*Shout out to a good friend who caught my mistake! I have corrected the steps to: wiping off the rim of the jar BEFORE you place the lid.*
I have never made jam. So when I had a grocery bag full of Damson plums to deal with, I decided to give jam making a shot.
Supplies:
- Damson Plums. You’ll need 5 cups coarsely chopped and pitted.
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- Six 8 ounce mason jars with new lids and bands
- A pot for simmering the jam.
- A pot large enough to sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water.
- Long tongs for grabbing the jars and lids.
- Clean kitchen towels.
- Small plate for gel test.
- A ladle.
Instructions:
First step:
I like to start with the jars and lids because once they are in the pot, they can stay there. I like to place a clean towel in the bottom of the pot. It keeps the jars from bouncing around.
Place your towel, if using, on the bottom of your pot. Place the jars and lids in your pot. Fill each jar with water first, then fill the pot with enough water to cover everything by an inch or so. Place it on the stove over medium to medium-high heat and let come to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.
Second Step:
Rinse, pit, and coarsely chop your plums.
Third Step:
Put the chopped plums, sugar, and water in a pot. You will need to have enough room to accommodate the mixture bubbling up as it cooks. Place the pot on the stove and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
There is no good mesasue of the time it takes for your jam to cook. You have to check its consistency to know when it’s ready.
While you are cooking the plums, place a small plate in your refrigerator or freezer to get cold.
Time for the Gel Test:
Pull your plate out of the fridge or freezer and put a spoonful of the jam on it. Tilt the plate so that the jam spreads out in a thin layer. Push or draw your finger through the jam. If it makes a clean trail, and starts to kind of wrinkle as you push it, it’s ready to jar. It your jam is too thin still, clean your plate and put it back in the cold for a few minutes, and test again.
Step Four:
Turn the heat on your jam down to low, or off, if you feel fast enough! Spread a clean towel out on your counter. Have the rings to your jars, extra towels, tongs, and ladle handy…. it’s time to jar up your jam!
CAREFULLY remove a jar from the hot water. I like to grab the jar with tongs and pour the water back out into the pot by tilting it.
Set the jar on your clean towel. Using your ladle, scoop up some jam and pour it into the jar. Continue until you have filled the jar to within one inch of the top.
Dampen a towel and wipe away any spills from the rim of the jar where the lid and ring attach.
Grab a lid from the pot with your tongs and place it, seal side down on top of your jar.
Now grab a dry towel and a ring for the jar. Use the towel to hold the jar steady while you place the ring on the jar. Twist it down tightly. Now, flip your jar upside down on the towel.
Repeat this process for the other jars. Make sure all your burners are turned off when you’re done.
Cover your jars with another towel and let sit. You should start hearing little popping sounds as the lids seal. Once cool, check the seal of your jars. Pressing in the center of the lid, it should be firm, not flexible. If your lids are flexible you will need to either water bath process them, or keep it the refrigerator and use it up faster. Water bathing is easy, just return your jars to the pot you sterilized them and cook them for about 10 – 15 minutes in gently boiling water. The lids should seal. If not, you are going to have to refrigerate your jam.
That really is all it takes to make a simple plum jam. This canning technique is known as ‘open kettle’ and has been used for a long time. Look up how jam is made in Europe, you will find they use this method. Only the U.S. recommends water bathing jams. As always, do your research and use your best judgment before trying this method.
Reach out in the comments and let me know how it went!