Plum Jam

This plum jam recipe uses sweet-tart plums and freshly squeezed orange juice to make a pretty jam that has endless delectable uses: Spread it on toast. Make the most delicious almond butter and jam sandwich you’ve ever had. Or use it to layer festive Linzer cookies, pair it with a savory French comté cheese or even dollop it over homemade vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients for Plum Jam

• Plums: Chop about 4-1/2 pounds of plums to yield 10 cups. We like to cut them small so they cook down well, but if you prefer a chunkier preserve, you can chop your plums coarsely.
• Orange juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice will have the best flavor and no additives, but store-bought orange juice will work too.
• Pectin: Use pectin for lower sugar preserves to ensure the jam sets well.
• Sugar: It may be hard to believe, but 3 cups of sugar is a low-sugar jam (traditional jams can call for equal parts fruit and sugar).
• Orange zest: Grated orange zest adds aromatic orange flavor and a bit of texture. If you’re unsure, here’s a refresher on how to zest citrus fruits.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon complements the taste of the plums.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the plums

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In a large Dutch oven, combine the chopped plums and orange juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for five to seven minutes, until the fruit is soft, stirring constantly.

Step 2: Add the pectin

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Add the pectin following the package instructions. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients

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Add the sugar, orange zest and cinnamon, then return the mixture to a full boil. Boil and stir for one minute.

Step 4: Transfer the jam to jars

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Remove the pan from the heat and skim off any foam that has risen to the top. Carefully ladle the hot jam into still-warm, sterilized 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if necessary, by adding more hot mixture. Wipe the rims clean, then add the lids and screw on the bands, tightening just until fingertip tight.

Editor’s Tip: A plastic knife or wooden chopstick, slid down the inside of the jar, is a good utensil for removing air bubbles.

Step 5: Process the jam

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Place the jam jars in a simmering water bath, ensuring they’re completely covered with water by 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a boil and process for a full five minutes. Carefully remove the jars and let them sit on the counter for several hours or overnight until they’ve cooled and sealed.

Editor’s Tip: If any jars fail to seal, keep them in the refrigerator and use the jam within about 10 days.

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Plum Jam Variations

• Try different plum varieties: There are a lot of different plums, with different flavors and colors. Use your favorite, or use a combination.
• Play with spices: Our plum jam recipe calls for cinnamon, but you can omit it or add another favorite warm spice, like nutmeg or cardamom.
• Switch up the citrus: Fresh lemon or lime juice can be swapped in for all the orange juice, or part of it, for a different flavor profile. But don’t omit the citrus altogether, as it adds acidity, which is important for the safety of canning.

How to Store Plum Jam

This recipe gives instructions for canning, so your jam will be shelf-stable for up to a year. Once a jar has been opened, refrigerate it and eat the jam within 7 to 10 days.

Can you freeze plum jam?

If you don’t want to can the jam with a hot water bath, it can be frozen for up to a year. Simply ladle the jam into jars as directed, but leave 1/2 inch of headroom to account for expansion during freezing.

Plum Jam Tips

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Should I peel plums before making jam?

Plums don’t need to be peeled when making jam. In fact, the peels contain a lot of natural pectin that will help the jam set up.

What types of plums are best for jam?

All plums will make a delicious jam, although the color and flavor of the finished product will differ. Popular varieties include Italian plums, damsons and greengage. But often at the market or store, they may just be labeled as red or black plums. Ripe plums will be sweeter, and less ripe plums will have more pectin.

What are some tips for safe hot water bath canning?

It’s important to follow all directions and keep everything as clean as possible when canning. Making sure the jars are covered with at least an inch of boiling water and processing for the full amount of time will help keep preserves safe. If any of your jars don’t seal, leave them overnight (some are slow), but if the lids still don’t pop, then store those jars in the refrigerator and use the jam within 7 to 10 days. For more information, here’s our detailed Canning 101 guide to canning.

What about canning at high altitude?

The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. Add one minute to the processing time for each 1,000 feet of additional altitude.