof. thank you.
Have just made Plum jam the first time ever and the results are fantastic, Great site and thanks for getting me inspired to have a go
i have been jam making for a few years now i have to freeze
my plums then make them into jam in the winter i freeze all my fruit to use later has i find i dont have time to pick and make in the same day every thing always turns out just the same has they were fresh
made my first ever plum jam panicked as did not seem to set
but this morning perfect jam so pleased
Sometimes in jam making it’s nice to accept a little runniness. I find if I can’t get a jam to set grating an apple in really helps. With blackberry, a lemon juice too…
I always use this method, from an old cookerybook and it’s infallible: To test for pectin, after 1st cooking fruit to soften.
Place 1 teasp cooked fruit pulp in a small glass and add to it 3 teasps methylated spirits. Leave for a few mins for clot to form. If clot is good use 1lb sugar to each 1lb fruit, if clot is very solid, use 1.25lbs sugar to each 1lb fruit. If clot is poor, use .75lb sugar to each lb fruit. Then proceed to make the jam as usual. Anne
I live in Canada and it is not possible to buy the wax discs like it is in the UK, will the jam still keep well or would you suggest making a half batch?
As long as you make sure that the jars are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized and the top is firmly screwed on you should get away without using the wax discs.
This recipe is absolutely foolproof. I have never made jam before and this turned out perfect. I will now be browsing your other recipes to see what i can try next. Thank You.
Hi, I have frozen a lot plums from my tree and want to make some spiced plum jam. The fruit is frozen. Do i have to defrost before cooking?
My mum has also made jam in the past but, when opened, it has turned out to be very hard. I’d like to have my jam quite soft, will this recipe give me soft juicy jam?
Many thanks.
De-frost and remove the stones from the plums. Plums are high in pectin and, possibly, the reason that your mum’s jam was hard was that it was too high in the pectin and/or boiled for too long. Fruit loses some pectin during freezing and, I think, if you defrost first, the jam should come out juicy as long as you follow the instructions. Don’t add further pectin or increase the amount of fruit to sugar with the plums.
Ok, having never made this, I am being careful. I do not see that you peeled the plums, only pit. Am I correct?