Updated on 7th July 2020
Hey friends, juicy, ripe plums are in season and so it’s time make Plum jam without pectin. This recipe is a charm as it is a super simple recipe to follow and makes absolutely delicious jam. It tastes so good and needs just two pantry ingredients. I think plum is the best fruit to make jam after strawberry because it has a lovely color, rich thickness and it is scrumptiously tarty. I love this jam in breakfast with cream and toasted bread and you will too.
Can I use frozen Plums for jam?
Plum jam can be made, fresh or frozen plums slices. It is important that plums are pitted before freezing otherwise pitting plum after cooking can be a nuisance.
Do I peel plum before making a jam?
No, peeling plum for plum jam is not necessary. In fact, as for most fruits peels are rich in antioxidants and so there is no need to waste it. The fiber from peel also helps thicken the jam. Most importantly, the peels are soft and get meshed easily after cooking. If incase any variety of plum have thick skin, you can pulse the jam in a blender to make it smooth. The skin will disappear after blending.
How much sugar goes in Plum Jam without pectin?
Since sugar is a natural preservative in a jam, you need a certain amount of sugar to make jam, especially if making without pectin. For a sweet jam, you go beyond that amount and make it very sweet. That’s why in ingredients, I have mentioned both measures for less and more sugar in jam.
- Using 2 cups of sugar with 1 kg plum (2.2 pounds) will give you slightly sweet and tarty plum jam. And why not make a less sugar more pulp jam at home and ditch the store-bought jam. Great for weight water and healthy food lovers. One drawback is that reducing sugar will give you thinner jam as compared to the below version. But it tastes good and is spreadable too.
- Using 3 cups of sugar with 1 kg plums will make a sweet jam just like the store-bought, of course, better with real ingredients. If you are making jam for kids than I suggest add three cups of sugar.
This Plum jam has rich color and spreadable consistency since we are not using pectin, it will be thick in the jar but it will not set like regular jam. Check information more information on jams here and here.
Are plums high in pectin?
Plum are high in pectin and it helps the jam to set as it cools. But natural pectin is not as effective as added pectin. So expect a soft jam which is spreadable and thick but not jelly-like or the store-bought jam.
Tips for storing jams
- Homemade jams last for 6 months in the fridge without preservatives, if proper sterilization process is followed. Use clean spoon to serve each time.
- If you freeze jam, they can last up to a year or more. Although they never last that long.
- If you intend to seal and store jam at room temperature. Then proper canning steps and store jam in fridge after opening.
My other similar recipes
- Strawberry Jam, 3 ingredients without pectin
- Plum Juice Recipe
- Orange Jam Recipe
How to make Plum Jam recipe without pectin?
If you are making a small batch of jam that you will store in the fridge. And you intend to consume it within 15 days or freeze it. Then you can skip the sterilization steps. Using clean dry jars should be good enough. Although, I highly recommend following the steps as a precaution. If you want to can jam for storing it at room temperature for 6 months or more then follow the canning procedure mentioned here.
Wash two jars (300 ml each) thoroughly with soapy water. Then sterilize jars in boiling water for 8 minutes. Also, boil the metal lids. Alternately, you can place washed jars while they are still wet in the baking tray. And roast jars in a preheated oven (160-180 C) for 15 minutes.
Dry on a clean towel. Let air dry naturally. Also, keep a few little plates or saucers in the freezer for Cold Plate Test.
Take pitted plum in the wide-based and thick-bottomed pot. No need to remove peels for plum jam. The peels are edible and high in antioxidants.
Add sugar and cook for 20 minutes on medium flame until soft. You can adjust sugar to preference. (Use at least 2 cups for low sugar jam and 3 cups for a sweet jam).
After 20 minutes, when plums are soft mash it with a potato masher. You can also blend the jam with an immersion blender if you like a smooth consistency.
Cook jam for about an hour on a very slow flame with occasional stirring.
Do a cold plate to see jam is ready to set. Place a large drop of hot jam on freezer cold plate and wait for 30 seconds to cool. This is a stage, I stopped but my jam doesn’t set absolutely, its thick and spreadable. It’s runny as shown above so you can cook further for a thicker jam. This cold plate test will guide you on what your jam would be when cool.
Transfer hot jam to clean and sterilized jars and let it cool completely until it reaches room temperature. Then place the lids. ( Placing the lid on warm jam will cause condensation, avoid that.) Store in the fridge if consuming immediately. Or seal it for canning if intending to store it for a longer period. If you find canning over-whelming, freeze the plum jam.
Plum jam recipe without pectin
Ingredients
- 1 kg plum, pitted (2.2 lbs)
- 2 cups sugar
Instructions
- Sterilize two 300 ml jars and their lids in boiling water for 8 minutes. Remove jars and transfer on a clean towel and let it dry naturally.
- Keep few plates for cold plate test in freezer.
- Meanwhile, in a thick bottomed and wide based pot, take sugar and plum. Cook for 20 minutes on medium flame until soft.
- Then mash plum with a potato masher. Cook further on slow heat for about an hour.
- To test consistency put a large drop of jam on cold plate. Wait for 30 secs to cool then hold plate horizontally. If jam is flow through the plate immediately continue cooking for 10 more minutes. And if it sets then stop cooking. Jam is ready.
- Then transfer hot jam to sterilized jars. Let the jam cool completely to room temperature then place the lids.
- Store jam in fridge and consume within 1-2 months. Or freeze the jars for upto six months. You may follow canning steps if storing jam at room tempertaure for a year or more.
Leave a Reply